Comey made a ‘fool’ of himself at Senate testimony, says FBI’s Kallstrom
Former FBI Assistant Director James Kallstrom on Thursday said former FBI Director James Comey made a “fool†of himself during his Senate Intelligence Committee testimony.
In an interview on the FOX Business’ “After the Bell,†Kallstrom said Comey chose to “dance with the devil†and was not up to the task to handle the Hillary Clinton email investigation.
“On that day, he should have seriously considered resigning because you don’t conduct major investigations by calling it something else. You don’t conduct major investigations by not impaneling a grand jury because then you cannot compel any kind of testimony or get search warrants,†he said.
On Thursday, former FBI Director James Comey revealed that former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch told him to downplay the investigation into Clinton’s emails.
“At one point the attorney general had directed me not to call it an investigation, but instead to call it a ‘matter,’ which confused me and concerned me,†Comey told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, referring to his statements about the investigation during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Kallstrom said Lynch’s instructions to call the investigation of Clinton’s emails a “matter†is obstruction of justice.
“It was obstruction when President Obama said publically on numerous occasions there is no evidence to investigate Hillary Clinton. They have nothing. He said that numerous times,†Kallstrom stated.
Robert Mueller, who served as FBI director for the Bush and Obama administrations from 2001 to 2013, has been appointed as a special counsel to oversee the investigation into the Russia probe.
Kallstrom finds the decision to appoint a special counsel as “weak†and said Comey’s relationship with Mueller is problematic.
“The problem with Bob Mueller being involved here is he’s got a 25-year close friendship with Comey. I mean what’s that about? That’s a clear conflict of interest if he goes there and looks at Comey’s activities while he was director,†Kallstrom said.