FBI/JAMES COMEY: “Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, in his first public remarks since James Comey was fired as FBI director, told members of the House of Representatives on Friday [5-19-17] that Comey ‘was a role model.’
Rosenstein briefed lawmakers on the events leading up to Comey’s dismissal on May 9 as well as his decision on Wednesday to appoint a special counsel to lead the FBI’s probe into Russia’s election interference and whether Trump’s campaign team was complicit…
Some lawmakers apparently were frustrated that Rosenstein would not disclose more details about what led to Trump’s firing of Comey. He was ‘very guarded’ and ‘frustratingly cautious,’ unnamed representatives told CNN.
Rosenstein’s opening statement did not mention a New York Times report, published on Tuesday, that Comey had written memos describing what he felt were inappropriate efforts by Trump to influence the FBI’s Russia investigation. It is unclear whether Rosenstein addressed the report in the closed portion of the briefing.
But Rosenstein confirmed to lawmakers that he learned of Trump’s decision to fire Comey one day before writing the memo outlining his perceived misconduct. He emphasized that his memo was ‘not a legal brief’ and ‘not a finding of official misconduct.’
‘On May 8, I learned that President Trump intended to remove Director Comey and sought my advice and input,’ Rosenstein said. ‘Notwithstanding my personal affection for Director Comey, I thought it was appropriate to seek a new leader.’ “
-Natasha Bertrand, “‘He was a role model’: The deputy attorney general just released his first official comments about Comey’s firing,” Business Insider, May 19, 2017 12:00pm