Former FBI Director James Comey spent years using the FBI as a political weapon. On Sunday, he appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” to address his second federal indictment and explain why he’s not the problem; everyone else is.
Comey was indicted last month on two counts over an Instagram post featuring seashells arranged to read “86 47,” which prosecutors say was “a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the president of the United States.”
He swiftly deleted the post after it sparked widespread outrage. He refused to discuss the specifics of the case but readily criticized Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, because of course he did.
Blanche previously told Kristin Welker that Comey’s case was about “a body of evidence” collected over roughly 11 months — not just one post. Comey responded by lecturing Blanche that he talks too much.
“I don’t talk about the case because the federal court rules require you not,” Comey said. “I would urge the acting attorney general to bone up on the rules.”
I’m pretty sure that Blanche knows ‘the rules’ because he merely told Welker about the process behind Comey’s indictment, not any evidence or other case specifics that would, of course, have been improper.
As for the post itself, Comey claimed he’s just a private citizen now using Instagram “the way any awkward, nerdy dad would.” Oh, sure. Good one, Comey. You spent your entire professional life in the federal justice system, rising to the top of the most sophisticated spy and crime-fighting agency in the world, but you don’t have a clue what “8647” meant.
Sure. But again, as Blanche has indicated, Comey’s indictment isn’t just about this “nerdy dad” post.
Comey went on to say he still has “complete faith” in the same system that has indicted him twice now, claiming it’s “the only leg” of the three-branch government stool that is “still standing.” Right; because “muh Trump” is president and Republicans control Congress.
He then insisted to Welker: “I’m not just not guilty, I am innocent, and so let’s go.”
The Comey, who allowed himself to be used as a political weapon against Trump, actually said this to Welker:
“The president of the United States cannot use the Justice Department to target people because he wants to retaliate against them. We just can’t operate as a republic if that happens.”
The interview was typical Comey: he wouldn’t discuss the indictment, other than to criticize those who brought it; he wouldn’t acknowledge much about 2016, except to say that the options were not good; and he wouldn’t express confidence in the current Department of Justice, except for the employees who are just waiting out the clock.
For someone who insists that the courtroom is the appropriate venue, he had an awful lot to say on national television.
