Mitch Perry
Democratic U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch contacted FBI Director James Comey Thursday, asking for an update on whether the bureau is investigating potential illegal meddling in U.S. foreign affairs by individuals connected to the Donald Trump presidential campaign.
In late September during a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Deutch asked Comey if the FBI would investigate potential violations of the Logan Act, which prohibits interference with U.S. foreign relations by unauthorized individuals. Specifically, the congressman asked about the possibility of a Logan Act investigation into reported unauthorized meetings between Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page and Russian officials.
“I don’t think it is appropriate to answer that,” Comey responded at the time. “That gets too close to confirming or denying whether we have an investigation. Seems too close to real life. So I am not going to comment.”
Page is referred to in the now infamous dossier prepared by a British M16 officer claiming Russia has compromising material on Trump.
Trump lambasted that dossier as “fake news” and “phony stuff.”
In his letter, Deutch refers to Director Comey’s comments at that same September hearing regarding his decision not to file charges against Hillary Clinton. A month later, Comey dropped the bombshell that he was looking at additional emails in the Clinton investigation, which Deutch write “contradicted your previously stated reluctance to making public comments in a way that might suggest the status of an investigation.”
With the precedent having been set, Deutch says he’d like to ask whether the FBI is not investigating Trump’s team for a violation of the Logan Act.
Deutch’s letter is probably not the most immediate thing on Comey’s mind today, however. Not after the Justice Department inspector general’s office said it would open an investigation into Comey’s decision in late October to inform Congress about a new review in the Clinton email investigation.
Here’s a copy of that letter:
One comment
sandyo
January 13, 2017 at 2:47 pm
Dear Rep Deutsch, Such a fine legislator..surely you jest? Really trust Comey to investigate himself and others who were publicly reported to be ready to make Hillary lose?
Best wishes otherwise..hold their feet to tthe fire, singe their toenails .
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