The Permanent Danger of James Comey's Actions

[louis c]

I personally believe that James Comey had no idea of the ramifications of his actions by sending the letter to Congress indicating that he discovered new emails. I think he thought that the letter was benign enough that it wouldn't be as disruptive as it is. In his follow-up letter to FBI personnel, Comey said there was a danger that his actions could be "misunderstood".

The real danger from James Comey's letter to Congress is worse that just tipping the scales in this election. It has a long range, negative impact on our Democracy itself.

If this action is successful in electing Donald Trump, any future FBI director can do the same thing to anyone. Every elected official, Republican or Democrat, is subject to a public disclosure of any pending investigation, whether there is evidence to substantiate it or not. Every elected official then is in the "cross hairs" of any FBI director. What Senator wants to vote to deny confirmation if it looks like the appointee is most likely to be confirmed? Is there another J. Edger Hoover in our future, in which every public official has to act out of fear?

I believe this letter was issued out of an abundance of caution. I believe James Comey acted is his self-interest, rather than the public interest. His actions may have been self-serving in an attempt to protect his reputation. Never the less, his actions have set a very, very dangerous precedent that could send American Democracy back to the dark ages in which one unelected individual could shape our Republic in his image.

God Help Us.

[EV_Ares]

1. If that is the case that Comey had no idea of the ramifications of his letter then he is a very slow

learner because he should have learned from his not necessary comments after he announced the conclusion of his investigation & added that Clinton was very careless with her emails or classified information. He should not have added that but he chose to do it & he saw the ramifications of that & now we have this.

[BlueMTexpat]

2. + a million! eom

[adigal]

12. I'll go beyond slow learner...he is an idiot, a dolt, a fool, a buffoon, naive, unobservant

unintelligent, should I go on??

He HAD to know, because I don't think he is any of those above things.

[Demsrule86]

19. The proof of his bad intentions is the March Rich release and the praise of a KKK person.

The GOP is trying to destroy our Democratic institutions...look at SCOTUS.

[DLCWIdem]

27. Yes, but Dems let it stop and didn't push it because we

Were so relieved and wanted to get on with it. Perhaps we should have come down harder so he could see that DOJ rules should be followed.

[DURHAM D]

3. He knew EXACTLY what he was doing. nt

[catbyte]

4. I totally disagree. Comey knew EXACTLY what he was doing, and it's shameful. Do you

seriously think that Comey is THAT naive? Come on. I think it was a bullshit, cowardly move to take heat off of himself in the event Clinton wins & the Republican House launches endless bogus "investigations."

[Johnny2X2X]

5. Polticization of the FBI

Polticization of the FBI is a dangerous thing for a Democracy. So you have law enforcement involved in trying to influence elections at the same time a candidate is threatening to jail his opponent should he win. Banana Republic!

[getagrip_already]

28. he isn't being criticized for politicizing the fbi......

It has ALWAYS been a political branch of govt.

What he is being called out for is making that obvious to even the most casual observer.

In America, and especially in Washington, you don't get killed for being political. You get killed for being obvious.

[imanamerican63]

6. The Republicans and their shenanigans have reared their ugly heads once agai!

Despite these attempts to destroy Hillary, will fail again!

[unblock]

7. there is *no way* that comey thought this was necessary and appropriate.

rather, he thought it was something he could get away with and/or be adequately rewarded for.

he was told he was violating *two* long-standing policies -- (a) not publicizing ongoing investigations and (b) not interfering with presidential election within 60 days of election day.

he had to have thought that this disclosure was somehow more important that *both* those principles and protecting *himself* falls way, way short of all the people that the other principles are meant to protect. covering his own ass is somehow more important than the candidates, the parties, the voters, the people being investigated, etc.? no way.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

10. Agreed, its classic disinformation campaign - the entire rw media and even some on our

side are acting like damning evidence has been found when its nothing of the sort. iTS classice "repeat the lie often enough and everyone will believe it."

ITS CLEARLY POLICITCALLY MOTIVATED.

