Yes, Comey Exonerated Trump

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(This article first appeared on PennLIVE.com)

Former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony last week before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is a total vindication of President Donald Trump.

James Comey has lost what had remained of his already shattered credibility.

During his March testimony before the House Intelligence Committee Comey repeatedly failed to say whether Trump was under investigation.

However, during his June Senate testimony, Comey conducted an about face and finally admitted Trump is not.

This stunning development reveals Comey’s earlier justification for not answering that simple question – because it was an "open investigation" and "classified" – was fake. The investigation is still "open" and the information pertaining to whether

Trump is or is not a target must not be "classified" because Comey just disclosed he is not.

Further, Comey admitted to the Senate Intelligence Committee he told Trump on three previous occasions that he was not under investigation. Comey admitted it was his idea to assure Trump as far back as Jan. 6 that he was not under investigation.

How could Comey disclose this fact to the President considering he told the House Committee in March he couldn’t answer their same question because it was an "open investigation" and "classified?"

The truth is Comey was free all along to disclose this fact. He just chose not to for several months – all the while the media spun the fake story that Trump is under an FBI investigation.

Comey’s long refusal to state this simple but vital fact reveals Comey’s contempt not just for the President but for the American people.

Trump reportedly asked Comey to "lift the cloud" on his Administration and disclose to the American people what he had disclosed to Trump – that their President is not the subject of the investigation.

The American people have a right to know whether their President is under investigation for anything let alone for conspiring with the Russian government to hijack a US Presidential election.

Yet Comey thought it fine to let the President twist in the wind while Comey’s silence fanned the flames.

Comey’s claim the President instructed him to drop the investigation of Trump’s former advisor, Mike Flynn, also went up in smoke.

Comey testified about a private meeting in which the President allegedly said Flynn did nothing wrong with regard to his telephone call with the Russian Ambassador.

According to Comey the President further stated, "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go."

Comey testified that when the President said "hope" he read that as an order. Any reasonable person would conclude that "hope" is not an order. Comey admitted he is aware of no obstruction of justice case brought against someone who "hoped."

More important than the paranoid thoughts circling the mind of James Comey are the facts: Comey testified the President never brought up the issue of Flynn again.

Comey even testified that closing the investigation of Flynn would not impede the overall Russian investigation.

Comey admitted that neither Trump nor any member of the Administration asked him to stop the Russia investigation.

Comey presented no evidence that Trump or any member of his Administration obstructed or attempted to obstruct justice.

Comey testified that Trump encouraged him to investigate whether any of his "satellite" associates did anything wrong.

Trump even asked Comey to investigate the fake Russian dossier further; and Comey declined.

And Trump agreed to the appointment of a Special Counsel to continue with the investigation. Though reports now indicate Trump could be considering his dismissal.

We now know James Comey is not only a leaker, but a serial leaker.

In a stunning development Comey admitted he leaked part of a memo he had written detailing official conversations he had with Trump.

Comey leaked this information to "prompt the appointment of a Special Counsel."

Yet Comey testified in March that "leaks of classified information are serious, serious federal crimes." Even if he drafted the memo without classified information that does not mean it should be leaked.

Comey’s claim he leaked the official FBI memo as a private citizen and not as the FBI Director is ludicrous. Comey set a terrible example to the thousands of FBI employees that it’s ok to leak internal, official FBI information.

Robert Mueller is now Special Counsel and the investigation continues.

But, whither James Comey and all his self-created drama?

Comey has reportedly said to new FBI recruits, "You do not make much money working for the FBI. You will not get famous working for the FBI. But you will be rich beyond belief if you look at it from (the public service) vantage point."

More fake news from Mr. Comey.

The official news publication of the DC Swamp, The Hill, has reported publishing agents have been authorized to offer James Comey at least $10 million for a book deal and there’s talk of a blockbuster movie that would enrich Comey even more.

Hollywood is already in talks with actors fitting the "tall, good-looking and a Jimmy Stewart-John Wayne-hero type."