"....of investigative interest."

[H2O Man]

The news media has provided a good amount of coverage to James Comey's testimony to the Senate committee. However, there is one issue that should get some more focused attention – why he did not inform Trump that it was wrong to pressure him on letting the Flynn business stop, nor come out in protest immediately afterwards. Why, instead, did he immediately start to document it on a secure laptop, and then only share the information with top FBI officials?

To understand the actual reason, we need to look closely at one short sentence Comey uttered, which has not been appreciated by the media: “It was of investigative interest.”

More, we need to place this in the curious context of events involving the FBI investigation, and the Trump administration. We know that Comey had rehearsed, with those same FBI officials, possible responses to potential odd questions that Trump might pose to him. Surely, he could have told the president that it was unethical to discuss anything about the FBI investigation of people associated with the campaign and transition team with him. Instead, he opted to say that Trump himself was not a target of the investigation. Why?

There are two reasons: first, Trump was not officially a target at that time, simply because investigators were working their way up the chain; and second, investigators are not obligated to be honest with either suspects, or potential suspects. For example, police can separate two suspects during questioning, and tell each one that the other has already ratted on him.

Comey was investigating potential crimes. Flynn was a target. And Trump was closely associated with Flynn and his activities. Imagine an investigator at a social event, who encounters an associate of someone being investigated for a crime. If that suspect's associate asks, “Am I a suspect?,” the investigator will say no, as to do otherwise informs the friend that anything he says can be used against him, and that he needs to hire an attorney. If the associate is in a chatty mood, the investigator will listen closely, so that he can remember the associate's exact words, and then immediately document them. Why? Because the encounter is of “investigative interest.”

What precisely does “investigative interest” mean? There are but two closely related explanations. The first is to gather more evidence against the suspect (Flynn). The second is to gather leads to help identify other potential suspects – in this case, meaning Trump's attempt to obstruct the on-going investigation.

And that is exactly why Mr. Comey responded to Trump's unethical and illegal behaviors, and why he answered the Senators' questions in the public forum in the exact manner in which he did.

[Wellstone ruled]

1. Appears the Spooks found something

going down connected to Flynn,Russia,and other Foreign Players and it scared the crap out of them. Just like a onion,peel away one layer and oh crap,what the heck is this. Now we are seeing how the Trump Campaign and his friends planned a major Theft of like that of the fall of the Soviet Union.

[H2O Man]

9. Right.

Pieces from puzzles that several IC groups began to fit together to make a larger picture.

[coeur_de_lion]

2. Stop it you're giving me hope

Tell me oh Wise One what is next in this charade of a "presidency"?

[H2O Man]

12. A couple things

strike me as interesting about the upcoming week. Odd as it might sound, I am hoping that Trump does another shitload of tweeting in the post-midnight through early morning hours of Monday. It's a gift that keeps on giving.

More important, perhaps, will be the elfin Jeff Sessions's behaviors. As you know, investigators enjoy applying strategic pressure, and watching their prey's reactions. Sessions is now requesting a meeting with the "appropriate" Senate committee on Tuesday, to answer any questions that Mr. Comey's testimony may have raised. His request to meet on Tuesday suggests that he does not want to give them time to be fully prepared, meaning to focus exclusively on the Mayflower incident.

However, their staff has already prepared questions regarding three other concerns. The first has to do with why he allowed Trump to send him out of the Oval Office, leavinbg Mr. Comey there alone with the president? Second, what was his response to Comey's discussion regarding the need to serve as the go-between with Trump and the FRBI? And third, what discussions did he have with Trump in the 72 hours before Comey was fired?

Keep in mind, all three of these are very, very closely related.

[coeur_de_lion]

26. Always enjoy your perspective and

your ability to get right to the heart of the matter in question. The most important point. You're bypassing the media hype and all their endless speculation and you got it all figured out..

I think your psychiatric background also helps you understand the personalities involved.

SO

What is your analysis of Trump's disorder(s)? Given his most likely "diagnosis" how do we explain his reaction to Comey's testimony?

[H2O Man]

31. Well, thank you.

I think you'll enjoy my next OP. I might write it tonight, or else tomorrow.

I think that Trump has a personality disorder. Part of it is learned behavior; being a self-absorbed spoiled brat taught him that behaving in the manner he does, helps get his needs met. Often, kids that learn such dysfunctional behaviors find that they do not translate well to the larger society, starting with school. But Trump learned he could get his own way most of the time. And, when he didn't, other people paid the cost.

