James Comey violated longstanding department policy concerning memos he wrote regarding meetings he had with President Trump, which made their way onto the page of The New York Times with the intent of launching a special counsel investigation. Former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe leaked sensitive information to the press and then lied about it. News reporters gave Michael Kortan, the former assistant director of public affairs at the FBI, gifts and lied about it to investigators. There are a lot of rotten eggs at the FBI and now we’re learning that ex-special counsel Robert Mueller had actually pursued the FBI director position in 2017, despite denying it under oath.
Mueller had served as the head of the FBI under Bush and Obama. In May of 2017, President Trump had fired James Comey, which led to the Mueller meeting. Fox News has the scoop:
Multiple administration officials tell Fox News that when Robert Mueller met with President Trump in May of 2017, Mueller was indeed pursuing the open post as the director of the FBI – something the former Russia probe special counsel denied under oath during congressional testimony this summer.
These officials also told Fox News government documents showed Mueller was pursuing the job as a candidate himself.
It came as emails released this month through a Freedom of Information Act request by the conservative group Judicial Watch seemed to indicate Mueller knew there was a real possibility he could be named special counsel if he wasn’t chosen as the next FBI director.
[…]
At the time of the now-famous May 16, 2017 meeting, James Comey had been fired as FBI director just days before and -- unbeknownst to the president -- Mueller would end up being named special counsel the very next day to oversee the Trump-Russia probe.
The president has repeatedly claimed that Mueller – who served as FBI director under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama – met with him about returning to lead the Justice Department. The president has pointed to this to argue it was a conflict for Mueller to become special counsel, saying he opted against hiring Mueller as FBI director.
But Mueller, in his July congressional testimony, denied the claim, saying he believed he was giving “input” to the president about the position.
[…]
John Dowd, who served as the president’s attorney during the probe, ripped Mueller for meeting with Trump, calling it the “most dishonorable conduct I have ever witnessed.” He added, “Capt. Robert Mueller, USMC, sits in front of his commander-in-chief being interviewed for FBI director knowing he is going to investigate the president and never says a word.”
The president himself has claimed there were “numerous witnesses” to the meeting.
Recommended
And while we’re airing the FBI’s dirty laundry, let’s not forget that the Department of Justice’s inspector general report on alleged FISA abuses under the Obama administration awaits release.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member