Comey Can’t Remember The Law Firm Perkins Coie
In what could become a possible issue for James Comey, the former FBI director repeatedly stated in testimony to the House Judiciary Committee that he “never” knew the author of the infamous anti-Trump dossier had been retained to do his work by a U.S.-based law firm.
The law firm in question, Perkins Coie, reportedly funded the Fusion GPS to conduct the anti-Trump work on behalf of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Those efforts resulted in the dossier written by former British spy Christopher Steele.
Despite saying he did not know Steele had been hired by Perkins Coie, the FISA warrant to spy on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page signed three times by Comey stated the FBI had information that Steele had been hired by a “U.S.-based law firm.”
It specifically stated the FBI “was approached by an identified U.S. person who indicated to Source #1 [Steele] that a U.S.-based law firm had hired the identified U.S. person to conduct research regarding Candidate #1’s ties to Russia.”
Comey was not asked to explain how he could sign three FISA warrants stating that Steele was hired by a “U.S.-based law firm” yet claim not to know Steele was hired by Perkins Coie.
Later in the testimony, a skeptical Mark Meadows (R-NC) asked Comey to explain his claim that he didn’t know Steele was being paid via Perkins Coie considering testimony from Comey’s own legal counsel, FBI official James Baker, that Baker was contacted by an attorney for Perkins Coie and was provided documents related to the Russia probe.
“I don’t know,” Comey replied. “I don’t remember the name Perkins Coie at all.”
Comey In More Hot Water
Another issue for Comey is that the former FBI director also stated in the same testimony that he was aware the dossier was financed by Democrats who opposed Trump. According to Democratic and Republican House Intelligence memos, however, that information was not specifically included in the FISA application, which in part relied on Steele’s work to obtain warrants to monitor Page.
Asked about his knowledge of Steele’s political patrons, Comey told the House Intelligence Committee on Friday: “I thought he was retained as part of a Republican-financed effort – retained by Republicans adverse to Mr. Trump during the primary season, and then his work was underwritten after that by Democrats opposed to Mr. Trump during the general election season.”
“When did you learn that his work went from being financed by what you described as Republicans to what you described as Democrats?” Comey was asked.
The former FBI director was also asked whether he learned about political actors financing Steele “before there were any court filings” – a clear reference to the FISA application, which Comey first signed in late October 2016.
Comey replied: “I certainly learned of it before the end of October. And I think the filing that you’re referring to obliquely was at the end of October sometime. So, it was before that.”
Comey’s FISA application to conduct surveillance did not specifically state that the FBI had information that Steele was being paid in connection with any U.S. political party, according to House documents.
A House Intelligence Committee memo released last February documented that as FBI director, Comey signed three FISA applications to spy on Page with the dossier serving as part of the basis for the warrant requests. “Neither the initial application in October 2016, nor any of the renewals, disclose or reference the role of the DNC, Clinton campaign, or any party/campaign in funding Steele’s efforts, even though the political origins of the Steele dossier were then known to senior and FBI officials,” the memo states.
Michael Savage: Jewish People
Are At High Water Mark In America
Talk radio star Michael Savage recounted attending the White House Chanukah reception last week, where he says he told President Trump that under his administration “the Jewish People and other minorities are at the high water mark of their existence in America.”
“At the Hanukkah party, the cheering attendees knew they were experiencing one of Judaism’s highest moments,” Savage told this reporter in an email, speaking about last Thursday’s White House event.
“Having visited the Holocaust Museum that same day I said to the President and First Lady, ‘The Jewish People and other minorities are at the high water mark of their existence in America. Black and Hispanic employment are at historic highs, freedom from persecution has never seen better days than the present.’”