Former FBI general counsel James Baker said this week that he and other officials were “quite worried” that former FBI Director James Comey appeared to be blackmailing then President-elect Trump during a 2017 meeting regarding salacious allegations found in the Steele dossier.
On the latest episode of the Yahoo News podcast “Skullduggery” broadcast on Tuesday, Baker said he and others were so concerned about Comey briefing Trump on January 6, 2017 on Russia’s interference in the election as well as the controversial dossier that “analogies” were made to J. Edgar Hoover, the former FBI director who famously abused his power to blackmail individuals.
“We were quite worried about the Hoover analogies, and we were determined not to have such a disaster happen on our watch,” Baker said, hoping to convey to the incoming president that they did not want to continue the “legacy” of Hoover’s blackmailing.
Baker did not recall the moment he first heard about the Steele dossier but remembered the bureau taking it “seriously” and said that they were “obligated to deal with it” and determine whether or not anything about it was true, but insisted they didn’t accept it “as gospel.” He did, however, believe Trump had to be briefed on the dossier because it was “about to be disclosed to the press.”
GOP Senator Does Deep Dive on Trump Assassination Attempt and Remains Troubled by ‘Unresolved’ Questions
DHS unloads on anti-ICE Dems after man arrested with manifesto, ‘disturbing’ alleged plot to kill agents
Grand Jury Delivers Decision on Indictments for Democrats Known as the ‘Seditious Six’
Hispanic conservatives accuse House GOP hopeful of defrauding donors and activists
McConnell released from hospital after health scare, to work from home as key DHS vote looms
Democrats rip Bondi over handling of Epstein case in rowdy House hearing
Bondi has tense exchanges with lawmakers in first House hearing since confirmation
Exclusive: FBI captures longtime fugitive in Honduras in connection with 2000 killing of Philadelphia girl
Retail records could unmask potential subject in Nancy Guthrie case as experts reveal ‘clothing is evidence’
Trump Religious Liberty Commission boots member after contentious antisemitism hearing
Hardline conservatives double down to save the SAVE Act
Trump Keeps Winning: President Takes Victory Lap After Latest Job Numbers Shatter Expectations
Indicted Dem Rep. LaMonica McIver Suggests Acting ICE Director Is Doomed to Hell as Hearing Spirals Out of Control
ICE director refuses to resign under pressure from Eric Swalwell not to ‘side with killers’
Tillis rips ‘political lawfare’ and praises grand jury after Dems avoid charges in ‘illegal orders’ case
The former top FBI lawyer explained why he clashed with Comey over whether to tell Trump that he wasn’t the subject of the Russia investigation. According to Baker, he argued that the then President-elect’s activities “fell into the category” of being a subject and he didn’t think it was “accurate” to say otherwise. By contrast, Comey repeatedly told Trump that the president was not under investigation before his dismissal in May 2017.
Nonetheless, Baker said he supported any investigation that is looking into the origins of the Russia probe.
“I welcome scrutiny,” Baker said. “I plan to fully cooperate with the department to help them figure out what happened. Because I believe what happened was lawful, at least based on every piece of information that I have.”
Story cited here.
