Comey associates say he did NOT tell Trump on 3 occasions that he wasn't being investigated [View all]

[herding cats]

Comey associates say he did NOT tell Trump on 3 occasions that he wasn't being investigated, despite Trump's claims.

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A Justice Department official familiar with events leading to the termination said it was bolstered by Mr. Comey’s emotional testimony to a Senate committee last week standing by his actions in the Clinton probe. “Even in hindsight—and this has been one of the world’s most painful experiences— would make the same decision,” Mr. Comey said.

Messrs. Rosenstein and Sessions found the testimony inexcusable, the official said, because the testimony suggested Mr. Comey would do the same thing again.

Those close to Mr. Comey said he was blindsided by his dismissal, which he saw on TV while at a law-enforcement event in Los Angeles. He was hurt that after years of service, he didn’t receive a courtesy call from the White House, a close associate said, and initially thought the television reports were part of an elaborate joke. The White House said it was following protocol in delivering the dismissal letter by hand to his Washington office.

Mr. Comey’s associates also denied the claim made by Mr. Trump, in his letter firing Mr. Comey, that the director told him on three occasions that he wasn’t under investigation. They said Mr. Comey never gave Mr. Trump any such guidance, which would violate longstanding policies on criminal investigations. “That is literally farcical,” said one associate.

https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/as-the-fbi-reels-candidates-emerge-to-succeed-james-comey-1494459279