The Department of Justice[1] has ordered former FBI[2] director James B. Comey[3] to preserve any government records in his possession, a watchdog group says.
The order covers such documents as memos he wrote for the record on his private meetings with President Trump[4] and possibly with former President Barack Obama[5].
The Justice Department[6] disclosed the Comey written notification last week to Judicial Watch, just as the conservative group was seeking a judge’s order to ensure all of the ex-director’s government documents were preserved and not destroyed.
Mr. Comey[7] wrote memos on his laptop and also used a personal Gmail account for FBI[8] business — a practice that the inspector general said violated Justice Department[9] guidelines.
Judicial Watch is suing the Justice Department[10] in U.S. District Court under the Freedom of Information Act. Teamed with the Daily Caller News Foundation, the two want Mr. Comey[11]’s memos on his meetings with Mr. Obama[12], Mr. Trump[13] and congressional leaders.
“It is incredible that it took Judicial Watch’s prodding of the FBI[14] for it to ask Mr. Comey[15] to return federal records — over a year after he was fired,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Mr. Comey[16] continues to be protected by the FBI[17] and DOJ[18]. It is outrageous that the agencies oppose a simple preservation order to make sure no Comey[19] records are lost or destroyed.”
Mr. Fitton told The Washington Times that Justice notified him on July 26 of an FBI[20] letter sent to Mr. Comey[21], but wouldn’t provide a copy.
Mr. Trump[22] fired Mr. Comey[23] in May 2017, resting his argument on how the FBI[24] director unilaterally decided the Hillary Clinton email investigation in July 2016 without input from Justice lawyers, including the attorney general.
After the firing, Mr. Comey[25] used a lawyer friend to leaked to The New York Times contemporaneous memos on his meetings with Mr. Trump[26]. He recalls Mr. Trump[27] urging him to end the investigation into former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who ultimately pleaded guilty to lying to FBI[28] agents....
Mr. Trump[29] denies Mr. Comey[30]’s account.Justice Department[31] Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz, in his June report on the FBI[32]’s Clinton probe, accused Mr. Comey[33] of insubordination.He also criticized Mr. Comey[34] for conducting FBI[35] business on his personal unsecured Gmail account.Mr. Comey[36] said in his IG interview that