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I watched both Comey's and Sessions' testimony and I have one nagging question

Posted on 6/13/17 at 5:31 pm
Posted by gumbeaux
Member since Jun 2004
5479 posts
Posted on 6/13/17 at 5:31 pm
Comey testified that he expressed concern to Sessions the next day about being left alone for a private conversation with the President.

Sessions basically substantiated Comey's testimony in his own testimony. Sessions testified that he reiterated the rules to Comey about private conversations with the Presidemt. That they were OK as long as they were not about ongoing investigations. And IIRC correctly, Sessions said he believed Comey knew the policies regarding private conversations with the President

One nagging question for me that was not raised: Did Sessions ask Comey what was the nature of the private conversation that made him uneasy?

If I was Sessions, I would have asked that question to Comey. But that rock was not turned over by the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Posted by ThreeZeroFour
Member since Jun 2017
17 posts
Posted on 6/13/17 at 5:34 pm to
quote:


If I was Sessions, I would have asked that question to Comey.


Why? The answer is obvious.
Posted by Douboy
Louisiana
Member since Nov 2007
4332 posts
Posted on 6/13/17 at 5:34 pm to
This doesn't answer your question, but Comey started the one on one meetings at Trump Tower.
Posted by ChexMix
Taste the Deliciousness
Member since Apr 2014
25494 posts
Posted on 6/13/17 at 5:34 pm to
Or like most people, you mind your own business and respect the privacy of others.
Posted by TiggerB8t
Member since Oct 2013
693 posts
Posted on 6/13/17 at 5:37 pm to
Maybe because Sessions assumed the private conversation between Comey and Trump was priveged?? Or possibly the very asking of that question would cause Comey to claim Sessions was prying into the Russians issue which he had already recused himself of, thus putting Comey and Sessions in breach of the recusal policy to not discuss Russian collusion matters.
Posted by crescentcity
Member since Feb 2015
1311 posts
Posted on 6/13/17 at 5:41 pm to
quote:

One nagging question for me that was not raised: Did Sessions ask Comey what was the nature of the private conversation that made him uneasy?


That question was asked. AGJS said that he did not ask Comey about the conversation.
Posted by Bullethead88
Half way between LSU and Tulane
Member since Dec 2009
4202 posts
Posted on 6/13/17 at 5:41 pm to
quote:

Or like most people, you mind your own business and respect the privacy of others.

You were kidding right?

Do you think it was Sessions job to ask Comey what he and Trump talked about if Trump asked to be alone with Comey and then Comey later expressed concern about his conversation with Trump?

Posted by gumbeaux
Member since Jun 2004
5479 posts
Posted on 6/13/17 at 5:42 pm to
quote:

This doesn't answer your question, but Comey started the one on one meetings at Trump Tower.



I am referring to the Feb. 14 meeting in the Oval Office to discuss national security. After the meeting, Trump asked everyone except for Comey to leave the room.
Posted by gumbeaux
Member since Jun 2004
5479 posts
Posted on 6/13/17 at 5:49 pm to
quote:


I watched both Comey's and Sessions' testimony and I have one nagging question
Maybe because Sessions assumed the private conversation between Comey and Trump was priveged?? Or possibly the very asking of that question would cause Comey to claim Sessions was prying into the Russians issue which he had already recused himself of, thus putting Comey and Sessions in breach of the recusal policy to not discuss Russian collusion matters.


What is wrong with Sessions asking what made Comey uncomfortable? If the conversation was indeed about the Russia investigation, then all Comey would have to say that he couldn't reveal the nature of the conversation knowing that Sessions was recused.

The fact that Sessions did not ask what made Comey uncomfortable is nagging for me. It may mean that Sessions had an idea what it was about.
Posted by coondaddy21
Louisiana
Member since Oct 2012
3222 posts
Posted on 6/13/17 at 6:01 pm to
quote:

But that rock was not turned over by the Senate Intelligence Committee


It was asked if Comey told Sessions the nature of the conversation and Sessions said that all Comey said was that it gave him an uneasy feeling.
Posted by NC_Tigah
Make Orwell Fiction Again
Member since Sep 2003
140762 posts
Posted on 6/14/17 at 2:10 am to
quote:

One nagging question for me that was not raised: Did Sessions ask Comey what was the nature of the private conversation that made him uneasy?
No,
Sessions did not ask Comey the nature of the private conversation.
Sessions explained why.

