Comey Says He Will Testify on Condition Testimony Is Made Public
Former FBI Director James Comey announced on Twitter Sunday that he has agreed to testify in front House Republicans on Monday, on the condition that a transcript of the private deposition will be released within 24 hours and that Comey is free to speak publicly immediately afterwards.
“Hard to protect my rights without being in contempt, which I don’t believe in. So [I] will sit in the dark, but Republicans agree I’m free to talk when done and transcript released in 24 hours. This is the closest I can get to public testimony,” Comey tweeted.
Grateful for a fair hearing from judge. Hard to protect my rights without being in contempt, which I don’t believe in. So will sit in the dark, but Republicans agree I’m free to talk when done and transcript released in 24 hours. This is the closest I can get to public testimony.
— James Comey (@Comey) December 2, 2018
Comey originally tried to block a subpoena from the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees by filing a suit in federal court because he wanted to testify publicly. But Comey withdrew the lawsuit on Sunday after reaching an agreement with the GOP. Comey’s lawyer, told Reuters that Republicans agreed to “make any or all of that transcript public.”
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte on November 28 tweeted that Republicans were set to go ahead with what Comey has now agreed to.
“I have just offered to Director Comey that the Committees will publicly release the transcript of his testimony following the interview for our investigation. This ensures both transparency and access for the American people to all the facts,” Goodlatte tweeted. “Mr. Comey should agree to these terms and see that we have the same purpose, which is to find the truth and seek transparency. In order to do so, he must appear before the Committees and answer our questions.”
Mr. Comey should agree to these terms and see that we have the same purpose, which is to find the truth and seek transparency. In order to do so, he must appear before the Committees and answer our questions.
— Bob Goodlatte (@RepGoodlatte) November 28, 2018
With time running out on the Republicans’ hold on Congress, members want to move ahead quickly with their inquiry on how the FBI handled the investigations into Hillary Clinton’s email server and Russia’s interference of the 2016 election. The committees also want to hear from former Attorney General Loretta Lynch.