James Comey served as deputy attorney general under Republican president George W Bush before he was appointed director of the FBI by Democratic president Barack Obama in 2013. Comey faced controversy over his handling of the probe into Hillary Clinton’s emails during the 2016 presidential race, and in May 2017 he was fired by Donald Trump. Trump later suggested the termination was related to Comey’s investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the election.
In September last year, Comey was charged with making false statements and obstruction. The case was dismissed. Last month, he was indicted again over a photo he posted on Instagram in which seashells were arranged to read: “86 47″. Since ” to 86″ can be slang for removing someone and “47” can be seen to refer to Trump – the 47th President – it was alleged this was a veiled assassination threat. Comey has denied this, saying the prosecution is politically motivated.
After Donald Trump fired me as FBI director in 2017, I wanted to write about my career in an effort to say something useful – first about leadership, and then about the way in which the US Department of Justice should act.
In 2018’s A Higher Loyalty, I explained that Trump was a deeply unethical leader who demanded my personal loyalty as FBI director, something I couldn’t give and still remain true to the rule of law. It was also something I tried to explain to him at our White House dinner for two, the one that likely sealed my fate.
