When the Justice Department’s inspector general released a report Thursday finding fired FBI Director James Comey leaked government secrets in violation of FBI policy and his employment contract, Comey demanded an apology.
The irony was clear to many, including Fox News analyst Brit Hume, who suggested to Comey, “How about a ‘sorry I leaked that information in violation of both policy and my contract?'”
So Comey wants an apology because while he violated department policy and his contractual obligations by leaking, he didn’t leak classified info. How about a “sorry I leaked that information in violation of both policy and my contract?” https://t.co/Ny3Oxe8p7t
— Brit Hume (@brithume) August 29, 2019
IG Michael Horowitz concluded Comey leaked notes of his private conversations with President Trump to the New York Times through a friend “in order to achieve a personally desired outcome.”
Comey’s response discounted the substance of the IG report.
“DOJ IG ‘found no evidence that Comey or his attorneys released any of the classified information contained in any of the memos to members of the media.’ I don’t need a public apology from those who defamed me, but a quick message with a ‘sorry we lied about you’ would be nice,” he wrote.
Hume reacted: “So Comey wants an apology because while he violated department policy and his contractual obligations by leaking, he didn’t leak classified info. How about a ‘sorry I leaked that information in violation of both policy and my contract?'”
Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin claimed Comey was now “exonerated.”
She quoted ex-DOJ employee Matthew Miller, who said Comey released the government documents to a friend to give to a reporter because “the president was actively trying to dismantle DOJ’s normal way of operating.”
Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, saw the report differently.
“This report confirms that James Comey violated the FBI’s own standards of conduct and was dishonest about how he handled classified material,” he said.
“This further cements the need for us to get to the root of how the Russia investigation began. It’s time to restore Americans’ confidence that federal law enforcement is committed to justice and free from political gamesmanship.”
The memos Comey released were of his discussions with the president about the Trump-Russia collusion claims by the Obama administration, which have now been debunked.
Comey said his aim was to trigger a special counsel investigation. Robert Mueller soon was appointed to that task, and after two years he concluded there was no conspiracy with Russia to affect the 2016 election.
Now, federal investigators are reviewing how the Obama counter-intelligence investigation that preceded the Mueller probe was launched and whether charges should be brought.
The White House’s reaction to Horowitz’ report was succinct.
“James Comey is a proven liar and leaker. The Inspector General’s report shows Comey violated the most basic obligations of confidentiality that he owed to the United States Government and to the American people, ‘in order to achieve a personally desired outcome.’ Because Comey shamefully leaked information to the press—in blatant violation of FBI policies—the Nation was forced to endure the baseless politically motivated, two-year witch hunt. Comey disgraced himself and his office to further a personal political agenda, and this report further confirms that fact.”
Headlines on the report’s released varied, from the Washington Post’s “DOJ inspector general buries real James Comey news” to “Comey is Criticized by Justice Dept. Watchdog” at the New York Times to “DOJ watchdog finds Comey violated policies” at Politico.
The New York Post had it “James Comey responds to scathing DOJ report.”
