Who Is James Comey?
James Comey was the 7th Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from September 2003 until May of 2017. But the reason why everyone is talking about Comey these days has little to do with his expertise in the field of National Security Law. Rather, it is his connection to the muddled “Russiagate” investigation. Russiagate represents the so-called scandal, that Russia interfered directly in the November 2016 American presidential election.
The idea is to delegitimize Trump’s victory, which Trump’s political adversaries would then use, presumably, to launch impeachment proceedings. This is how they want to get rid of Trump. Thus, it’s no surprise that Trump has described Russiagate as the “single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history.”
Advertisement
This is the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 18, 2017
James Comey, as Director of the FBI, launched the investigation. But Trump fired him in May 2017. Robert Mueller, Comey’s predecessor (and friend) was appointed as head of the Special Counsel investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. The current Director of the FBI is Christopher Wray. Wray has tried to assure the public that he has full confidence in Mueller, Comey, and the impartiality of the investigation. If you haven’t heard his name much, it’s because Comey and Mueller have stolen the show.
Comey was the first to lead the Russiagate investigation. It all started in June of 2016. Barack Obama was still president and “convention season” was about to get into full swing. Then, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) claimed that Russian hackers had targeted its servers.
The focus of the case involved Hillary Clinton, at first. The central figure of the hacking attack emerged in the form of “Guccifer 2.0.” The Russiagate investigation tried to establish a clear link between Guccifer 2.0 and WikiLeaks, which published the hacked information (Podesta emails). (Source: “More Russiagate: The New Yorker, Julian Assange and Guccifer 2.0,” The Duran, August 15, 2017.)
The first victim of Russiagate was Debbie Wasserman Schultz. WikiLeaks released some 20,000 emails, which suggested that the Democratic Party conspired against Hillary’s rivals and Bernie Sanders in particular. To protect candidate Clinton, DNC President Debbie Wasserman Schultz took the fall for the mess in order to leave—in form, if not substance—the former Secretary of State Clinton unscathed.
But the main target was Donald Trump. The suspicion and related investigation into the source for Guccifer 2.0 focused on the Kremlin, Putin, and Russia. The general assumption is that people close to Trump had secured Russian friendships, which then made it easier for Russian hackers to break into the DNC servers.
Why Was James Comey Fired?
Trump fired Comey in May of 2017 even though Comey had assured the president that he wasn’t under investigation for Russiagate. Comey learned of his firing, watching television while he was visiting the Los Angeles FBI office. Trump sent him a letter dated May 9, 2017, in which he explained that the Department of Justice recommended this action because they deemed Comey “not able to effectively lead the Bureau.” (Source: “Read: Trump’s bizarre letter telling FBI Director James Comey he’s fired,” Vox, May 9, 2017.)
James Comey’s testimony on June 8, 2017, was delivered before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Trump was “spared,” but Comey set out a clear path for special prosecutor Robert Mueller to follow. Whether it leads to major conviction remains unknown. For now, Trump adviser Paul Manafort has fallen into Robert Mueller’s net, but mostly over issues that long preceded the Trump presidential campaign. But, there’s a more personal side, which may explain Trump’s insistence that Comey confirm his loyalty to him.
Indeed, there’s something else that also explains James Comey’s firing. President Trump blamed, if not outright accused, former FBI director James Comey of acting on behalf of his presidential race rival Hillary Clinton and claimed that it was a “rigged system.”
Wow, looks like James Comey exonerated Hillary Clinton long before the investigation was over…and so much more. A rigged system!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2017
Trump suggested that a former police officer sent an e-mail dated July 5, 2016, which shows that Comey had announced that the FBI had stopped investigating Clinton, exonerating her from prosecution, before the investigation had completed. (Source: “Trump: Comey ‘exonerated’ Clinton before email probe was over,” MSN News, September 1, 2017.)
