Turley Discusses Comey’s Obstruction Charges
On Friday, Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, remarked that the obstruction charges against James Comey could lead to significant consequences for the former FBI director.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has indicted Comey for allegedly lying to lawmakers and obstructing congressional investigations. On “Special Report with Brett Baier,” Turley noted that, in contrast to vague testimonies, the multiple interferences point to specific actions that prosecutors believe represent overstepping boundaries.
“The number of interferences is really interesting, and it clearly indicates a false statement, suggesting there was more at play than we might initially see,” Turley stated.
He identified that the most pressing issues regarding Comey relate to a 2020 statement about an alleged leak and highlighted that there’s no real room for interpretation in this case.
“We need to understand the underlying allegations better. The focus on his 2020 statement about the leak emerges from its clear nature; it’s not open to interpretation. Much of the criticism aimed at Comey has stemmed from his evasive answers over the years,” Turley explained.
Turley further contrasted Comey’s often changing recollections with leaked allegations, which present clearer factual issues.
“He recalls other details regardless of context. However, this leak is different. He either disclosed that information himself or allowed someone else to do it. This is not a matter of interpretation,” he asserted.
He critiqued Comey for typically offering evasive responses that selectively recall key events.
“If it’s a false statement, the question to ask is about the evidence supporting the indictment. Also, can he confront his former colleague and friend, McCabe? That’s something we are particularly interested in,” Turley noted.
Earlier in the week, reports suggested that the DOJ would ask a judge to indict Comey for allegedly lying to Congress in 2020. A July memo from the CIA indicated that Comey and former CIA director John Brennan were under criminal investigation regarding their testimony on Steele’s dossier.
The memo contested the assertion that related documents influenced the 2017 intelligence community assessment, which concluded that Brennan urged Comey to reference the Steele dossier, a document linked to former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, in a report funded by Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
