Law professor: Comey memo leak not illegal

[AntonToo]

Comey may very well have violated the law.

Did Comey Violate Laws In Leaking The Trump Memo?

"The problem is that Comey’s description of his use of an FBI computer to create memoranda to file suggests that these are arguably government documents. Comey admitted that he thought he raised the issue with his staff and recognized that they might be needed by the Department or Congress. They read like a type of field 302 form, which are core investigatory documents."

Seems pretty clear it was a violation of at least one law.

That is simply wrong.

Comey did not release the memo documents themselves - he simply leaked his recollection of what happened. Memos are FBI's internal evidence corroborating his testimony.

You should try reading the article.
Here is a pertinent point from Turley.

"Besides being subject to Nondisclosure Agreements, Comey falls under federal laws governing the disclosure of classified and nonclassified information. Assuming that the memos were not classified (though it seems odd that it would not be classified even on the confidential level), there is 18 U.S.C. § 641 which makes it a crime to steal, sell, or convey “any record, voucher, money, or thing of value of the United States or of any department or agency thereof.”"

It is not a crime to make public inappropriate, corrupt request by the president, who by the way threatens to release tapes of your conversation with him.

No judge would take this nonsence up.

 

[blackhawk]

Alan Dershowitz also a legal expert said President Trumps firing of James Comey was not obstruction of justice yet few if any of the left wing message board nicknames wanted to listen to him.
Dershowitz: Comey confirms that I'm right - and all the Democratic commentators are wrong

Comey mentioned a T.V. interview on NBC where Trump did admit he fired Comey over the Russian investigation. It's definitely there.

Recounting his decision to dismiss Comey, Trump told NBC News, “In fact, when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, ‘You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story, it’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should have won.’”Trump’s account flatly contradicts the White House’s initial account of how the president arrived at his decision, undercutting public denials by his aides that the move was influenced in any way by his growing fury with the ongoing Russia probe.

Trump said he was thinking of Russia controversy when he decided to fire Comey

That does not make it obstruction of justice,

When you admit Obstruction of Justice, it is Obstruction of Justice.

For the last time the President has the legal authority to fire an FBI director the President has the authority to order an investigation halted if they wish. Doing something you have the legal authority to do is not a criminal act it might not be politically smart but it's not a crime if people can't or won't accept this fine so be it.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

The Senate has taken the position that Comey's memos are government documents not his personal property. Rut roh, Comey shot himself in the foot.

Have a link?

.

All work related papers, memos, etc. are the property of the employer.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Ewe both, sassafras and willow, are wrong. Comey did not break the law. We will see if Trump did break the law or if any of his associates did.

Still clinging to this Jake?

I always follow the evidence.

Comey is legally okey dokey.

The orange obese charlatan? Not so much.

 

[radical right]

President has the authority to order an investigation halted if they wish. Doing something you have the legal authority to do is not a criminal act it might not be politically smart but it's not a crime if people can't or won't accept this fine so be it.

Wrong. That's obstruction of justice. The president does have the power to pardon or commute sentences, which may have the effect of halting part of an investigation (see Nixon and Ford pardon) but the watergate investigation went on.

 

[radical right]

All work related papers, memos, etc. are the property of the employer.

Only if they are subject to the FOIA (freedom of information act) and Comey's memos were NOT.

 

[oreo]

Alan Dershowitz also a legal expert said President Trumps firing of James Comey was not obstruction of justice yet few if any of the left wing message board nicknames wanted to listen to him.
Dershowitz: Comey confirms that I'm right - and all the Democratic commentators are wrong

Comey mentioned a T.V. interview on NBC where Trump did admit he fired Comey over the Russian investigation. It's definitely there.

Recounting his decision to dismiss Comey, Trump told NBC News, “In fact, when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, ‘You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story, it’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should have won.’”Trump’s account flatly contradicts the White House’s initial account of how the president arrived at his decision, undercutting public denials by his aides that the move was influenced in any way by his growing fury with the ongoing Russia probe.

Trump said he was thinking of Russia controversy when he decided to fire Comey

That does not make it obstruction of justice,

When you admit Obstruction of Justice, it is Obstruction of Justice.

For the last time the President has the legal authority to fire an FBI director the President has the authority to order an investigation halted if they wish. Doing something you have the legal authority to do is not a criminal act it might not be politically smart but it's not a crime if people can't or won't accept this fine so be it.

Yes any President has the legal authority to fire an FBI director--it's been done in the past. But you can't fire them in order to OBSTRUCT JUSTICE. Again Comey mentioned the NBC T.V interview yesterday where Trump admitted he fired Comey over the Russian Investigation.

We know that Trump met with Comey privately on 3 occasions and we also know that Trump called Comey 9 times during a 3 month period talking about this "Russia cloud" hanging over his administration. We also know Trump wanted the investigation over Michael Flynn stopped in it's tracks. When Comey didn't do what Trump wanted him to do--he fired him--which is OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE an impeachable offense. This is how Nixon went down.

Recounting his decision to dismiss Comey, Trump told NBC News, “In fact, when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, ‘You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story, it’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should have won.’” Trump’s account flatly contradicts the White House’s initial account of how the president arrived at his decision, undercutting public denials by his aides that the move was influenced in any way by his growing fury with the ongoing Russia probe.

