We just wanted to add something pleasant to this story.
May 22 // May 9, 2017
Whatever happened to the AHCA?
Don't we care anymore?
Believe it or not it was just two weeks ago that President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey. Remember that? Remember when that was a very big deal?
We know. We can barely remember it, either. And the truth is, we can barely keep up with the he said / he said / he said / he said that takes place on a daily basis (an hourly basis?) in Washington, D.C.
But we are Two Weeks Ago News and we’re willing to try. We think this is how the Comey firing story goes, but then again, who can say with any real certainty?
Q Sean, in the dinner that the President had with James Comey earlier in January, did the President implore him to pledge his loyalty to the President? Is that true?
MR. SPICER: No.
Q Did that happen? That did not happen?
MR. SPICER: No.
Q How important is it that the FBI director be loyal to the President? Is that a quality the President wants to see in anyone, particularly his FBI director?
MR. SPICER: I think the President wants loyalty to this country and to the rule of law.
Trey.
Q Thanks, Sean. On the dinner with James Comey, does anyone in this White House have an audio recording of what unfolded during the January 27th dinner between the former FBI director and the President of the United States?
MR. SPICER: I’m not aware of that.
7. Then we found out that apparently, James Comey keeps pretty good notes about conversations he has had with the President. Ruh-roh.
8. Then the rest of it happened….special investigator named to investigate Russian hacking, President Trump’s contacts with Russian interests, Deputy Attorney General admits he knew Comey would get fired, even before he wrote his memo about Comey getting fired. (What? Of course he knew about it! He was about to fire him!)
Sorry folks. We can’t. TWAN has a massive headache.
We’re going to try to keep up. Remember healthcare? And the travel ban? We do. Sort of.
Whatever happened to the AHCA?
Don't we care anymore?
Believe it or not it was just two weeks ago that President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey. Remember that? Remember when that was a very big deal?
We know. We can barely remember it, either. And the truth is, we can barely keep up with the he said / he said / he said / he said that takes place on a daily basis (an hourly basis?) in Washington, D.C.
But we are Two Weeks Ago News and we’re willing to try. We think this is how the Comey firing story goes, but then again, who can say with any real certainty?
- In November, 2016, FBI Director James Comey announced that a new collection of emails uncovered (see what we did there?) on Anthony Weiner’s computer (Clinton aide Huma Abedin’s estranged husband) did not warrant additional investigation and that there would be no charges forthcoming against Secretary Clinton.
- Sometime in January, the President had dinner with James Comey and either did or did not request that Comey “pledge his loyalty” to him. We’re not sure about this because it turns out that two people who spoke with Comey about the dinner (which took place the day after former Attorney General Andrea Yates warned the White House about former national security advisor Michael Flynn being influenced by the Russians) said that he was asked to pledge his loyalty but promised his honesty instead. And let us just say, congratulations to everyone who made it through that last little point. Dear God. Just dear God, this is exhausting.
- Remember all the “I was wiretapped” tweets from the President a few months ago? In March, 2017, Comey confirmed that the FBI was investigating possible Russian interference into the 2016 election; interference that led to the election of President Trump. Of particular interest in the linked Atlantic article was this line: “Comey’s confirmation of an ongoing investigation was just one of several statements that amounted to an extraordinary rebuke of a president who has the power to remove him from office.”
- Confirming that investigation publically may have been a spectacularly bad idea because on May 9 – about two weeks ago – Comey lost his job, following letters from both Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein recommending Comey’s removal. But they’re the President’s men! Maybe they pledged their loyalty! Maybe. Except this recommended action was supplemented by statements of support from the following former Attorney Generals or Deputy Attorney Generals: Lawrence Silberman, Jamie Gorelick, Larry Thompson, Michael Mukasey, Alberto Gonzales, Eric Holder and Donald Ayer, representing both Republican and Democratic administrations. The President sent a brief “don’t let the door hit you on the way out” note to Comey, but not before thanking him for reassuring him on three separate occasions that he (the President) was not himself under investigation.
- We’re a little confused about the delivery of this "your services are no longer required" information. According to the CBS story we linked, “Trump’s longtime body man, retired NYPD Officer Keith Schiller, dropped off the letters notifying Comey of his firing by hand this afternoon at the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., a White House official confirmed to CBS News.” Could this be right? Is this how sensitive, official communication gets delivered in Washington? By hand, by a bodyguard? It gets "dropped off?" Did he leave the four-ways on when he double-parked outside the FBI? By the curb? And why does the President have a “longtime body man” when he has the entire secret Service at this disposal? What the heck is a “long time body man” anyway?
- Then the day after the firing, President Trump spilled a bunch of secrets about ISIS and travel security concerns to the visiting Russians. Or didn’t. Who can say? **TWAN Quiz**: When is classified information not classified information? When the President decides it isn’t. That’s the fact and it always has been the fact. And if that doesn’t scare you, nothing will.
- Then the day after that, the President tweeted about having some recordings or not having recordings or something about recordings in the Oval Office. And then the press asked Sean Spicer about it and he said … well, here’s the White House Press briefing excerpt for your reading pleasure:
Q Sean, in the dinner that the President had with James Comey earlier in January, did the President implore him to pledge his loyalty to the President? Is that true?
MR. SPICER: No.
Q Did that happen? That did not happen?
MR. SPICER: No.
Q How important is it that the FBI director be loyal to the President? Is that a quality the President wants to see in anyone, particularly his FBI director?
MR. SPICER: I think the President wants loyalty to this country and to the rule of law.
Trey.
Q Thanks, Sean. On the dinner with James Comey, does anyone in this White House have an audio recording of what unfolded during the January 27th dinner between the former FBI director and the President of the United States?
MR. SPICER: I’m not aware of that.
7. Then we found out that apparently, James Comey keeps pretty good notes about conversations he has had with the President. Ruh-roh.
8. Then the rest of it happened….special investigator named to investigate Russian hacking, President Trump’s contacts with Russian interests, Deputy Attorney General admits he knew Comey would get fired, even before he wrote his memo about Comey getting fired. (What? Of course he knew about it! He was about to fire him!)
Sorry folks. We can’t. TWAN has a massive headache.
We’re going to try to keep up. Remember healthcare? And the travel ban? We do. Sort of.