That's a funny thing about personality disorders: most cause discomfort and suffering for the person with them, but a few cause discomfort and suffering for those around them. Trump is an example of that.

[MissKat]

3. Remember that Grateful Dead song...

Truckin'

"Set up, like a bowling pin..." Oh yes, I can picture Twit-ler as a bowling pin...can't you?

And Mr. Comey is getting ready to knock him down

And Trump will be saying, "If you've got a warrant I guess you've got to come in."

Seriously, the gleam in Comey's eyes. He knew exactly what he was doing. He knew exactly what he'd done. He set Trump up-- using Trump's own words.

There's a reason Mueller is putting together a criminal team.

And Trump is putting together a civil litigation team-- thinking that bluster and threats can over-ride the justice system. Oh, he's in for such a shock. Bless his little fat-infested heart.

Thank's H20 man...because I was on the same track as you. "It was of investigative interest." Indeed. Let's write a song....

[H2O Man]

13. Thank you.

The team that Mueller is putting together is extremely impressive. Trump's legal team is extraordinarily unimpressive. It's as if a prime Mike Tyson was going to fight Pee Wee Herman.

I especially enjoyed Comey's saying that, after reading Trump's "tape" tweet, he was intent upon getting a special counsel to investigate. He is very good at what he does.

[rainbow4321]

30. Trump's "team": his NYC real estate (etc..) lawyer and a freedom of speech lawyer

Not kidding. NYT listed his private lawyer team as the real estate guy and his partner...and a lawyer who specializes in religion freedom/freedom of speech.
He can't find a CRIMINAL LAWYER to work for him.

But, hey, least he is consistent...the lawyer he sent to a Nevada courtroom to argue about a voting poll site being open late was a building construction lawyer.

[Blue_Roses]

43. And they seem to be moving

along with this pretty quickly. I suspect they realize that with Trump's impulsive nature and his bluster about firing Mueller, they know their time could be cut short. Surely Trump knows that trying to have Mueller fired would be political suicide, but then this is Trump we're talking about.

[pangaia]

4. Check out Bodhi Paul Chefurka post on FB

Or Eric Garland on Twitter.
I don't know how to link.

[cilla4progress]

5. Chefurka

= Glider Guider!

Link to tweet

[pangaia]

6. Y3s. I know...

Guy is sharp as a sashimi knife.

😍😍

[cilla4progress]

7. Let's just hope

he's right! Only time will tell

Seems like Garland thinks pee tape is real.

[The_jackalope]

20. Not quite sharp enough, unfortunately

GliderGuider's account got suspended (recently) for being too much of a mensch(!)
I know that for a fact, because I'm extraordinarily close to him...

[mahina]

27. Shit, for real? That sucks. GliderGuider is a DU treasure.

Give him my aloha please.

[The_jackalope]

28. Don't worry, I'll do my very best to carry his tradition forward.

Without Mensch-ioning it...

Thanks for the appreciation!

[mahina]

29. Roger that.

[pangaia]

36. Suspended??!

That's ridiculous..

[The_jackalope]

37. I kinda thought so too. But it's the admins' call.

It's all spilled milk under the bridge now.

[pangaia]

38. Well.at least i/we/eberybody can follow him on fb.

[The_jackalope]

39. And I'll be sticking around here

Just being myself, so to speak.

[pangaia]

40. Great !!

[The_jackalope]

42. +1

[H2O Man]

14. Thanks!

I will check out BP Chefurka on FB. (I do not "twitter," as I assume it requires a cell phone? I do not have one. Low-tech here.)

[LiberalArkie]

17. Twitter requires some sort of computer. I use a Mac mainly..

[Auggie]

8. Excellent post (n/t)

[H2O Man]

15. Thanks!

[L. Coyote]

10. Comey could have lied to Trump if Trump was already a target.

We will find all this out in due time. The fact we have not yet indicates a lot is still going on with the investigations. It is still 'tip of the iceberg' territory, but the Trump Titanic has begun to sink.

[H2O Man]

16. I was surprised

that when Mr. Comey said it was of investigative interest to him and his team, that no one followed up on that. Was that because they didn't get it? Or on purpose? Hard to say, without any information on the closed session that followed.

[kentuck]

18. I thought it interesting that Trump made a point to say he was told 3 times he was not a subject...

"investigators are not obligated to be honest with either suspects, or potential suspects".

Thanks for your expert analysis.

