Publicly, Republican lawmakers weren’t rattled in the least by James Comey’s testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee. But a veteran conservative commentator has learned that Comey’s performance has knocked a lot of scales off GOP eyes. They just aren’t willing to say so before the cameras–yet.
According to Politico’s Burgess Everett, Comey’s testimony didn’t change a lot of minds on Capitol Hill. Some, like House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator Marco Rubio, thought the fuss over how Donald Trump fired Comey can be chalked up to Trump still learning the ropes of politics. Others, like Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, actually thought Trump had been vindicated when Comey said that Trump merely expressed a “hope” that the FBI could ease up on Michael Flynn. Still others, like Senator Thom Tillis, were ready to move on to other things.
Even one of Trump’s most intractable Republican critics, Senator Lindsey Graham, thought Comey’s firing was “tacky,” but didn’t think it rose to the level of criminal conduct. He also doubted whether special counsel Robert Mueller would have allowed Comey to testify publicly if he believed the firing amounted to obstruction of justice.
However, Bill Kristol, one of the eminences grises of the conservative movement, has heard otherwise from his friends in the Senate–though they aren’t willing to say it publicly. When Kristol saw this report flash across his Twitter feed, he revealed that Republicans aren’t nearly as comforted as they would have you believe.
I happen to have seen various GOP Senators this afternoon. Trust me: Basically, they're not just concerned. They're pretty terrified. https://t.co/WopZ2LiseR
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) June 8, 2017
It’s pretty easy to see why some Republican Senators are quaking in their boots. There is literally no good-faith reason why Trump would have asked those in attendance at a counterterrorism briefing to leave the room before he told Comey that he hoped the FBI would back off on Flynn.
Moreover, you have to consider that Trump is probably used to his hope or wish being a command. Remember, he has never really worked for anyone not related to him; he has spent his entire adult life as either CEO of the Trump Organization or as heir apparent. As a former federal prosecutor, then as Deputy Attorney General, it’s not unreasonable to think Comey took the president’s “hope” as a command–one that he could not obey without violating his oath of office All things considered, at the very least this meets the real-world standard for obstruction of justice.
So now at least some in the GOP know this stinks. The $64,000 question–when will they have the guts to admit it publicly?
(featured image courtesy Andrew Harrer, pool photographer)
