House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., criticized White House press secretary Sarah Sanders on Thursday for alleging former FBI Director James Comey broke the law and said she should share any evidence he committed a crime with the Justice Department, not a “gaggle of reporters.”
“Alleging criminal violations is very serious, which is why I don’t do it. Press secretaries don’t get to make that call. Members of Congress don’t get to make that call. Reporters don’t get to make that call,” Gowdy told Fox News.
“That’s an executive branch function after an investigation, a charging decision is made by a career prosecutor. If you have evidence of a crime, instead of sharing it with a gaggle of reporters, share it with the people who can actually do something about. That would be my advice.”
During White House press briefings earlier this week, Sanders suggested Comey broke the law by sharing memos he drafted while serving as FBI director with the New York Times after he was terminated in May. She also indicated Comey gave false testimony to Congress while under oath.
On Tuesday, Sanders said the Justice Department should “certainly look at” prosecuting Comey, but said she is “not here to ever direct the DOJ in the actions they take.”
Gowdy said if there is clear evidence Comey broke the law, the issue should be referred to Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
“If it’s that clean and clear, I’m sure she has referred it to the Department of Justice,” he said of Sanders. “After all, President Trump handpicked Jeff Sessions to be his attorney general. So, if the evidence is as clear as the press secretary says it is, I’m sure that matter is in Session’s office.”
Comey is in the spotlight once again after the Senate Judiciary Committee revealed last month the former FBI director began drafting a statement exonerating Hillary Clinton before interviewing her and several other key witnesses.
Senators learned about the draft exoneration statement from transcripts of interviews two FBI officials who worked closely with Comey gave to the Office of Special Counsel.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Thursday Comey should return to Capitol Hill for additional testimony, and Gowdy said he, too, is interested in speaking with the former FBI director about “other decisions” he made while leading the bureau.
“If there is anything that’s axiomatic in investigations it’s that you don’t make up your mind until you interview the last witness. It is beyond dispute that he made up his mind not to charge Secretary Clinton before he interviewed her. There is no question about that,” Gowdy said.
“What my friends in the Senate have uncovered is he may well have made up his mind before he interviewed the last dozen witnesses. So, how in the world my fellow citizens can have confidence in an investigation where you reach the conclusion before you even gathered all the facts and all the evidence is stunning.”