Since Comey is not making any public announcements about their inviestigation of Russian ties to the Trump Campaign (IMHO a much more serious matter than a few lousy emails) what more do we need to know that this is purely political & clear violation of Hatch.

[UCmeNdc]

11. Agree!

[Pachamama]

31. Completely Agree....

I always thought Comey was a non-partisan and fair GOPer of some integrity. Based on what he is doing, I have no respect for him and feel he should be removed from his job and that he be investigated.

He was warned and knew the ramifications. He is no careless idiot - this was a calculated risk that he took and purely self-serving (although it has only served for him in my mind to lose all respect and to disqualify him from any future position in government or law enforcement).



I wish the President and the Attorney General would remove him immediately. In fact, regardless of the GOP backlash less than a week before an election, I think it's critical to send a message to anybody who ever wants to pull a stunt like that - that it means immediate termination.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

8. Its a lot bigger than just that - its a sign that R's under aPres DT would abuse public office and

power to exact revenge on political opponents in a much more flagrant and damaging way than has been done thusfar.... just how far they'd take it, lord only knows. I do know that it's not uncommon in repressive closed down societies for private citizens and ordinary individuals to be harrassed, threatened, gone after, even jailed and worse based on flimsy evidence and lame reasons. DT certainly has been making all kinds of threats in the past year and dont think for a minute that he wouldnt follow thru with them esp with a horde of spineless R's backing him up, seemingly willing to go along with any old thing.

[UCmeNdc]

9. Comey knew what he was doing. The GOP politicians that pressured him knew what they were doing.

They needed something to stop Hillary's momentum. The GOP was going to lose the Senate and pressure was on for a possible Democratic Party control of the house of representatives. They knew exactly what they were doing.

[Cobalt Violet]

13. Democrats need to stop putting republicans in positions of power.

They really can't be trusted on any level.

[louis c]

14. agreed

[LoganOneNation]

15. Abundance of Caution??? Oh Please

Comey is clearly just a punk who gets off on bucking authority. That alone explains him standing up to Alberto Gonzalez and that now also explains his ridiculous move here against Clinton. This man has no principles, he's just a punk --- and a partisan punk as well.

If he gets Trump elected from this very biased move on the eve of an election, he better resign.

[Divine Discontent]

16. Welcome to DU!

To be fair, the OP was made on the 31st of last month, so their opinion may or may not have changed with the new information that we all now know about the new document dump by the slimy partisan hack. I can't explain away this 2nd action, I could the first, like the OP's comments above, but the 2nd to me really makes it clear he's saying FU, do something about me, I know you're going to fire me after the election...

[LoganOneNation]

17. Thanks. But both are highly suspect, especially 2nd (which proved the partisan nature of the 1st)

The idea that Comey did not know his letter would directly help Trump is ludicrous, which is why it is so egregious. Ditto, his unsolicited criticism of Hillary for being "extremely careless" with her emails back in July.


Obama shares some blame for appointing Comey in the first place. Obama's naïve trans-partisan urges really have repeatedly gotten in the way of choosing the best people for certain posts. There certainly should not be some kind of GOP affirmative action operating in Democratic administrations .. just for the sake of "reaching out to the other side". Give it up, Democratic presidents. Republicans hate you. And appointing Republicans to your cabinet just makes the Republicans you appointed hated by the right and labeled as traitors. Republicans demonstrate time and again that they care more about their party and defeating Democrats than just about anything. They just can't be trusted to serve honestly in Democratic administrations.

[Divine Discontent]

18. And it's a vicious circle because then those hated GOP appointees try to kiss butt to the

GOP that hates them and throws them a bone, like Comey's done here, making it painful to know the president chose a GOPer.

[ismnotwasm]

37. So President Obama is your friend?

Last edited Sat Nov 5, 2016, 04:50 PM - Edit history (1)

You seriously think you know how his head works? You actually, considering the political waters he's had to navigate through the last eight years, consider him "naive"? SMH.

[Demsrule86]

20. He could not get Trump elected dog catcher...nice try though.

[pat_k]

21. I think this "October surprise" was orchestrated.

I think Comey played into the hands of right-wingnuts in the FBI.

