Former FBI Director James Comey defended the FBI’s use of confidential sources Wednesday following a series of tweets from President Trump about “spygate.” He also warned that attacks on and lies about the bureau and its work will cause “lasting damage” to the country.
[Also read: Trump cheers as Russia focus shifts to ‘major spy scandal’]
“Facts matter. The FBI’s use of Confidential Human Sources (the actual term) is tightly regulated and essential to protecting the country. Attacks on the FBI and lying about its work will do lasting damage to our country. How will Republicans explain this to their grandchildren?” Comey tweeted.
Facts matter. The FBI’s use of Confidential Human Sources (the actual term) is tightly regulated and essential to protecting the country. Attacks on the FBI and lying about its work will do lasting damage to our country. How will Republicans explain this to their grandchildren?
— James Comey (@Comey) May 23, 2018
The tweet from the former FBI director, who Trump fired in May 2017, comes after reports the FBI worked with a secret informant during its investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
The confidential source, identified as Stefan Halper, sought out and met with three Trump campaign aides: former aide Carter Page, former foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos, and former campaign co-chairman Sam Clovis.
In a subsequent tweet, Comey encouraged Americans to “seek truth” in what he described as a time of peril for the country.
“Dangerous time when our country is led by those who will lie about anything, backed by those who will believe anything, based on information from media sources that will say anything. Americans must break out of that bubble and seek truth,” the former FBI director said.
Dangerous time when our country is led by those who will lie about anything, backed by those who will believe anything, based on information from media sources that will say anything. Americans must break out of that bubble and seek truth.
— James Comey (@Comey) May 23, 2018
In a series of tweets Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, Trump accused the Obama administration of embedding a spy in his campaign for “political reasons” and to help Hillary Clinton win the presidency.
[Media insist: FBI’s source on Trump was an ‘informant,’ not a ‘spy’]
The president also said allegations the FBI had an informant working for it during the 2016 campaign, which he referred to as “spygate,” may be “one of the biggest political scandals in history” and said spying on a campaign would be both illegal and “a scandal to boot.”
Trump accused the “criminal deep state,” a reference to deeply entrenched members of the intelligence community and executive branch who are allegedly working to undermine the president and his agenda, of being behind allegations the Trump campaign colluded with Russia and said it’s now been caught in a “major spy scandal.”
