Former FBI Director James Comey just out-maneuvered Trump by releasing the prepared statement he will give to the US Senate Intelligence Committee tomorrow at a time when Trump is tied up on state in Cincinnati giving a speech.
No live-Tweeting to try to preemptively frame or deflect or create a diversion, as Trump usually tries to do.
MSNBC was carrying Trump’s speech live, then broke into its coverage of Trump to say it had received Comey’s remarks and are now frantically reading through it.
Will update as they say more, but I love that Comey has already outsmarted Trump, who announced yesterday that he would live-Tweet about Comey’s testimony.
Oops.
Maybe Trump should have kept that little plan to himself.
Update, as I listen to MSNBC: Jan. 27th dinner with Trump at Trump’s invitation. Comey says it ended up being just the two of them, President asked if he wanted to stay on as FBI director.
Comey: I found strange. He’d already told me twice he hoped I stayed. I said I did. Trump said lots of people wanted my (Comey’s) job … noted abuse he’d been taking … and that Trump would understand if Comey wanted to leave.
Comey felt dinner was effort to get Comey to ask to keep job and create a situation where Comey owed Trump for allowing him to keep job.
Comey said wanted to stay, set-up made uneasy, not “reliable” in politician terms, but Trump could always rely on Comey to tell him the truth.
President: I need loyalty. I expect loyalty.
Comey: I didn’t move or change my facial expression in any way in awkward silence that followed.
Trump later: Said very glad Comey wanted to stay, had heard great things about Comey. Again, said I need loyalty.
Comey: You will always get honesty from me.
Trump: That’s what I want, honest loyalty.
Comey: went back and wrote memo. Trump also expressed disgust for allegations about (?) Russia, wanted Comey to investigate personally, Trump said he was considering ordering me to investigate personally.
Comey: cautioned Trump to be careful, he might create situation where we (FBI) were investigating personally, which we weren’t.
Next meeting, Security briefing in oval office, day after Michael Flynn resigned, when 2 of them alone —
Trump: Flynn a good guy, been through a lot, didn’t do anything wrong with the Russians, but misled Vice President, then said, “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to let Flynn go. He’s a good guy.”
Comey: said only that Flynn is a good guy, from personal dealing she had with Flynn. I did not say I would let this go.
Trump brought up leaks.
March 30th phone call:
Comey — Trump in abrupt shift, turns attention to Mike Flynn, stressed cloud interfering with his abilities to make deals for the country, hoped I could find a way to get out that he (trump) was not being investigated
OKAY, I see that Laura Clawson has the statement Comey released, so I’m going to stop updating this diary.