20 April 2018

The Memos

Last night, the Associated Press published seven of the now famous file memos written by former FBI Director James Comey to document his meetings with and phone calls from Donald Trump in the earliest months of his presidency (details here, memo copies here).

While scattered details about these memos have been published by the media ever since they were first known to exist shortly after Comey was fired by Trump to stop the Russia scandal investigation, as he admitted on camera to NBC's Lester Holt, this is the first time the actual memos have been seen by the public.

Their release provides some important new information.

For instance, Trump repeatedly urged Comey to see that journalists who published leaked details were prosecuted, a process that would blatantly violate the First Amendment. Comey documented that Trump said reporters would be more willing to identify their sources after they had spent a few nights behind bars.

The Comey memos also reveal that Trump admitted he had "serious reservations" about the "judgment" of fired (and now indicted) National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. Nonetheless, Trump continued to support him until other issues created a public controversy.

The memos also document Trump's now infamous demand that Comey pledge his personal loyalty to the President, something the FBI Director declined to do.

Not surprisingly, Trump-loyal Republicans on Capitol Hill have crowed that the released memos vindicate the President and show no obstruction of justice. More neutral parties, however, say the opposite is true.

A careful reading of the memos show that they, indeed, are clearly not a vindication and also confirm the President's unconstitional instincts.

1 comment:

  1. It's so obvious, even before Comey's memos release, that this «45» is acting like a dictator and as he always did as a master in chief of his businesses.

    «HE» doesn't care about USA's constitution and all knows that the Mueller enquiry is annoying him at the most because Mueller is about to prove Trumpty Dumpty's guilt against USA.

    It's more than time to end his armful presidency to USA's democracy.

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