The New York Times, in offering an explanation into why President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, ran an article stating that in the days prior to his firing, Director Comey had requested additional resources for the Russia Inquiry. According to the Times, the appeal was made to Assistant Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein is the man who sent the recommendation letter to fire Comey. The Times cited four anonymous congressional staffers.
The Washington Post later reported that Rosenstein threatened to resign over Comey’s firing – citing a “person close to the White House”.
Two breathless articles full of conspiratorial accusations providing true fodder for the “Russian Connection” and the “crimes” of President Trump…
Except they are both totally inaccurate. Fake News.
Department of Justice spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores flatly denied the Times report saying it was “totally false”.
“She said the last time Mr. Comey and Mr. Rosenstein met was May 1 — two days before Mr. Comey publicly testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. She declined to give a readout of the meeting, but said a request for additional resources for the Russia probe was not among the topics covered.”
Rosenstein himself later denied both the Times and the Post stories.
The following day, no less a source than Acting Interim FBI Director Andrew McCabe addressed the matter in testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee:
HEINRICH [D-NM]: Thank you for your candor. Do you feel like you have the adequate resources for the existing investigations that the — that the bureau is invested in right now to – to follow them wherever they may lead?
MCCABE: “Sir, if you’re referring to the Russia investigation, I do. I believe we have the adequate resources to do it and I know that we have resourced that investigation adequately.
COLLINS: Press reports yesterday indicated that Director Comey requested additional resources from the Justice Department for the bureau’s ongoing investigation into Russian active measures. Are you aware that request? Can you confirm that that request was in fact made?
MCCABE: I cannot confirm that request was made. As you know ma’am, when we need resources, we make those requests here. So I — I don’t — I’m not aware of that request and it’s not consistent with my understanding of how we request additional resources. That said, we don’t typically request resources for an individual case. And as I mentioned, I strongly believe that the Russian investigation is adequately resourced.”
Try a little exercise. Google the words “McCabe Testimony Comey”. Take a quick glance at the headlines. All the top stories are articles stating that McCabe’s testimony contradicted the White House.
The top New York Times story doesn’t even mention McCabe’s affirmation of adequate resourcing nor his statement that Comey did not request additional resources. Instead it highlights the following:
■ Mr. McCabe contradicted the White House’s assertion that James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director fired by President Trump this week, had lost the support of rank-and-file F.B.I. agents.
■ Mr. McCabe also said that the firing of Mr. Comey had not affected the Justice Department’s investigation of Russia’s meddling in the presidential election.
■ The committee’s top Democrat asked Mr. McCabe to tell senators about any efforts by the White House to intervene with the investigation.
The “contradiction” in question is a subjective one. McCabe stated that “Director Comey enjoyed broad support within the F.B.I. and still does to this day.”
Earlier, Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said the President “and the rest of the FBI” had lost confidence in Comey. She said the White House had heard from “countless” members of the FBI to that effect.
That’s it. And personally, given Comey’s handling of the Clinton email investigation, I would be shocked if there weren’t hordes of disgruntled FBI agents. For a discussion of why – along with an exploration of Interim FBI Director McCabe’s interesting interactions with Clinton Confidant Terry McAuliffe see; Comey’s Crimes.
Today I was watching the news when a well-known Democratic strategist came on. He cited the New York Times and the Washington Post articles. Both of which used “anonymous” sources and were subsequently disproven. He dismissed McCabe’s statement that Ex-Director Comey had not requested additional resources and continued to highlight the negative stories from earlier. Finally, the incredulous anchor stopped him and reiterated the most obvious fact – the Acting FBI Director himself debunked those stories – stories which cited no specific source. Then, the Democratic strategist actually said, “The Times and the Post have their sources too.” The news anchor looked in disbelief and then asked “What better source could you ask for than the Acting Director of the FBI?”
The strategists response? “President Trump lies constantly.”
This is the level of idiocy we have come to.
Comey was fired because he made poor choices and failed utterly in his handling of the Clinton email investigation. The items I cover in Comey’s Crimes would warrant the removal of any FBI Director.
The timing of Comey’s firing was obvious.
The day before, Obama’s Director of National Intelligence James Clapper stated, under oath, that he had seen no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.
That same day President trump tweeted the following:
“Director Clapper reiterated what everybody, including the fake media already knows- there is “no evidence” of collusion w/ Russia and Trump.”
“The Russia-Trump collusion story is a total hoax, when will this taxpayer funded charade end?”
He was right in pointing out the obvious. And he was right in firing James Comey.
And there may be another reason lying just below the surface. It is entirely possible – perhaps likely – that Comey was the one doing the taping referenced in Trump’s now-infamous tweet:
“James Comey better hope that there are no “tapes” of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!”
Consider the following timing of events:
On January 24th, the FBI interviewed Mike Flynn.
On January 25th, the Justice Department receives briefings on Flynn from the FBI.
On January 26th, DOJ Acting Attorney General Sally Yates and FBI Assistant Director of Intelligence Bill Priestap rush to the office of White House Council Don McGahn to discuss Flynn.
On January 27th, they return for a second meeting with McGahn. McGahn questions Yates, “Why does it matter to DOJ if one White House official lies to another?”
On the evening of January 27th, President Trump has dinner with FBI Director Comey – a previously scheduled dinner.
President Trump asks Director Comey if he is under investigation, BUT he does not ask about the Flynn investigation. Which could – would – be seen as impeding a federal investigation by the media.
I find it very interesting that President Trump chose to fire Comey when the FBI Director was in Los Angeles – 3,000 miles from his FBI office.
There is always more going on than meets the eye. But you’ll never hear that from the MSM. As I noted in Wiretaps, Russians & the New York Times:
The New York Times – and to a lesser extent the Washington Post – are the primary sources for virtually all of the MSM. Take away the Times and you take away the virtually all the Leftist news sources. The virtual flood of negative stories and insinuations surrounding President Trump with allegations of Russian interference all came from the same place. They’re just endlessly repeated by other news outlets. Keep that in mind the next time you read a news story.
And if it’s a New York Times article make sure you read it very carefully. There is a carefully crafted war raging behind the scenes in Washington.
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