Rep. Jim Himes (D-Connecticut) joined CNN’s Kate Bolduan for a Q&A about fired FBI Director James Comey‘s book, “A Higher Loyalty,” and had some choice words for Comey’s critics. Himes said those who have besmirched Comey’s and Special Counsel Robert Mueller‘s good names will “rot in hell.”
Himes said this was a “class Washington story” where facts get “ugly” and ad hominem attacks are thrown around.
“I was at the Department of Justice one hour ago. Jim Comey is a legend there. He’s a legend within the FBI,” he began. “Special agents all over the country had immense respect, talk to anybody — just about anybody who doesn’t work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue — they will tell you that Jim Comey is an honest and good man.”
Bolduan interjected, asking Himes about the negative things Democrats said about Comey after he, 11 days before the 2016 election, announced the FBI would be reviewing more Hillary Clinton emails.
This announcement about Clinton is something Comey said Thursday was connected to his assumption that she was going to be president.
https://twitter.com/gdebenedetti/status/984558103638237185
Clinton herself has said, “I would have won but for Jim Comey’s letter on Oct. 28.”
But Himes dismissed this.
“No, Kate, I’ll stop you there. Reality matters when you talk about the integrity of the FBI. Lots of people, Democrats, lawyers, judges, were very concerned by Comey’s breaking of protocol. So, we should have a conversation and I think Jim Comey is reflective of whether he made the right thing,” he said.
Whether Comey — and Mueller, by association — is an honest man is different from whether he made the right choice on Oct. 28, 2016, Himes said.
“The idea this man is dishonest, and, remember this is all part and parcel of the attempt that the White House is making to besmirch Robert Mueller, a decorated war hero,” Himes continued. “People will rot in hell for besmirching the reputation of these two men.”
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