Liked on YouTube: Trump lawyer says James Comey made ‘unauthorized disclosures’ of privileged talks
Trump lawyer says James Comey made ‘unauthorized disclosures’ of privileged talks
President Trump's lawyer RESPONDS to the James Comey Testimony Hearing 6/8/2017 Trump lawyer says James Comey made ‘unauthorized disclosures’ of privileged talks Former FBI Director James Comey testified Thursday that he orchestrated the leak of accounts of conversations with President Donald Trump because he thought it might lead to the appointment of a special prosecutor to lead the Russia investigation. The revelation emerged in a blockbuster Senate intelligence committee hearing, one of the most significant moments yet in the saga over Russia's role in the 2016 election, the subsequent investigation and how it led to the firing of Comey by the President in an episode that has cast a deep shadow over the administration. Comey's appearance, carried live on national television networks, streamed on mobile devices and shown at watch parties at bars that opened early for the occasion, was one of the most eagerly awaited Washington moments in decades. The former FBI chief warned in remarkable testimony that from the first time he met Trump he was worried that the President would misrepresent their conversations -- prompting him to write down everything that took place in meetings he found deeply uncomfortable. He accused the White House of lying about his leadership of the FBI and defaming him and called on Trump to release any tapes he may have of their conversations to provide corroboration. But Republicans also seized on Comey's confirmation that he had indeed told Trump he was not personally under investigation in the Russia probe -- a fact that forms the bedrock of the defense case for Trump. In one of the most revealing moments of the hearing, Comey said he had asked a friend at Columbia University to leak the content of one of his memos. He said that it dawned on him that there could be corroboration of a memo that he wrote after the President tweeted that he better hope there were no White House tapes of their conversations. "My judgment was that I needed to get that out into the public square," he said. He added he took the step "because I thought that might prompt the appointment of a special counsel." Comey at one point told senators, "Lordy, I hope there are tapes." Comey was asked by Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton whether he believed that Trump had colluded with the Russians. "It is a question I don't think I should answer in an open setting," Comey said, adding that the question would be answered by special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Trump's lawyer read a statement responding to the Comey testimony, highlighting the significance of the former FBI director explaining his leaking of the contents of his memos. "Although Mr. Comey testified he only leaked the memos in response to a tweet, the public record reveals that The New York Times was quoting from these memos the day before the referenced tweet, which belies Mr. Comey's excuse for this unauthorized disclosure of privileged information and appears to entirely retaliatory," Marc Kasowitz said. "We will leave it the appropriate authorities to determine whether these leaks should be investigated along with all those others being investigated." Kasowitz also accused Comey of misrepresenting the content of his conversations with Trump, disputing two key planks of his testimony. He said the President never told Comey: "'I need loyalty, I expect loyalty' he never said it in form, he never said it in substance," Kasowitz said. Kasowitz also disputed the notion that the President had asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn, saying that Trump "never, in form or substance, directed or suggested that Mr. Comey stop investigating anyone, including suggesting that that Mr. Comey 'let Flynn go.'" Trump administration 'lies, plain and simple' Comey also testified that the Trump administration "chose to defame me," told "lies, plain and simple," and that he was "confused" by Trump saying he was fired due to the Russia probe. "The administration chose to defame me and, more importantly, the FBI by saying the organization was in disarray ... those were lies," Comey said. However, he also said that he did not believe that either Trump nor his staff had asked him to stop the Russia investigation. He told the committee that the "shifting explanations" from the White House for why Trump fired him last month "confused" and increasingly concerned him. At the White House, deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders pushed back on the idea that Trump was a liar. "I can definitely say the President is not a liar, and I think it's frankly insulting that question would be asked," she said, pushing back on Comey's testimony that he was worried the President would not tell the truth about their meetings. Comey also revealed new details about his meeting with Trump
via YouTube https://youtu.be/u0lhfeBrs7M
President Trump's lawyer RESPONDS to the James Comey Testimony Hearing 6/8/2017 Trump lawyer says James Comey made ‘unauthorized disclosures’ of privileged talks Former FBI Director James Comey testified Thursday that he orchestrated the leak of accounts of conversations with President Donald Trump because he thought it might lead to the appointment of a special prosecutor to lead the Russia investigation. The revelation emerged in a blockbuster Senate intelligence committee hearing, one of the most significant moments yet in the saga over Russia's role in the 2016 election, the subsequent investigation and how it led to the firing of Comey by the President in an episode that has cast a deep shadow over the administration. Comey's appearance, carried live on national television networks, streamed on mobile devices and shown at watch parties at bars that opened early for the occasion, was one of the most eagerly awaited Washington moments in decades. The former FBI chief warned in remarkable testimony that from the first time he met Trump he was worried that the President would misrepresent their conversations -- prompting him to write down everything that took place in meetings he found deeply uncomfortable. He accused the White House of lying about his leadership of the FBI and defaming him and called on Trump to release any tapes he may have of their conversations to provide corroboration. But Republicans also seized on Comey's confirmation that he had indeed told Trump he was not personally under investigation in the Russia probe -- a fact that forms the bedrock of the defense case for Trump. In one of the most revealing moments of the hearing, Comey said he had asked a friend at Columbia University to leak the content of one of his memos. He said that it dawned on him that there could be corroboration of a memo that he wrote after the President tweeted that he better hope there were no White House tapes of their conversations. "My judgment was that I needed to get that out into the public square," he said. He added he took the step "because I thought that might prompt the appointment of a special counsel." Comey at one point told senators, "Lordy, I hope there are tapes." Comey was asked by Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton whether he believed that Trump had colluded with the Russians. "It is a question I don't think I should answer in an open setting," Comey said, adding that the question would be answered by special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Trump's lawyer read a statement responding to the Comey testimony, highlighting the significance of the former FBI director explaining his leaking of the contents of his memos. "Although Mr. Comey testified he only leaked the memos in response to a tweet, the public record reveals that The New York Times was quoting from these memos the day before the referenced tweet, which belies Mr. Comey's excuse for this unauthorized disclosure of privileged information and appears to entirely retaliatory," Marc Kasowitz said. "We will leave it the appropriate authorities to determine whether these leaks should be investigated along with all those others being investigated." Kasowitz also accused Comey of misrepresenting the content of his conversations with Trump, disputing two key planks of his testimony. He said the President never told Comey: "'I need loyalty, I expect loyalty' he never said it in form, he never said it in substance," Kasowitz said. Kasowitz also disputed the notion that the President had asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn, saying that Trump "never, in form or substance, directed or suggested that Mr. Comey stop investigating anyone, including suggesting that that Mr. Comey 'let Flynn go.'" Trump administration 'lies, plain and simple' Comey also testified that the Trump administration "chose to defame me," told "lies, plain and simple," and that he was "confused" by Trump saying he was fired due to the Russia probe. "The administration chose to defame me and, more importantly, the FBI by saying the organization was in disarray ... those were lies," Comey said. However, he also said that he did not believe that either Trump nor his staff had asked him to stop the Russia investigation. He told the committee that the "shifting explanations" from the White House for why Trump fired him last month "confused" and increasingly concerned him. At the White House, deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders pushed back on the idea that Trump was a liar. "I can definitely say the President is not a liar, and I think it's frankly insulting that question would be asked," she said, pushing back on Comey's testimony that he was worried the President would not tell the truth about their meetings. Comey also revealed new details about his meeting with Trump
via YouTube https://youtu.be/u0lhfeBrs7M
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