Former FBI Director James Comey says that he attended a Jan. 27 one-on-one meeting with President Donald Trump where Trump asked Comey to pledge loyalty to Trump. Comey says that immediately following this meeting he wrote down what he says was said at the meeting. Comey then shared the recollection with FBI leadership.

Comey attended a meeting on Feb. 14 with Trump and others, including his boss, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Jared Kushner in the Oval Office. Trump then excused the others from the meeting. Comey, now alone with Trump, had a conversation with the president. Comey says that Trump said he “hoped” Comey would “let Flynn go.” Trump denies saying this, but has not yet said what he did say. Again, Comey says that right after the meeting, he recorded what was stated at the meeting and shared this recollection with FBI leadership.

If Trump is to be believed, then Comey made up the conversation, immediately recorded the fabricated conversation, and shared the fiction with FBI leadership. Possible? I guess so, But I know I would not make up anything supposed to have happened in the Oval Office out of fear that events were recorded.

Because Trump said he “hoped” Comey would let Flynn go, some say Trump never told Comey to do anything. I likewise would not have ordered or directed Comey to do anything in those words either — gone would be deniability, especially if it turned out that Comey was himself wired.

Powers McGuire

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