Jonathan Turley Profile picture
Sep 30, 2020 9 tweets 2 min read Read on X
James Comey seems to be offering the Senate today a series of shrugs over troubling evidence of false evidence and possible Russian disinformation in the Russian investigation. Despite his signing off on secret surveillance, Comey is dismissing questions ...
...on the basis that he never knew of any of the memos indicating that the information in the investigation was false or even Russian misinformation. He was under a duty to confirm such facts. As someone who has billed himself as a strong leader, he is now portraying himself...
...as a passive player in these decisions. However, while he would not answer questions on the new evidence of possible Russian misinformation used by the FBI, he had no problem discussing new evidence on Trump's debt that might suggest Russian control over him.
After saying that he could not comment on the new evidence on possible Russian misinformation used by the FBI, Comey just had no problem is saying that he has read material on the Flynn case and give his conclusions on their meaning.
Comey did say that, knowing what he knows today, that he would not have signed off on the Page surveillance. That makes it unanimous with Yates and Rosenstein. Nobody now supports the surveillance request but no one takes real responsibility.
Comey just said that he was wrong to previously call the abuse of the FISA process as "nonsense." He said that he should not have had confidence in the process. However, he had no problem dismissing these concerns repeatedly and publicly until confronted with the evidence.
...Comey bizarrely just said that he was not sure if it was relevant that he should have been told that the subsource used for the Steele material was a suspected Russian agent even when he was briefed on the Steele material. He just signed the application.
...Comey previously in his book on "ethical leadership" criticized Trump and said “a leader needs the truth, but an emperor does not consistently hear it from his underlings.” That apparently does not apply to being informed that secret surveillance ...
...targeting aides of the opposing presidential candidate might be Russian intelligence disinformation. Even when being briefed on the Steele information, Comey said that he was not sure that he had to be informed of that fact before signing off on the FISA application.

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More from @JonathanTurley

Mar 18
I am in Berlin to speak at the World Forum. I am currently listening to the opening session at a conference pointedly named recently as “A New World Order: European Values”…
Bill and Hillary Clinton were just celebrated as leadership “truly made America great again.” When it comes to free speech, the Clintons certainly represent “European Values” on free speech…
…After Elon Musk bought Twitter and dismantled most of the company’s censorship program, Hillary Clinton turned to Europe and called upon them to use their Digital Services Act to force censorship against Americans…
Read 12 tweets
Mar 18
Many are suggesting that the Biden pardons may now be challenged in light of the disclosures of Biden's use of an autopen.The chances of such challenges succeeding are vanishingly low. Presidents are allowed to use the autopen and courts will not presume a dead-hand conspiracy...
...Many of these were high-profile pardons, including for his own son, that Biden acknowledged publicly. There is also a problem with standing unless the issue comes up in a government effort to indict a recipient. That does not mean that the disclosures are not deeply troubling.
...The account of Speaker Johnson on how Biden seemed unaware of signing a major piece of legislation does suggest the use of a dead-hand power by staffers. In the end, this is the most difficult type of allegation to pursue since the key parties will be unified in claiming full knowledge and approval by the president...
Read 4 tweets
Mar 13
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer declared that Mahmoud Khalil should be released "if the administration cannot prove he has violated any criminal law." He is mistaken on the standard...facebook.com/senschumer/pos…
...We still do not know what the evidence against Khalil will show on any nexus to Hamas or the Columbia occupation. However, 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(4)(C) does not require a criminal act. The standard only requires the Sec. Rubio find "reasonable ground to believe" that he could present a "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States is deportable"...
...That is a generous standard that invites a heavy degree of deference from the courts. If Khalil helped organize the occupation that led to property damage, it is conduct that could satisfy the standard. Once again, there are clearly weighty free speech issues in such cases...
Read 4 tweets
Mar 9
Rep. Ro Khanna (D., Cal.) gave Shannon Bream one of the most convoluted and conflicted explanations for voting against the Green censure because "he did not engage in violence . . . and I ultimately a supporter of free speech. . . and he had a free speech right."...
...Is that now the standard? You can disrupt joint sessions so long as you do not physically assault the president or others. That would be a crime that is already covered by the criminal code. Censure is about ethical conduct...
...The suggestion that Green had a protected "right of free speech" is ridiculous. Just as the deplatforming speakers in higher education is not protected, it is certainly not a right on the house floor. Green has an unfettered right outside of session...jonathanturley.org/2025/03/07/we-…
Read 7 tweets
Mar 6
Green was censured, but only 9 Democrats joined in the motion. The Democrats then refused to clear the well and disrupted Speaker Johnson's efforts to complete the censure process. The sound you heard was the Democratic party hitting rock bottom in this disgraceful display...
Faced with the first member to be expelled during a joint session address, the Democrats followed a censure over his disruption by disrupting the business of the House. Johnson showed admirable restraint and put the house into recess...
...With this vote and the subsequent protest in the well, the party has cut itself adrift from any principle of decorum or civility. It turns out that only 8 Democrats voted for the motion. Two voted present. Green said he would do it again and the rest of the party supported him
Read 4 tweets
Feb 25
The 1st Circuit just held that parents have no right to know about their 11-year-old changing gender in school. This "unwritten policy" was viewed as overriding parental rights. The decision is defended as a reflection of our "pluralistic society"...ca1.uscourts.gov/sites/ca1/file…
...The court wrote: "our pluralistic society assigns those curricular and administrative decisions to the expertise of school officials, charged with the responsibility of educating children." There is no more cherished right that citizens possess than raising their children...
...Indeed, the right to raise one's children according to your own faith and values is the touchstone of freedom. Conversely, the subordination of such rights is the harbinger of state tyranny...
Read 4 tweets

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