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.”
Pilot’s bravery on display in steering crippled plane clear of tragedy in dramatic water landing
Trump Admin Invokes FDR and Churchill in Declaring ‘Economic D-Day’
Arizona police shooting suspect arrested, another remains at large after killing 1, wounding fiancee
Incredible Footage: Police Roll Up on Blood-Streaked Man in Middle of Road, Learn His F/A-18 Just Cratered Into Mountainside, But He’s OK
Birth tourism scams draw sweeping crackdown as visa revocations climb
American Automaker Recalls Over 1 Million Cars for Possible Seat Belt Issue
US kills two ‘narco-terrorists’ in strike 2 months since last announced anti-‘narco-trafficking’ attack
Nigeria May Lose Major US Aid Package Over Christian Persecution
Thune-aligned groups unleash historic war chest to defend Senate majority: ‘Winning message’
AI’s massive appetite for power, water ignites fight in high-stakes Texas Senate race
Linda McMahon vows crackdown on teachers sexually harassing students: ‘Must end’
Enes Kanter Freedom ejected from WNBA game after courtside confrontation with WNBA player
Suspect in deaths of 5 found dead after cops uncover grim scene at rural property outside Portland
Lindsay Clancy’s three child victims forgotten amid crowds of support: mother of six
College grad reportedly dies in Six Flags roller coaster incident as family sues theme park
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.
