James Comey Says He Will Resist Subpoena For Closed-Door Testimony
By RJ Johnson - @rickerthewriter
November 23, 2018
Former FBI Director James Comey and former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch have both received a subpoena to testify before Congress in closed sessions after the Thanksgiving holiday.
In a tweet sent Thursday morning, Comey wrote that he would only testify if the proceedings were open and public.
"Happy Thanksgiving. Got a subpoena from House Republicans. I’m still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions. But I will resist a “closed door” thing because I’ve seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Let’s have a hearing and invite everyone to see."
Happy Thanksgiving. Got a subpoena from House Republicans. I’m still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions. But I will resist a “closed door” thing because I’ve seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Let’s have a hearing and invite everyone to see.
— James Comey (@Comey) November 22, 2018
Republicans last week indicated that they were ready to subpoena Comey and Lynch before Demorats assume control of the committee and the majority in the House beginning next year. A notice of the subpoenas were posted by outgoing House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte as part of the committee's probe into allegations that there was political bias at the DOJ and FBI.
Comey's attorney, David N. Kelley, wrote in a statement that the subpoena for a "closed door interview" broke from established norms.
"Mr. Comey embraces and welcomes a hearing open to the public, but the subpoena issued yesterday represents an abuse of process, a divergence from House rules and its presumption of transparency," the statement read in part. "Accordingly, Mr. Comey will resist in Court this abuse of process."
Former FBI Director James Comey was fired by President Donald Trump in May 2017 after a brief tenure working for the president. Comey was criticized for how he handled former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server as well as the investigation into Russian meddling with the 2016 presidential campaign.
In an interview with NBC's Lester Holt shortly after firing Comey, Trump said that he had been thinking of "this Russia thing" who had been leading the bureau's investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election when he fired the former FBI Director.
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