James Comey on DOJ Criminal Probe: ‘I’m Not Worried About a Single Thing’

Appearing at Politicon 2019 on Saturday, fired FBI Director James Comey said he isn’t concerned whatsoever about the Department of Justice’s criminal investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe.

A partial transcript is as follows: 

NICOLE WALLACE: I think it’s important to remind people that when you went into brief an incoming president of this country [Trump], he asked you not one question about a Russia attack, an attack by an American adversary, on America’s democracy, which should have been his now foremost concern and he wanted you to reassure him that he wasn’t under investigation. Has either of the dynamics changed or do either of those orientations of Donald Trump suggest any of the investigations into him were misguided?

JAMES COMEY: I’ve seen no indication that he’s been able to let go of this notion that he sees the intelligence community’s findings as some sort of attack on his legitimacy as president. And because he sees it that way, he must attack it and all of those behind it.

WALLACE: Are you surprised that he’s now gotten an ally in the effort to attack the origins of the investigation? [Attorney general] William Barr seems very comfortable meddling in an investigation being run from the U.S. Attorney from Connecticut?

COMEY: I can’t tell what’s going on with the attorney general and that investigation. I was deeply concerned with some things he said early on about using the word “spying” and saying “their things just don’t make sense.” At the time I said, “that’s not how the pros operate.” If there’s a reason to investigate something, you shut up and try to gather the facts and then share them. I still feel that way. I don’t know what they’re looking at. I’m not really in a position to say you shouldn’t investigate. Okay, if you’re going to investigate, investigate. John Durhan is someone who has a strong reputation, someone for years I thought was an excellent prosecutor. I can’t tell what’s going on with the attorney general.

I would hope that Mr. Durham would do everything possible to protect his reputation from being damaged by those in leadership and the most important way he can do that is, is give us transparency. I am not worried about a single thing in connection with any of the matters under investigation. Gather the facts, write a report, and share it with the American people. Please do that, because all the stuff in the media with attorney general same stuff doesn’t just jive, it is an attack on the integrity of the institution, which he is supposed to be leading. The way to protect that is show the folks the facts. Lay it out. Don’t drip it out, don’t leak it out, give it out. I’m confident that when the American people see the picture of why we did what we did, their confidence in the institution will be maintained, restored, and protected.