Silke Jasso
When 6’8″ James Comey walked into the Hart Senate Office Building on Thursday, he towered over the reporters, senators and aides in the wood-paneled room. It was the first time the former FBI Director had spoken publicly since he was abruptly fired by President Trump.
Videos by Rare
On Wednesday, Comey released his 7-page opening statement that cataloged five instances when he spoke one-on-one with President Trump. The document described Comey’s uneasiness during those conversations with the president and as he made his opening testimony Thursday, there was a tangible tension in the air.
RELATED: James Comey’s hearing starts off with a bang: “those were lies, plain and simple”
Comey says began keeping a written record after his meeting with Trump because “he might lie" about the meeting
https://t.co/VMhJLVuQE7— CNN (@CNN) June 8, 2017
In his opening testimony on Thursday morning, Comey stated that the manner in which Trump painted the FBI “were lies, plain in simple.” He then apologized to the American people that “you were told them” and to his former colleagues, “that you had to hear them.”
The so-called “Comey Memos” shook Washington D.C. when they were first reported by the New York Times. In a stunning moment of questioning between the former FBI director and vice chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), Comey stated that he began keeping written records of his conversations with President Trump, “because I was honestly concerned he might lie about the meeting.” Comey reportedly began transcribing his memos immediately following his meetings with Trump in order to ensure accuracy.
The Senators heading the committee, Richard Burr (R-NC) and Mark Warner (D-VA) both delivered opening remarks that framed the seriousness of the hearings. Burr noted that there is also a closed hearing and reminded the public that questions that might delve into confidential matters will be held until that session while Warner, in his opening statement, called Comey’s prepared remarks “very disturbing
