Former FBI Director James Comey's memoir, "A Higher Loyaltym" comes out next Tuesday. (Photo: Brookings Institution/Flickr/cc)
As Ex-FBI Director Speaks Out, Trump Erupts: 'My Great Honor to Fire James Comey!'
The former FBI Director compares president to a mob boss and describes him as "untethered to truth"
As details on James Comey's memoir surfaced overnight, President Donald Trump attacked Comey via his Twitter account on Friday morning--calling him a "slimeball" and declaring it was "his great honor" to fire the former FBI director.
Comey's book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership" will be released next Tuesday, 11 months after Trump fired him while he was overseeing the FBI's investigation into alleged Russian meddling with the 2016 election, including any possible collusion on the part of the Trump campaign.
In excerpts released Thursday, Comey describes the president as "untethered to truth" and a leader who dominates his advisers in the style of a mafia boss, pulling "all those present into a silent circle of assent," and compares the Trump presidency to a "forest fire."
Comey, in an interview to ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, also spoke publicly for the first time about the book and detailed some of his experiences with the president:
He also recounts the infamous interaction he had with Trump soon after the president was sworn in, in which Trump allegedly demanded Comey's "loyalty" as his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was being investigated for his ties to Russia.
"To my mind, the demand was like Sammy the Bull's Cosa Nostra induction ceremony--with Trump in the role of the family boss, asking me if I have what it takes to be a 'made man,'" Comey writes, referring to the Gambino crime family.
Comey's refusal to characterize his role as FBI Director as one which demanded his loyalty to the president, caused tension with Trump, culminating in Comey's dismissal in May 2017. His termination led to Special Counsel Robert Mueller taking over the probe as well as examining whether the president had possibly obstructed justice by trying to thwart the investigation, including an examination of Comey's firing.
Trump's tweets came as reports surfaced about his possible plan to pardon I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney. Libby was convicted of lying under oath in 2007 regarding the leaking of the identity of Valerie Plame, a CIA operative whose husband, an ambassador, accused President George W. Bush of lying to the public about his reasons for invading Iraq.
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As details on James Comey's memoir surfaced overnight, President Donald Trump attacked Comey via his Twitter account on Friday morning--calling him a "slimeball" and declaring it was "his great honor" to fire the former FBI director.
Comey's book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership" will be released next Tuesday, 11 months after Trump fired him while he was overseeing the FBI's investigation into alleged Russian meddling with the 2016 election, including any possible collusion on the part of the Trump campaign.
In excerpts released Thursday, Comey describes the president as "untethered to truth" and a leader who dominates his advisers in the style of a mafia boss, pulling "all those present into a silent circle of assent," and compares the Trump presidency to a "forest fire."
Comey, in an interview to ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, also spoke publicly for the first time about the book and detailed some of his experiences with the president:
He also recounts the infamous interaction he had with Trump soon after the president was sworn in, in which Trump allegedly demanded Comey's "loyalty" as his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was being investigated for his ties to Russia.
"To my mind, the demand was like Sammy the Bull's Cosa Nostra induction ceremony--with Trump in the role of the family boss, asking me if I have what it takes to be a 'made man,'" Comey writes, referring to the Gambino crime family.
Comey's refusal to characterize his role as FBI Director as one which demanded his loyalty to the president, caused tension with Trump, culminating in Comey's dismissal in May 2017. His termination led to Special Counsel Robert Mueller taking over the probe as well as examining whether the president had possibly obstructed justice by trying to thwart the investigation, including an examination of Comey's firing.
Trump's tweets came as reports surfaced about his possible plan to pardon I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney. Libby was convicted of lying under oath in 2007 regarding the leaking of the identity of Valerie Plame, a CIA operative whose husband, an ambassador, accused President George W. Bush of lying to the public about his reasons for invading Iraq.
As details on James Comey's memoir surfaced overnight, President Donald Trump attacked Comey via his Twitter account on Friday morning--calling him a "slimeball" and declaring it was "his great honor" to fire the former FBI director.
Comey's book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership" will be released next Tuesday, 11 months after Trump fired him while he was overseeing the FBI's investigation into alleged Russian meddling with the 2016 election, including any possible collusion on the part of the Trump campaign.
In excerpts released Thursday, Comey describes the president as "untethered to truth" and a leader who dominates his advisers in the style of a mafia boss, pulling "all those present into a silent circle of assent," and compares the Trump presidency to a "forest fire."
Comey, in an interview to ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, also spoke publicly for the first time about the book and detailed some of his experiences with the president:
He also recounts the infamous interaction he had with Trump soon after the president was sworn in, in which Trump allegedly demanded Comey's "loyalty" as his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was being investigated for his ties to Russia.
"To my mind, the demand was like Sammy the Bull's Cosa Nostra induction ceremony--with Trump in the role of the family boss, asking me if I have what it takes to be a 'made man,'" Comey writes, referring to the Gambino crime family.
Comey's refusal to characterize his role as FBI Director as one which demanded his loyalty to the president, caused tension with Trump, culminating in Comey's dismissal in May 2017. His termination led to Special Counsel Robert Mueller taking over the probe as well as examining whether the president had possibly obstructed justice by trying to thwart the investigation, including an examination of Comey's firing.
Trump's tweets came as reports surfaced about his possible plan to pardon I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney. Libby was convicted of lying under oath in 2007 regarding the leaking of the identity of Valerie Plame, a CIA operative whose husband, an ambassador, accused President George W. Bush of lying to the public about his reasons for invading Iraq.