# Comey Memo: Trump Told Him - Shut Down Flynn Probe **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 16, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792 "2017-05-16T21:40:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/341 "2017-06-08T13:01:28Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Russian vodka, right? Vodka and orange would make most sense. Maybe it’s time to rename this drink from a “Screwdriver” to an “Agent Orange”. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/342 "2017-06-08T13:05:30Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, if Comey publicly declared that Trump was not personally under investigation, then if new evidence incriminated Trump as the investigation proceeded, Comey would have been obliged to correct the record and publicly announce that fact, too. Which is exactly why the FBI doesn’t provide a public play-by-play on the progress of investigations, and why that’s a totally bogus reason for why he was fired. Comey was fired because he wasn’t willing to engage in obstruction of justice on Trump’s behalf. Yep. And (not that Trump is smart enough to realize this), just because Comey says “Trump is not under investigation today” that doesn’t mean he won’t come under investigation tomorrow. The investigation, especially then, was just getting under way. Trump not being under investigation isn’t particularly meaningful. There is reason these guys shouldn’t, and usually don’t, comment on an ongoing investigation. It’s _ **ONGOING!!!** _ ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/343 "2017-06-08T13:06:03Z")
Comey mentions that he had 9 one on ones with Trump (itself odd, as he only had two with Obama in 8 years). But, he only recounts, I think, 4 of them. What happened during the other 5? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/344 "2017-06-08T13:08:46Z")
Pedantic: Comey didn’t serve under Obama for eight years. I believe it was only three. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/345 "2017-06-08T13:13:44Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Pedantic: Comey didn’t serve under Obama for eight years. I believe it was only three. Apologies. Regardless, the frequency was notably unusual, and I’m still wondering what the other meetings were about considering his detailed notes on the meetings that he did delineate. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/346 "2017-06-08T13:53:52Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Apologies. Regardless, the frequency was notably unusual, and I’m still wondering what the other meetings were about considering his detailed notes on the meetings that he did delineate. Those other 4 meetings were part of Comey’s investigation of Trump. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/347 "2017-06-08T14:08:56Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > No, Trump wanted a public statement that he was not under investigation. Which was the truth. Comey was not prepared to do so. So he got fired. > > What a disappointment for all of you this Comey thing is turning out to be 🙂 It’s really quite sad the way you are clinging to that inconsequential little nugget and ignoring absolutely all the real damning stuff. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/348 "2017-06-08T14:14:58Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Why do I get the feeling that this morning’s testimony will be anti-climactic or a let-down? Because we already know almost everything he is going to say. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/349 "2017-06-08T14:25:31Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > That’s your big hook you’ve been hanging your hopes on? Pathetic. I’m posting this again because you seem to have missed it the first three times I posted it: > [@](#): > > We need to look at a few things in Comey’s prepared statement that are worrysome. Taken in totality, they really do lead to a single conclusion: That Trump was pressuring Comey to drop the investigation into his buddy Flynn: > > January 27 Dinner > > 1. “The President began by asking me whether I wanted to stay on as FBI Director, which I found strange because he had already told me twice in earlier conversations that he hoped I would stay, and I had assured him that I intended to. He said that lots of people wanted my job …” > > 2. “A few moments later, the President said, “I need loyalty, I expect loyalty.” I didn’t move, speak, or change my facial expression in any way during the awkward silence that followed. We simply looked at each other in silence. The conversation then moved on, but he returned to the subject near the end of our dinner.” > > 3. (In a subsequent Feb 14 meeting) "The President then returned to the topic of Mike Flynn, saying, “He is a good guy and has been through a lot.” He repeated that Flynn hadn’t done anything wrong on his calls with the Russians, but had misled the Vice President. He then said, “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.” > > These three comments by Trump establish that he was pressuring Comey to drop the investigation into Flynn. This was a violation of the law, in my opinion. And also in the opinion of law-talking people in decent positions. So I don’t think I’m completely off base here. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/350 "2017-06-08T14:26:29Z")
Holy crap – Comey is being way, way more straight forward and non-political/non-lawyerly than I figured. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/351 "2017-06-08T14:38:32Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Holy crap – Comey is being way, way more straight forward and non-political/non-lawyerly than I figured. He really, really, really hates Trump. I was surprised to hear him say, without equivocation, that Trump lied. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/352 "2017-06-08T14:43:04Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Why do I get the feeling that this morning’s testimony will be anti-climactic or a let-down? There is nothing that Comey can say that won’t be interpreted in polar opposite ways by each side. The two realities that the country is living in cannot converge at this point. I saw some guy on Fox News the other night make a point that America elected Trump because he didn’t know how Washington works so Trump doesn’t know any better than to do stupid things which makes everything ok! I’m seriously losing hope that there is anything that will stop Trump. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/353 "2017-06-08T14:43:09Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > He really, really, really hates Trump. I was surprised to hear him say, without equivocation, that Trump lied. Yep, and I think he said something like “he defamed himself and he defamed me” and maybe the FBI too – don’t recall the exact phrasing. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/354 "2017-06-08T14:53:16Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Yep, and I think he said something like “he defamed himself and he defamed me” and maybe the FBI too – don’t recall the exact phrasing. Yep. And his point was (and this is one of the worst things about Trump’s presidency) that Trump is literally causing people who are trying to protect the country to feel shitty about themselves and their jobs. As a good manager, he knows just how damaging than can be. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/355 "2017-06-08T15:00:00Z")
Is there a live stream of this somewhere I’m missing? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/356 "2017-06-08T15:00:17Z")
Comey’s being awfully self-deprecating too (he said he was “slightly cowardly” by saying “I’ll see what I can do” when Trump asked him to help “lift the cloud” of the Russia investigation). ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/357 "2017-06-08T15:01:17Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > Is there a live stream of this somewhere I’m missing? This is where I’m watching: [http://talkingpointsmemo.com/tag/comeywire](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/tag/comeywire) ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/358 "2017-06-08T15:02:06Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > Is there a live stream of this somewhere I’m missing? CNN ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/359 "2017-06-08T15:02:42Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > This is where I’m watching: > > [Tag: comeywire - TPM – Talking Points Memo](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/tag/comeywire) I meant here! I like SDMB commentary. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/360 "2017-06-08T15:08:25Z")
Has Trump ever been known as subtle or obtuse in his entire life? Trying to imply “I hope” was code for an order is hilarious. Trump is the loudest mouth in the room. He doesn’t tiptoe around anything. Comey was an Obama appointee. Naturally Trump wanted to confirm his loyalty. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792.md?page=19)