He said that although no final decision had been made, he was de facto recused from the Russia-campaign issue at that point. Though Sessions would not reveal conversations occurring in the Oval Office, one can guess he realized the POTUS was discussing elements of the Russia-campaign issue from which he was de facto recused. Hence his lingering, then exit.

So Sessions probably already knew in general terms the nature of the Comey-Trump conversation, and knew it was a topic he should not be personally involved in.

The problem was not so much in Sessions' exit, but rather in Comey's misperception of it, and Comey's further assumptions based on that misperception.

As is evident in Comey's own testimony, Comey assumed many things. It was a very bad habit of his. He consistently assumed he knew things he didn't. He assumed his assumptions to be fact. As FBI Director, it was a horrible flaw. It was basis for the Hillary faux pas, and most of his other poor decisions.

In this case, Comey assumed Sessions left the Oval Office Meeting because the President wanted Sessions to leave. Comey assumed Sessions' uneasiness was with leaving POTUS and FBI Director alone. Comey was clueless as to Sessions' position on probable recusal, and the fact it was Sessions' decision, not Trump's to leave he and Comey alone.

Sessions correctly characterized Comey's experience and presumed knowledge-base in dealing with such POTUIS conversations. So with the choice between involvement (witnessed by Comey) in a Russia-campaign issue discussion vs simply stepping out of the room leaving an experienced FBI Director to appropriately address matters, Sessions stepped out.

He expected Comey to be up to the task. Comey wasn't. Sessions rightly expected Comey would have no compunction in explaining to the President why he could not discuss investigatory details without appropriate members of the DOJ present. Instead Comey felt pressured, uneasy, queasy, or whatever sophomoric characterization Comey used to describe the meeting.

Instead of assuming he was somehow being "set up", all Comey had to do was tell Trump, "Mr. President, as much as I would like to discuss this with you, I have to have the AG or AAG present when doing so. Perhaps we can set that meeting up."

Of course, Comey seems to have had his own Russia-Trump campaign agenda, and wanted no part of offering Trump a further meeting. Perhaps that was an additional source of his paranoia.

In a follow up conversation, because Comey assumed he understood the situation, instead of asking the AG why he left the Oval Office Meeting, he said "Don't ever do that to me again." Sessions process toward recusal was none of Comey's business, so Sessions did not volunteer it to Comey as an explanation. He simply acknowledged Comey's position, that the Director not discuss details of an investigation directly with the POTUS w/o appropriate DOJ officials there.

It was a situation in which no one did anything wrong, but Comey assumed something nefarious was afoot.
This post was edited on 6/14/17 at 2:17 am
Posted by Bullethead88
Half way between LSU and Tulane
Member since Dec 2009
4202 posts
Posted on 6/14/17 at 3:43 am to
quote:

In this case, Comey assumed Sessions left the Oval Office Meeting because the President wanted Sessions to leave.

TRump wanted everyone to leave so he and Comey could talk alone.
Posted by NC_Tigah
Make Orwell Fiction Again
Member since Sep 2003
140762 posts
Posted on 6/14/17 at 4:03 am to
quote:

TRump wanted everyone to leave so he and Comey could talk alone.
I believe the only person who's made that claim was Sen. Warner.
But of course, Warner was not there.

So did Comey ever claim the POTUS ordered Sessions out of the room?
Because my recollection is Comey did not make that claim.

Sessions certainly didn't.
This post was edited on 6/14/17 at 4:33 am
Posted by Bullethead88
Half way between LSU and Tulane
Member since Dec 2009
4202 posts
Posted on 6/14/17 at 4:04 am to
quote:

So did Comey ever claim the POTUS ordered Sessions out of the room?
Because my recollection is Comey did not make that claim.