The warrant has numerous 4th amendment problems. The only way right-wingers within the FBI figured they had a shot at obtaining it was to create a situation in which any party that might object would withhold objections.

So, they spring their "October surprise" -- brief Comey, and convince him that "transparency" demanded a disclosure (which is, in all likelihood a violation of the Hatch Act). At that point, Clinton et al have only two choices:

1) object and keep the email "off limits," and enable right-wingnuts to accuse them of hiding "the truth" and make crazy claims about the content, or

2) withhold objection, demonstrate willingness to cooperate, and subject themselves to another long, drawn out, bullshit investigation.

Either response serves the wingnuts.

Related to this, there are some interesting tidbits in a hit piece from Clinton-hater Ed Klein. More here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1611626

[DLCWIdem]

30. I also believe it was orchestrated. See my post 25

I don't know how to embed a thread but you should read the thread which questions when Rudy Guillani knew about the October surprise. If Comey was depressed about his men resigning he was being helped along by Guillani. Rudy kept repeating how disappointed he was with Comey every chance he could get. (RUDY had been Comey's boss so I am sure his criticism stung.) However, I am not sure how Comey's recent actions with the release of Bill's old pardon fits in with this theory.

[pat_k]

35. I think they are just digging up...

... and tossing out anything that reminds people of any Clinton year controversies.

Mark Rich would have certainly stood out for Guillaini -- he filed indictment. At the time, biggest tax evasion case. Perhaps they just wanted to get people thinking "well, there are people who did worse than Trump (yesterday or the day before we had reporting that Trump use methods that even his lawyer told him would be deemed unlawful. His whole story that he just took advantage of loopholes Clinton didn't close was, of course, a lie. The "loophole" he abused to evade taxes was closed.

[DLCWIdem]

36. But who is they and that kind of thinking is clearly trying to I fluence election

[Pachamama]

33. I agree - especially when you would keep hearing Trump and his surrogates talking about October

...and October not being over yet and the "set up" for a lob of them constantly talking about "Crooked Hillary" and the emails and Benghazi. They had knowledge and perhaps even a hand in this - with the help of Rudy Ghouliani and the NYPD.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

22. "Danger of misunderstanding"?

Trump is crowing like he thinks that Comey handed him the election. 🙄

[Cosmocat]

23. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

they just dumped fucking information on shit they investigated the Clintons on over a decade ago, too ...

Can we PLEASE put to bed this notion that Comey is either some poor guy in a tough spot or some incompetent dolt?

HE CUT HIS TEETH AS A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR IN THE CONGRESSIONAL WHITEWATER WITCH HUNT TWO DECADES AGO!

The shit he did in July, the shit he did this past Friday, the shit he is doing NOW is what he has done to the Clintons at every opportunity in this career.

That the POS had some very brief spasms of ethics when the Bush administration was wiping its ass with the Bill of Rights does not change the fact he is a hard core partisan who hates, H A T E S the clintons enough to terminate, and permanently sully, his career as the head of the FBI.

[louis c]

24. Obama Appointment!!

[DLCWIdem]

25. I agree with you mostly.

I believe that he sent that letter because HE didn't want to be seen as corrupt. He was protecting HIS reputation. He probably thought he could thread the needle and that is why he left that letter so purposely vague. I do believe he has partisan agents in his bureau and in the NY office who set him up and threatened to leak those emails. There's some interesting speculation written about Guillani and his place in this mess (possible collusion with those NY agents.)
What ever the reason whether he was hearing discontent from his own officers or he was being leaned on because they threatened to leak the the emails, he clearly out his own reputation above our democracy. By writing that letter he was essentially taking the easy way out.

[duffyduff]

26. He knows EXACTLY what he is doing

He is an anti-Clinton hack since the mid-1990s.

[Cosmocat]

29. YUP!

nm

[JTFrog]

32. What the fuck crazy am I reading here. He is a fucking partisan Republican. No oops here.

For fuck's sake. Don't try to feed this baloney to thinking adults.

[louis c]

34. Many Devoted Hillary Supporters Agree with This Baloney

Including President Obama