Trump’s attacks on Justice Department 'deeply troubling': Comey

Former FBI Director James Comey says US President Donald Trump’s attacks on the Justice Department are “deeply troubling,” calling on all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, to stand up to the president’s insults.

According to Press TV, Comey told reporters following his seven-hour private testimony before the House Oversight Committee "The president's attacks on the Justice Department broadly and the FBI are something that, no matter what political party you're in, you should find deeply troubling and continue to speak out about it, not become numb to attacks on the rule of law."

Trump unexpectedly fired Comey in May 2017 after reportedly asking him to drop the FBI investigation into then-White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. The move led the Justice Department to appoint Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate the alleged Russian interference in the US election.

Trump has long criticized Mueller's investigation, labeling it a "witch hunt." He has also criticized, and finally fired, his Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, for recusing himself from the Russia probe.

Early on Friday morning, the president launched a new Twitter tirade against the Russia investigation and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. 

Without the phony Russia Witch Hunt, and with all that we have accomplished in the last almost two years (Tax & Regulation Cuts, Judge’s, Military, Vets, etc.) my approval rating would be at 75% rather than the 50% just reported by Rasmussen. It’s called Presidential Harassment!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 6, 2018

During his closed-door testimony to House Republicans on Friday, Comey steadfastly denied that the Russia probe was focused on a political campaign. He said the investigation had initially begun by examining four Americans.

Today wasn’t a search for truth, but a desperate attempt to find anything that can be used to attack the institutions of justice investigating this president. They came up empty today but will try again. In the long run, it'll make no difference because facts are stubborn things.

— James Comey (@Comey) December 8, 2018

“I was briefed sometime at the end of July that the FBI had opened counterintelligence investigations of four individuals to see if there was a connection between those -- any of those four and the Russian effort,” Comey said, according to a transcript of the interview released Saturday.

Comey did not identify those four individuals, but noted that President Trump was not among them.

The former FBI director vigorously defended the Mueller investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential election.

At his press conference later, Comey expressed exasperation that he had been dragged into a private setting on Capitol Hill to be grilled about Hillary Clinton’s email probe.

"After a full day of questioning, two things are clear to me: One, we could have done this in (an) open setting," Comey told reporters. "And two: When you read the transcript, you will see that we are talking again about Hillary Clinton's emails, for heaven's sakes."

"So I'm not sure we need to do this at all, but I'm trying to respect the institution and to answer questions in a respectful way," he added.

Trump hit back at Comey at Twitter, accusing him of dodging "the most important questions."

It is being reported that Leakin' James Comey was told by Department of Justice attorneys not to answer the most important questions. Total bias and corruption at the highest levels of previous Administration. Force him to answer the questions under oath!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018

Democrats want Comey to return to Congress next year to publicly answer questions regarding Trump’s possible obstruction of justice and impeachment.

Comey said Friday he would "abide" by a "responsible" request.

ME