There were other people there. Trump wanted the room cleared.
This post was edited on 6/14/17 at 4:06 am
Posted by NC_Tigah
Make Orwell Fiction Again
Member since Sep 2003
140762 posts
Posted on 6/14/17 at 4:13 am to
quote:

There were other people there. Trump wanted the room cleared.
The meeting had ended. Has anyone of the "other people there" claimed Trump ordered them out?

Has Comey claimed that?
Posted by RFK
Mar-a-Lago
Member since May 2012
3376 posts
Posted on 6/14/17 at 4:26 am to
Trump faithful are upset Comey's testimony reveals the fact Trump has no understanding of the norms, rules, and traditions of his job. Anyone who is honest with themselves knew this all along.

Trump's actions prove he is not one of you, and is not at all different from the swamp he said he would drain.

The fact is Comey will be remembered fondly for bringing this to light.
Posted by NC_Tigah
Make Orwell Fiction Again
Member since Sep 2003
140762 posts
Posted on 6/14/17 at 4:32 am to
quote:

Trump has no understanding of the norms, rules, and traditions of his job.
Overstated.
Nonetheless, why would that "upset" any of the Trump faithful?

quote:

Comey will be remembered fondly
Comey will be remembered as someone over his head in the role. If not, he will be remembered as a criminal. I suspect the former is more likely though.
Posted by RFK
Mar-a-Lago
Member since May 2012
3376 posts
Posted on 6/14/17 at 4:42 am to
I disagree that it won't upset Trump faithful (whether or not they will admit it openly is another issue).

It is disappointing that a POTUS pressured the head of our independent investigation agency to end an investigation they way he did.

Criminal? No.
Well-advised? No.

Why would Comey lie? He would hardly have the motive, or even better the cojones to try and defame Trump with his one-sided notes of a conversation between two men.

Further, I absolutely believe Trump taped the conversation, and Comey would know he could always be ousted as a liar if what he is saying is indeed not true. (Unless he is lying, and Trump didnt record the conversation, which is foolish of him, honestly).

If there are tapes, they belong to the people and should be released as Trump half-heartedly threatened in his Tweet on the matter.

And on the note about Sessions, as Comey's boss, the Attorney General should have never left the meeting with Trump; the fact Trump asked him to, and the fact Sessions is cool with that, screams collusion and impropriety.
This post was edited on 6/14/17 at 4:48 am
Posted by NC_Tigah
Make Orwell Fiction Again
Member since Sep 2003
140762 posts
Posted on 6/14/17 at 5:08 am to
quote:

It is disappointing that a POTUS pressured the head of our independent investigation agency to end an investigation they way he did.
Pressured?
That's a very odd term. We have a set of conversations occurring between two people. The content is disputed. However, even by Comey's account, Trump's comments were open to a wide range of interpretation. Comey is a lawyer. Trump is not. Comey is familiar with the FBI-Executive Branch interface. Trump is less so. What is disappointing is Comey's repeated reliance on assumptions regarding ambiguous situations, situations which he refused or did not manage to clarify. What is disappointing is Comey cowing to pressure he felt with Loretta Lynch. What is disappointing is Comey assuming similar pressure with Trump, even with lack of evidence.

The investigation neither ended, nor was affected by Comey's ouster.
quote:

Further, I absolutely believe Trump taped the conversation, and Comey would know he could always be ousted as a liar if what he is saying is indeed not true.
If the conversation remotely hinted at what Comey has described, Comey could simply skate by using "interpretation" "perception" or "assume" as explanation for his testimony.

Whether or not Trump actually recorded a Comey meeting(s), the claim itself accomplished two goals. It immediately seemed to change nature of the leaks. It also forced the one thing Trump had been after all alone -- an admission he was not under investigation.

Posted by themunch
bottom of the list
Member since Jan 2007
72447 posts
Posted on 6/14/17 at 6:15 am to
quote:

a POTUS pressured the head of our independent investigation agency to end an investigation they way he did.


NO he did not. That was mr wheeziness' feelings days later.
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