Days before President Trump’s inauguration, FBI Director James Comey urged President Obama to withhold “sensitive information related to Russia” from Trump’s incoming National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn, based on his “frequent” conversations with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.
Comey’s outlandish suggestion was documented in an email sent by Susan Rice (Flynn’s predecessor) to herself on Inauguration Day. The email, which details a Jan. 5 Oval Office meeting with Obama, Biden, and other top officials was declassified this week by DNI Richard Grenell. The meeting followed an IC briefing on Russian hacking during the 2016 presidential election.
“President Obama asked if Comey was saying that the NSC should not pass sensitive information related to Russia to Flynn,” wrote Rice. “Comey replied ‘potentially.’ He added that he has no indication thus far that Flynn has passed classified information to Kislyak, but he noted the ‘the level of communication is unusual.’ The President asked Comey to inform him if anything changes in the next few weeks that should affect how we share classified information with the incoming team. Comey said that he would.”
President Obama began the meeting by reminding officials of his commitment to proceeding “by the book,” noted Rice. “He wants to be sure that, as we engage with the incoming team, we are mindful to ascertain if there is any reason that we cannot share information fully as it relates to Russia.”
As we know, Flynn’s innocent conversations with Kislyak were the basis for an FBI wiretap and a controversial interview in which FBI agents conspired to get Flynn fired from the White House.
Furthermore, Rice’s email supports President Trump’s claim that Obama ordered the FBI to spy on the incoming administration.
The bottom line: Comey, as head of the FBI, urged Obama to withhold information from an incoming adviser to the President of the United States when he had no reason to suspect Flynn of espionage, treason, or any other crime.
Comey has never been an adviser to the POTUS nor has he investigated one, so his supposition that Flynn’s conversations with Kislyak were “unusual” has no merit. It is obvious that Comey listened to Flynn’s conversations without probable cause of any kind. Comey is the real criminal here, not Flynn.
Editor’s Note: I’m pissed.
A decorated three star General of the United States of America, a true patriot, a man who has run entire intelligence agencies, a man who was selected to the National Security Advisor by the incoming President of the United States, is accused without any basis whatsoever of betraying his country. His career has been trashed, he is financially ruined.
Accused because he was making calls to the Russian Ambassador? Let me repeat, Flynn RAN AN INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. He KNEW he was being recorded. Did Comey honestly think he would not know this? If he were betraying his country did Comey think he would not know how to communicate securely?
As for “unusual.” How in the hell would Comey know? He’s never been there. What the hell does he think National Security Advisors do? Yes, they occasionally talk to foreign nationals. Especially the unfriendly ones. Does Comey not know this? Is he a complete idiot?
This meeting, documented by one of the participants, include Barack Obama and Vice President Biden, and gave tacit permission to attack a senior member of the incoming Trump Administration. Again, with no evidence.
This is sabotage of the transition of power, with the implicit approval of Barack Obama and VP Biden.
This was a crime, a violation of Flynn’s fourth amendment rights.
This was an egregious abuse of power by the Obama Administration’s – abusing the vast powers of the U.S. Government to directly attack political opponents. That’s what they do in China and Russia to support their dictatorships.
Editor’s Postscript: By the way, we are not necessarily sure of the verity of the email’s contents. Susan Rice is as dirty as they come. It could be that this was meant to cover the asses of the rest of the participants to hide more sinister activities.