Former FBI Director James Comey chose ABC as the first media outlet to interview him since being fired by President Trump last year.
It may have been a good move for Comey, because if he had chosen The Wall Street Journal’s Kimberly Strassel instead of George Stephanopoulos, the lines of questioning would have been of an entirely different nature.
Strassel shared her own questions on Twitter Monday that ABC’s Stephanopoulos should have asked, but didn’t.
1)A few questions @Comey should have been asked–but wasn’t:
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
2)You repeatedly note the “source” of the dossier (Steele) was “credible.” Does the FBI routinely view as “credible” sources hired by political operatives? You say Steele had a “track record” but did fact he was now working for politicals–in an election year–not concern you?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
3)Did you know Mr. Steele had been hired by Fusion GPS? Did FBI do any due diligence on Fusion, and discover its long record of being hired to dirty the reputations of its clients’ political foes? If not, why not?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
4)You say you knew dossier was funded by a “Democrat-aligned” group but you never knew which one. Why on earth not? Did FBI truly not care where info came from? Who was paying for it? Doesn’t this go direct to source credibility?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
5) Did you ask Steele who had ultimately hired him? If he claimed to not know wouldn’t that be worrisome–that a “credible” source (and former spy!) was willing to work for/benefit an unknown client? If by contrast he refused to tell you, doesn’t that undercut credibility?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
6)You claim the “effort” was originally financed by a Republican source. You are aware, correct, that the actual dossier effort was only ever financed by the DNC and Clinton campaign?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
7)Steele (by his own admission) handed info to FBI and then briefed press–despite having been told not to Are these the actions of a “credible” source? Does it concern you that your “credible” source blew open to the public your investigation?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
8)The FBI must’ve known the fall news stories–particularly Yahoo News–came from Steele. Sourcing was obvious. Yet you told FISA court your “credible” source had not talked to media. Either u didn’t follow up on stories before going to court, or Steele lied to you. Which?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
9)You say nobody should ever lie to FBI. If Mr. Steele did lie, why has he not been prosecuted?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
10)You admit dossier still “unverified” at the time you were fired. Yet you used specific unverified claims in it (Page) as basis of FISA warrant four times. Explain.
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
11)You say what mattered was dossier’s central “premise”–that Russia attempted to interfere in election. Can you name a time in modern history where Russia wasn’t doing that? So why then give special credence to a politically motivated, salacious dossier?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
12) Again, given your strong feelings about lying: Why did the FBI never take any follow up action against Huma Abedin, whose statements to FBI are at odds with emails FBI possessed?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
13)Also on lying: FBI usually interviews witnesses up front, to see if they lie at start. Why did u not interview Clinton until after whole YEAR of work, and after you’d made judgement? U say impt FBI treats everyone same. Why all the special Hillary interview accomodations?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
14) Please discuss Andrew McCabe and that IG report that finds he lied repeatedly–both to you and about you. Do you still believe he “stood tall” as you Tweeted in Jan? Or is he one of the “small people” helping “tear down” an institution?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
15) You say you believe in “chain of command” and note how you followed AG Lynch’s instructions even on questionable issues (like that “matter”). How do you explain your contrasting dismissal of AG Sessions authority, and your decision to conceal vital information from him?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
16)You justify your numerous releases of FBI information on grounds that each met high bar of serving “public interest.” Yet you saw no “public interest” in confirming publicly what you’d told Trump privately–that he was not under investigation?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
17) It seems many of your decisions factored in politics. IE you note expecting Clinton to win, worry of “illegitimate” prez. Does this not run directly counter to DOJ policy, which specifically states: “politics must play no role in the decisions of federal investigators”?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 16, 2018
And she wasn’t finished. On Tuesday, Strassel blasted out a few more questions Comey should have been asked.
1)Yet a few more questions Comey should be asked:
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 17, 2018
2) You’ve surely now read the Strzok-Page texts. Is this appropriate FBI behavior? Is this common FBI behavior? Can or how should the American public have confidence in a bureau that employs senior players with that behave in such a way?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 17, 2018
3) What was the “insurance policy” to which Strzok and Page referred? Anonymous sources claim it meant simply the need to aggressively probe Russia, but it could also be read as a plan to harm Candidate Trump. Was it?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 17, 2018
4)Given the duo’s senior roles, and given clear text evidence that politics played a role in decisions (ie, how much manpower to use on Clinton investigation, given she might be “next president”) how do reassure public of the integrity of either the Clinton or Trump probes?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 17, 2018
5) The texts ridicule AG Lynch’s decision to step aside from Clinton probe, “since she knows no charges will be brought.” This was prior to FBI even interviewing Clinton. Please explain.
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 17, 2018
6) The texts suggest early coordination between FBI and political operatives in the Obama Administration. Who all knew about the dossier? Did you hear about it not just from Steele, but internally? Was the president informed of your ongoing work? What role did Brennan play?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 17, 2018
7)You have strong views on lying. The IG has now said McCabe lied, at least three times under oath. Should he be prosecuted? If not, how do you explain the double standard of FBI’s treatment of average citizens, and treatment of its own?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 17, 2018
8) You say you leaked your memos because it was material that needed to “be out in the public square.” Under that standard, any current or former government employee is allowed to leak any material that they judge important. Is that your view?
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 17, 2018
9) You claim Rosenstein memo was “pretext” to fire you. Yet you don’t address its specific claims. Please point to the policy that gives you authority to usurp DOJ leaders. Please provide examples of similar FBI press conferences. Please address criticisms of prior AGs/deputy AGs
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) April 17, 2018