A friend of mine wrote me a reminder about a chapter in my book devoted to one of the nation’s most unhinged Hillary Haters (right behind Donald Trump): former New York Coty Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
As I have written before, the not-publicity-shy Giuliani, who touted himself all over the media immediately after the November election as the next U.S. Attorney General or Secretary of State, all of a sudden disappeared from all media.
All. Media.
Pffffft.
Gone.
Why?
Ya think because he and Mr. Trump knew that the former mayor couldn’t withstand questioning under oath in front of a Senate Committee about his bragging on October 25, 2016, three days before Comey’s October 28 letter, that “something is coming” “ha ha ha”?
And maybe Giuliani, the former tough guy prosecutor who loves well-publicized “perp walks,” didn’t want to be asked whether he might have committed a crime when he said before on live radio that “current” FBI agents had told him about their unhappiness with Comey’s recommendation not to prosecute Hillary Clinton for her email practices. Then he modified that statement a little later to “former” FBI agents leaked that information to him.
In either event it could be a felony to repeat information publicly involving a federal criminal investigation, whether received from current or former FBI agents. Conspiracy to commit a crime is also a crime.
So during his book tour, James Comey, who was first hired by then U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani in the late 1980s as a young federal prosecutor — and they have remained close friends ever since — Mr. Comey should also be asked the following 10 questions on this subject
1. How did Rudy Giuliani know beforehand about your reopening of your investigation?
2. What actions did you take internally within the FBI when Giuliani declared on Fox News that he claimed he knew you would reopen the investigation?
3. Was there any collusion between members of the Trump campaign and the FBI bureau in New York — referred to as “Trump-land” in the media?
4. Do you know who leaked that information to Giuliani —either former or current FBI agents, or both?
5. Did you ever question James Kallstrom, the former head of the New York City FBI office, who bragged about how close he was to Giuliani, what Kallstrom knew about the anti-Clinton “revolution” then going on in the FBI New York City office because of your July 5, 2016, recommendation not to prosecute Hillary Clinton over her emails practices? If not, why not?
6. In your last U.S. Senate testimony as FBI director, you told Senator Patrick Leahy that you were conducting a probe into the leaking of that information to your buddy Giuliani. What did you know to launch such a probe? Did you, in fact, keep your word to Senator Leahy and do so — since we know you feel an “obligation” to keep your promises to congress?!
To refresh your memory, here is your testimony before Senator Leahy:
LEAHY: Let me ask you this. During your investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails, a number of surrogates like Rudy Giuliani claimed to have a pipeline to the FBI. He boasted that, and I quote, numerous agents talk to him all the time. (Inaudible) regarding the investigation. He even said that he had — insinuated he had advanced warning about the emails described in your October letter. Former FBI agent Jim Kallstrom made similar claims.
Now, either they’re lying, or there’s a serious problem within the bureau. Anybody in the FBI during this 2016 campaign have contact with Rudy Giuliani about — about the Clinton investigation?
COMEY: I don’t know yet. But if I find out that people were leaking information about our investigations, whether it’s to reporters or to private parties, there will be severe consequences.
LEAHY: Did you know of anything from Jim Kallstrom?
COMEY: Same answer. I don’t know yet.
LEAHY: Do you know any about — from other former agents?
COMEY: I don’t know yet. But it’s a matter that I’m very, very interested in.
LEAHY: But you are looking into it?
COMEY: Correct.
7. What did you subsequently learn about what Giuliani was up to regarding Hillary Clinton and the closed emails investigation before you were fired? What have you learned since then?
8. Do you know whether the Inspector General of the Department of Justice in his investigation into the FBI conduct during the 2016 campaign and your conduct regarding the Clinton emails is investigating Giuliani’s role and whether the IG is investigating any Trump campaign-FBI collusion?
9. Do you know whether Giuliani been questioned by the Justice Department IG? Has former FBI agent James Kallstrom been questioned? Have you been questioned by the IG?
10. Do you know whether Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating this matter in any way? Have you been questioned by him about the FBI current or former leaks to Giuliani before October 28?
Would you encourage the special counsel to investigate this matter and question Giuliani and others? Would you turn over to Mr. Mueller all your emails and telephone records showing any communications between you and Giuliani from July 5 to October 28, the day you wrote the letter that handed Donald Trump the presidency?
For those who wonder why James Comey didn’t investigate his old friend Rudy Giuliani, check out this timeline and ask yourself whether it seems as if Comey and Giuliani were in touch, if not in synch, with each other, directly or indirectly:
Giuliani timeline:
October 25: On Fox & Friends, Giuliani announced there will be “surprises” regarding the FBI’s Clinton investigation and smiles when asked if it’s about the FBI.
October 26: On Fox News, Giuliani says of Trump: “He’s got a surprise or two that you’re going to hear about in the next few days. I’m talking about some pretty big surprises.”
October 28: On the Lars Larson radio talk show, he said he had received inside information from former FBI agents and “a few active agents, who obviously don’t want to identity themselves” about the Weiner/Clinton email investigation.
November 4: On Fox & Friends, Giuliani says, “Did I hear about it? You’re darn right I heard about it, and I can’t even repeat the language that I heard from the former FBI agents.”
Lanny J. Davis, a former special counsel to President Clinton is the author of “The Unmaking of the President 2016: How FBI Director James Comey Cost Hillary Clinton the Presidency” (Scribner, 2018).
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of The Daily Caller.
