This comment by Comey slipped by with little notice, but it is important

[Tom Rinaldo]

Senator Collins had just questioned him:

"But I remain puzzled by your response. Your response was, “I agree that Michael Flynn is a good guy.” You could have said, “Mr. President, this meeting is inappropriate. This response could compromise the investigation. You should not be making such a request...

But my question to you is, later on, upon reflection, did you go to anyone at the Department of Justice and ask them to call the White House counsel’s office and explain that the president had to have a far better understanding and appreciation of his role vis-a-vis the FBI?"

In his reply Comey included this statement:

“It was of investigative interest to us to try and figure out so what just happened with the president’s request [about Flynn], so I would not have wanted to alert the White House that it had happened until we figured out what are we going to do with this,”

That indicates to me that Trump was then already moving into the position of being at the very least a "person of interest" in a potential FBI investigation of Trump for obstruction of justice. Comey flat out said that he could not risk alerting the White House, Sessions included, to the possibility that such an investigation was being considered. Once information of that type becomes known subjects of such an investigation change their behavior and cover their tracks, complicating a possible investigation.

Under the circumstance it makes all the sense in the world that Comey did not immediately fully report to his superiors at the Department of Justice.

[furtheradu]

1. I heard it, & said aloud, "whuuuut??"

Thanks for bringing this here. I think You are right on.

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. Yup, we had the same reaction

I was expecting to see it discussed in the media. When I didn't I went looking for the manuscript today to see if I really heard what I thought I heard. In my mind it clears up any potential doubt about why Comey chose to do what he did, and not do what he didn't.

[justiceischeap]

2. My friends and I discussed this portion yesterday

And I came to the conclusion that as an investigator, Comey waited because he wanted to see if it was a one off or if Trump was going to do it again. I think that 3rd "your not under investigation" was true but short-lived after the "lifting the cloud" comment. I think he came under investigation at that point.

[pnwmom]

4. Yes. Comey was more interested in giving him the rope to hang himself with

than trying to tie him up with it.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029180560

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. Indeed

Just read and rec'd your thread. That is how a prosecutor has to think. It isn't easy to take down a powerful individual. If you show all your cards to the wrong folks prematurely it becomes virtually impossible.

[MiddleClass]

6. He is an investigator, the reports to the president's right hand man in the Justice Department

Of coarse the investigative body would document and take their time deciding what to do with it.

Rather than career individuals handing over the perceived wrongdoing to the appointed prosecuting body who were appointed by the very entity suspected of a crime.

That's like going to teacher with proof of child molesting against her husband.
What do you think would happen? No nothing, maybe divorce

[jmg257]

7. So from February till May 9th at least, they still hadn't made up their minds to investigate him?

Despite Comey's own experience?

Weird.

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. There are quasi legal terms like "preliminary inquiry"

And I'm sure there is a stage before that one when a matter is "being looked at". It's a pretty big deal when the FBI opens a formal investigation - a pretty high bar has to be reached and that takes preliminary groundwork no doubt.

[Wounded Bear]

11. I don't think it is about "making up their minds"...

it is about how a case like that gets investigated. They don't start at the top, where the defenses are strongest. They start on the peripherals, with people Trump is likely to throw to the wolves to lighten their load.

In one way, that was a bit of a turn of phrase. While Trump may not have been a direct subject of the investigation at the start, the investigation was certainly digging into the campaign, and it would only be a matter of time before the lens was turned on Trump. But at the beginning it is better to say "he was not directly (or personally) under investigation" and let things develop.

[jmg257]

12. OP was about Obstruction of Justice...maybe Comey wanted to see if he would hang himself?

"a potential FBI investigation of Trump for obstruction of justice".

[Wounded Bear]

13. IAE, they wouldn't want to discuss such things openly...nt

[bresue]

9. I noticed this too and then when he stated 2 weeks before Sessions recusal?

I was like...so they were monitoring Sessions for quite some time? And how long of time?

[Tom Rinaldo]

10. And it became Trump himself once obstruction of justice entered the picture

Trump needed to be monitored. Sure there is a judgement call involved - was the President trying to interfere or was he only woefully uninformed about "protocol"? If it was the former it was already well past the point for a remedial intervention. But prosecutors routinely weigh questions like that. Even if Ssssions wasn't also implicated caution was called for until the picture clarified. Comey had ample reason to be concerned - as later events served to prove.