The Two Times James Comey Knew He Didn’t Do the Right Thing
Interview reveals the former FBI chief as a cautious bureaucrat who missed his career’s most important moments
Like many who are interested in politics I eagerly pre-ordered A Higher Loyalty, former FBI Director James Comey’s memoir as soon as it was available. Unlike many who were caught up in their partisan lenses, throughout 2016 I believed Comey was a good man in an difficult situation trying to do the right things. Having watched Sunday night’s interview with ABC’s George Stephanopolous, I might not read it at all and am regretting my choice to order it on Kindle.
The conceit of the book is that there is a higher loyalty beyond who we work for that resembles what we were taught in kindergarten: to be honest and do the right thing. To be fair, sometimes these goals are in conflict. Your spouse tells you the ridiculous tie you love is ** just fine ** for the evening event because she loves you enough to know you love it. Thankfully, teenage daughters do not have these hangups. Unfortunately, James Comey did on two specific occasions when it mattered the most.
1. The Question of Loyalty
“It is unusual for the FBI Director and the President to be alone at all.”
In the interview Comey reluctantly admits to making the mistake of not challenging Trump on his two requests for loyalty at perhaps the strangest White House dinner ever: a one-on-one between the President of the United States and his FBI Director, something which never happens.
The first time, Trump says to Comey (according to Comey), “I want loyalty. I expect loyalty.”
Comey’s first response is the equivalent of a verbal ellipsis. He froze. He told himself to say nothing and give no response whatsoever because he “couldn't think of a clever response.”
I don’t buy it. Someone who claims to be centered on a “higher authority” would have known the right thing to do, without freezing, was to tell the President of the United States: No. I am loyal to the country not to any one elected official, even if his office is oval.
Instead, Comey lets Trump’s first run at him slide by. But there’s a second. Trump again asks for loyalty and Comey, presumably with his wits now gathered, responds, “You will always get honesty from me.” Trump pauses, thinks, and proposes, “Honest loyalty.”
Comey pauses and then falls, “You’ll get that from me.”
Stephanopolous then asks the one question we’re all wondering at that point: Did you cross the line? Comey shifts uncomfortably in his chair, looks up, grimaces, and starts to reason. Yeah, I … I don’t think so. (Quick cut by ABC) Look it was a compromise on my part to try to avoid a really awkward conversation.
An FBI Director should never compromise his independence.
Then the moment landed for me. Stephanopolous: “Was it a mistake?”
Comey: “Yeah, I don’t know. Maybe it would have been better … maybe I didn’t have the guts to do it. I wanted to get out of this conversation without compromising myself … in hindsight you’re probably right. I probably should have done it differently.”
In that moment, Comey failed to uphold the higher authority, acting like a bureaucrat trying to keep his job rather than the leader of the nation’s premier law enforcement agency. At least he was honest about it, now.
Watch the full segment here.
2. The Question of Obstruction of Justice
“Perks and access are given to those willing to lie and tolerate lies.”
The more problematic issue for Comey is his reluctance confront Trump when he felt the president directed him to shut down the investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Comey began to feel uncomfortable when at the end of a briefing on terrorism in the Oval Office, Comey is told to remain while Vice President Mike Pence and Attorney General Jeff Sessions are dismissed. Comey believes his boss, Sessions, didn’t want to leave.
But they do leave. Trump then turns to Comey, “He’s a good guy. I hope you can let it go.” Comey had no illusions. He felt that Trump was directing him to drop the criminal investigation against Flynn. Instead, Comey agrees that Michael Flynn, now a convicted felon, was a “good man.”
Again, the interview is illustrative and compelling (full segment here).
Stephanopolous: “Should you have said, Mr. President, I can’t discuss this. You’re doing something improper.
Comey: “Maybe. It’s possible that in that moment another person should have said you can’t ask me that. That’s a criminial investigation. That could be obstruction of justice.”
That person should have been James Comey.
Instead, Comey bureaucratically tolerated the Trump culture and missed his opportunity to be the messenger for a higher loyalty.
In the end, Comey didn’t do the right thing when it mattered most and saved the truth of it for his book tour.
I want my money back.
