DOJ Releases Report Concluding James Comey Violated FBI Policy by Disclosing Sensitive Information | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's note: This informational nugget was sent to me by Ben Shapiro, who represents the Daily Wire, and since this is one of the most topical news events, it should be published on BCN.

The author of this post is Ashe Schow.

    Former FBI Director James Comey violated the Bureau's policies when he instructed his friend to provide copies of memos including sensitive information to a reporter, a report from the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has concluded.

    The report includes a laundry list of Comey's violations related to the investigation into whether President Donald Trump colluded with Russia to steal the presidency. Despite the many violations, the DOJ declined to prosecute Comey for his actions.

    "Comey's actions with respect to the Memos violated Department and FBI policies concerning the retention, handling, and dissemination of FBI records and information, and violated the requirements of Comey's FBI Employment Agreement," the report says.

    The "memos" mentioned by the report refer to five separate memos Comey wrote within the first three months of the Trump administration, one phone call he had with Trump shortly before he was inaugurated, and one phone call with Trump after he became president. Comey did not write memos following the two phone calls.

    Comey also "violated Department and FBI policies, and the terms of his FBI Employment Agreement, by retaining copies of Memos 2, 4, 6, and 7 after he was removed as Director, regardless of each Memo's classification level," the report continues. Comey was required to return all official FBI documents when he left office. Comey told the OIG that he considered the memos to be "personal records," but the OIG found no legal basis for him to consider them so.

    The OIG also faulted Comey for failing to "tell anyone from the FBI that he had retained copies of the Memos in his personal safe at home," even though his chief of staff, associate deputy director, and three other officials went to his home "to inventory and remove all FBI property."

    This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.