[H2O Man]

22. Thank you.

Trump's lawyer is, from what little I've heard, primarily into civil law. Thus, it is reasonable to question if they even grasp what Mr. Comey said -- and why.

[bucolic_frolic]

19. Yes, well thought out

Comey is a very good mind completely at the top of his profession and at peace with himself.
He laid all the traps without appearing to do so, and it was all done in a clearly non-partisan
manner. That testimony before the Senate will be remembered for decades.

[H2O Man]

23. I agree.

It ranks with any congressional testimony covered on television. I thought Comey's statement being released the day before was brilliant. It created even greater interest, and allowed him to expand upon it in the limited time of the open hearing.

And he is at peace with himself. I like how you stated that. Very good. He has confronted much smarter people than Trump & Co in his career. But this is surely the Big Dance. He's in a perfect position to coordinate with his close friend Mueller now!

[coeur_de_lion]

34. He laid his traps

probably thinking or hoping Trump would never walk into them. I wonder at what point he realized Trump was walking straight into the traps full speed. I mean it only took 4 months for Trump to fire him.

[The_jackalope]

21. First rate deductions!

It makes a lot more sense than "Maybe I was just too weak..."

[H2O Man]

24. Right!

The very last person who could intimidate James Comey is Donald Trump.

[The_jackalope]

25. I re-read this with my wife just now. Her exact words were,

"Brilliant reasoning. Deadly accurate."

You have another fan, Mr. Waterman.

[H2O Man]

32. Oh, that's so nice!

Thank you, and thank your wife for her kind words! I appreciate that.

[Justice]

33. totally agree. Basic point - Comey was FBI, not acting as a lawyer

Investigating - when a potential witness/target/suspect/person of interest does what Trump did, of course raises curiousity.

[H2O Man]

35. It's strange that

Trump is so ignorant that he doesn't grasp that. Very bad choice on his part. Trump was unable to recognize what manner of man Mr, Comey is, while Comey took Trump's measure exactly.

[Blue_Roses]

41. Exactly.

Definitely makes sense. I've gone over several things that Comey answered and while he seemed flippant to Diane Feinstein's, "why didn't you tell Trump this is wrong...", question, I thought it strange but telling when he said,"I guess I'm not strong enough (paraphrasing here). At the time, I took that as a slight self-depreciating joke, but now it makes sense.

[H2O Man]

46. That exchange is

a solid example. Had Mr. Comey believed that Trump was not involved in the larger case, he would have immediately cut Trump off and made clear that he could not discuss the case with him. Instead, he listened and then made a case note. Trump mistakenly believed that he was controlling the conversation. Very foolish on his part.

[olegramps]

44. Rightr on. He was letting the dump bastard hang himself along with his accomplices.

[H2O Man]

47. Exactly.

Trump thought that he was Whitey Bulger. Comey recognized that Trump was a cheap imitation.

[mr_lebowski]

45. Been saying the same to dummies on facebook for days now ...

They're all "Oh, Trumps totally EXONERATED because Comey like TOLD Trump 'he's not under investigation' so it's all just FAKE NEWS from teh Libtard Media"

and I'm like BULLSHIT!

What Comey told Trump means jack diddly SHIT. As someone in the FBI, you don't TELL ANYONE "oh hey, yah! You're TOTALLY like under investigation!"

... just because they friggin' ASK.

How STUPID are you? Have you ever watched ... I dunno ... a single friggin' Cop Show in your entire friggin' LIFE?

It doesn't even mean anything that he told Congress "Yah, I told him he wasn't when he asked" because every last one of them should've known DAMN WELL .. that is exactly the answer he SHOULD have given Trump REGARDLESS of whether he WAS, or was NOT, subject of an investigation at that moment.

And that is exactly what he should CONTINUE to say ... no matter how many times he's interviewed. You don't let the cat out of the damn bag.

The STUPID of the Trumpists is really, really coming thru exceptionally loud and clear lately ...

[H2O Man]

48. The Trump gang's

stupidity is, in a way, reassuring for those of us who want to see justice served. It's a gift that keeps on giving: the idea that he might "fire" Mueller serving as a great example.

[Nitram]

49. Easy answers. Comey saw that Trump, although not a target of an ongoing investigation,

was committing acts that could be illegal. Comey started accumulating evidence to support any subsequent investigation of Trump (or to indicate the need to start an investigation).

[H2O Man]

50. Exactly!

Well said. Thank you.