James Comey Wife
In the weeks after his firing, James Comey mentioned that he regretted having to break plans to have dinner with his wife, Patrice Failor, early on in Trump’s term. The reason, it turns out, was the now notorious dinner during which Trump demanded Comey’s loyalty. (Source: “5 Things to Know About James Comey’s Wife, Patrice Failor,” Popsugar, June 11, 2017.)
(L-R) U.S. President Barack Obama, FBI Director James Comey, his wife Patrice, Judge John Walker (Credits: Alex Wong/Staff/Getty Images)
James Comey Children and Family
Failor and Comey have been married for 30 years and they reportedly met in college. She has a Master’s degree in Counseling and has been very interested in the cause of neglected children. This is an interest she pursues personally. Comey and his wife, apart from having five children of their own, have also been foster parents. (Source: Ibid.)
James Comey Net Worth
As FBI director, James Comey’s salary would have been around $172,000 per year. That’s the amount he would have been entitled to receive as his role fell in a Level III position in the Executive Schedule. (Source: “6-figure salary, no severance: What an FBI director has to lose,” CNN, May 11, 2017.)
While certainly a comfortable salary, Comey has received far bigger annual paychecks before. He held executive functions for Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) and a hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, LP. Indeed, Comey had to present formal evidence of his net worth during the related Senate hearings in 2013. At the time, Comey’s net worth was over $11.0 million. He may also have received an additional $3.0 million from Bridgewater in payouts after becoming FBI director. (Source: Ibid.)
James Comey Political Career
President Obama appointed Comey to replace the outgoing Robert Mueller. Comey was also the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2002 to 2003. In 2003, he was the Deputy Attorney General for the United States until 2005. After stints as a corporate lawyer, at Lockheed Martin and Bridgewater Associates, and as an academic at Columbia Law School, Comey was appointed by President Obama to lead the FBI in September 2013, with bipartisan support. That’s the James Comey snapshot, or James Comey Wiki, if you will.
But James Comey is also known for his considerable height. How tall is James Comey? He is a most noticeable 6’8”. That’s pro-basketball player height. To suggest he has served “under” two presidents is only partially true. In any picture where Comey is standing next to President Obama (6’1”) or President Trump (6’2”), he towers above them. (Source: “One photo reveals the answer to everyone’s biggest question about James Comey,” Business Insider, June 8, 2017.)
What Is James Comey Doing Now?
James Comey, like others involved in the Russiagate case, is writing a book. James Comey’s book will reportedly be entitled A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership. It’s not out yet, but you can reserve a copy on Amazon. So, you don’t have to feel too sorry for Comey. Indeed, Howard University has hired him as the Gwendolyn S. and Colbert I. King Endowed Chair in Public Policy for the current academic year. He will deliver five lectures as part of his duties. (Source: “Howard University Hires Former FBI Director James Comey,” TIME, August 23, 2017.)
Frankly, I find that to be a step higher than FBI director. His new job gives him more time to think, more time to write, more pleasant people with whom to interact, and an overall more satisfying life than the one he would have led dealing with a boss like Trump.
Fusion GPS Trump Dossier Comey
People associated with the Trump campaign are the prime suspects in Russiagate. But, there’s another sordid affair involving the Hillary Clinton campaign and the so-called Fusion GPS Trump Dossier. (Source: “The Trump Dossier: What We Know and Who Paid for It,” October 25, 2017.)
The Hillary Clinton campaign team, as well as the Democratic Party, allegedly ordered and paid for an investigation, which produced the so-called Trump Russian file, more colorfully known as the “golden shower” dossier. Fusion GPS employed the services of Former British MI6 agent Christopher Steele to compile the dossier.
This was the document alleging that Trump paid for Russian prostitutes to urinate on a St. Petersburg Hotel bed where President Obama and his wife Michelle once stayed. If you search for “Fusion GPS Trump Dossier Comey,” you will find out that the former FBI director admitted under oath that former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper asked him to inform Trump about the contents of the dossier. (Source: “Here Are The 10 Most Important Reported Claims About The Steele Dossier On Russia,” The Federalist, October 25, 2017.)