Trump said he was thinking of Russia controversy when he decided to fire Comey

From here you can watch Trump say it on video--with his mouth flapping in sync with his words.
Donald Trump admits 'this Russia thing' part of reasoning for firing Comey

 

[Uncensored2008]

not one single law enforcement officer agrees with the board idiots ...

You're such a fucking liar, 7.

And STUPID, Law Enforcement Officer? Plenty of cops oppose you Brown Shirts, most even.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

Ewe both, sassafras and willow, are wrong. Comey did not break the law. We will see if Trump did break the law or if any of his associates did.

Still clinging to this Jake?

I always follow the evidence.

Comey is legally okey dokey.

The orange obese charlatan? Not so much.

Why? What did Trump do exactly?

 

[Uncensored2008]

Ewe both, sassafras and willow, are wrong. Comey did not break the law. We will see if Trump did break the law or if any of his associates did.

I never said he broke the law, shit for brains.

But he's finished

I did, he did break the law. No question about it and he testified that he did. Can it be successfully prosecuted in the hyper partisan world we are in? Perhaps. democrats are widely held above the law, this includes Comey who swore his loyalty to Obama in his testimony. But he absolutely broke the law with his leaks.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

All work related papers, memos, etc. are the property of the employer.

Only if they are subject to the FOIA (freedom of information act) and Comey's memos were NOT.

Wrongo. ALL work related documents belong to the employer. PERIOD.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Ewe both, sassafras and willow, are wrong. Comey did not break the law. We will see if Trump did break the law or if any of his associates did.

Still clinging to this Jake?

I always follow the evidence.

Comey is legally okey dokey.

The orange obese charlatan? Not so much.

Why? What did Trump do exactly?

Had two scoops of ice cream.

Trump gets 2 scoops of ice cream, everyone else gets 1 - CNNPolitics.com

 

[radical right]

this includes Comey who swore his loyalty to Obama in his testimony.

Cite !

 

[radical right]

Wrongo. ALL work related documents belong to the employer. PERIOD.

Exactly. Trump wasn't the subject or part of the FBI investigation. So his conversation with Comey as FBI director was no different than if his mother called, and he wrote it down.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Comey's conversation with the apprentice was not classified. Therefore, it was not illegal for him to publicly air what he talked about with Trump, any more than it would be for a Girl Scout who met the President to tell the media what he said to her.

Trump wanted Comey to drop his investigation into Flynn. Comey refused to do so, and Trump fired him.

So the obstruction of justice cloud still hangs over Trump, and will not go away no matter how many times Trump's Chumps click their heels together.

I ask 100 times yesterday who made the memos classified intel ... ignored 100 times.

whining little bitches with no legs ..

and RUSSIA is what again?

good god people.

Comey took notes, put them in his pocket,


who marked them classified
or
controlled
or
sensitive


WHO?



and ?

I would assume the notes are automatically considered classified because they were between the potus & someone else. I also imagine someone has to review them to determine the correct status they require. He never gave the notes to his boss. He gave them to A FUCKING CIVILLIAN who then gave them to the media.

At the very least the notes were the property of the US Government and subject to their discretion. They most certainly were NOT the private property of Comey to dispose of how he saw fit.

Legal or not what Comey did was incredibly unethical. I know that won't matter to you but whatever.

 

[Uncensored2008]

All work related papers, memos, etc. are the property of the employer.

Only if they are subject to the FOIA (freedom of information act) and Comey's memos were NOT.

Wrongo. ALL work related documents belong to the employer. PERIOD.

The Freedom of Information Act requires that requests be made in writing. Comey LEAKED the information, there was no request, it was done surreptitiously.

 

[radical right]

I would assume the notes are automatically considered classified because they were between the potus & someone else. I also imagine someone has to review them to determine the correct status they require. He never gave the notes to his boss. He gave them to A FUCKING CIVILLIAN who then gave them to the media.

You mean like the private meeting between Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, which she then told to Linda Tripp, who released it to the press.

Wanna explain how Lewinsky and Tripp weren't jailed for doing that?

 

[Uncensored2008]

this includes Comey who swore his loyalty to Obama in his testimony.

Cite !

Oh, I should go fetch but you can make all the baseless allegations you like?

LOL, typical Nazi.

{"); background-position: 0px 86%; background-repeat: repeat-x; font-family: Montserrat, -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Comey didn't trust Trump from the very beginning. And while the FBI director "admired" Obama and for seemingly valid reasons, he wasn't ready to give his new boss the benefit of the doubt.}

Initial Comments on James Comey’s Written Testimony

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

I would assume the notes are automatically considered classified because they were between the potus & someone else. I also imagine someone has to review them to determine the correct status they require. He never gave the notes to his boss. He gave them to A FUCKING CIVILLIAN who then gave them to the media.

You mean like the private meeting between Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, which she then told to Linda Tripp, who released it to the press.

Wanna explain how Lewinsky and Tripp weren't jailed for doing that?

What kind of idiot equates a sexual encounter to political documents leaked to the press?

 

[radical right]

The Freedom of Information Act requires that requests be made in writing. Comey LEAKED the information, there was no request, it was done surreptitiously.

The FOIA helps define what items the government needs to retain, and those it doesn't. If they're subject to the FOIA, the government has to keep a copy. If they're not subject to FOIA, the government is free to do with them what they want. And Comey as agency head could determine what to do with those memos, which he did.