Former FBI director James Comey is expected to dispute President Trump’s exposition of their conversation in his highly anticipated testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, according to sources close to Comey.
Trump has made a statement claiming that Comey told him several times that he was not being investigated.
Comey's account
According to a source privy to the conversation, Comey will narrate to senators that those were just a fraction of the conversation from which Trump claimed that he was not being investigated. Another source said that the President did not understand the actual meaning of the words of the former FBI boss, particularly pertaining to the ongoing intelligence investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Trump emphatically explained the Russia investigation in James Comey’s sack letter, asserting, “I really appreciate you for informing me, on three different occasions that I was not being investigated.” The White House is yet to give more details of when the alleged three conversations took place.
What the Senate findings would look like
However, a source familiar with the details of Comey’s proposed testimony before Congress says that the former FBI Director will not conclude whether President Trump hindered justice in respect to the investigation of Russia’s relationship. Comey intends to present himself as a witness of facts by plainly depicting the conversations with Trump on many occasions, which makes it difficult for him to memorialize their interactions, a source revealed to reporters.
Though Comey is desirous of recounting his own side of the conversation between him and the President, he may likely overlook questions about his feelings about Trump's statements; for example, whether he was under pressure to drop the investigation, or if he felt they amounted to obstructing him from carrying on with the probe.
Comey to narrate the key issues
Comey feels his own thoughts about President Trump’s comments are not important, and that his version of what transpired is the main issue. The important thing is by considering a likely obstruction of justice, Trump’s intention, and not how the former FBI boss felt about it.
The main issues Comey will discuss is clear, a source said.
He will speak on all the accusations of the President asking him to pledge his loyalty to him immediately after assuming office. And also Trump’s request to assuage the investigation into Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser in the FBI, for possible collusion with Russia.
