We do not know yet when or even whether we will see the notes from James Comey that, according to New York Times reporting, document a very scary effort by the president to get the FBI to stop pursuing Michael Flynn and start pursuing media enemies and “leakers.” But every day that passes since the firing of Comey amid much official and unofficial abuse of the former director suggests he is not going away, and may become as big a nemesis to Donald Trump as he was to Hillary Clinton.
For a moment it looked like Comey might just go away, particularly late last week when he declined an invitation to testify at a closed session of the Senate Intelligence Committee, at present the only game in town when it comes to the investigation of the Russia-Trump collusion possibility. But then it became clear he was willing to testify in a public session, and according to committee vice-chairman Mark Warner, he will soon get that opportunity. And the Times report, raising all sorts of possibilities that the president is at minimum trying to control an independent law-enforcement agency and at maximum obstructing justice, will give Comey and the senators a lot to discuss.
And so: The man who professes to be “mildly nauseous” about the realization he may have played a significant role in the election that elevated Donald Trump to the presidency could now play a significant role in making Trump’s presidency a legal and political quagmire that falls short of the triumphant reelection the mogul craves — or sees him impeached.
Among the many lessons the Comey saga may teach is that nobody —nobody — trifles with the Bureau.
J. Edgar Hoover would be proud.
