[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 8860]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TESTIMONY OF JAMES COMEY

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, this morning the Intelligence Committee 
is hearing testimony from former FBI Director James Comey. I hope and 
expect him to be as forthright and straightforward as he can. The 
Senate and, by extension, the American people deserve to know the truth 
about Mr. Comey's interactions with the President.
  Based on the opening statement Mr. Comey submitted to the committee, 
we know that he will confirm much of what we have already learned about 
the events of the past few months through the press. That is important 
in and of itself. Until now, we have read these reports with a healthy 
dose of skepticism, waiting for Mr. Comey to confirm or to refute their 
veracity. It appears the bulk of what we learned from the reports about 
Mr. Comey's memos is true.
  The President asked Mr. Comey to pledge ``loyalty'' to the President 
and asked him if he could ``let go'' of an investigation into one of 
the President's close associates, former National Security Advisor 
General Flynn. That conversation took place in a meeting during which 
the President raised the prospect of Mr. Comey not continuing in the 
job.
  The Senate appreciates this testimony. I am sure members of the 
Intelligence Committee will seek answers to many of the remaining and 
new questions the testimony raises.
  There are so many questions that Mr. Comey's testimony leaves hanging 
out there. Every single lead should be pursued. Let's not lose sight of 
the very heart of this matter: a foreign adversary interfering with our 
democracy. There is an open counterintelligence investigation into 
whether members of the Trump campaign worked with that foreign 
adversary to help that campaign win the White House. This issue gets to 
the very foundation of our democracy: free and fair elections and the 
rule of law.
  There is no process more sacred in democracy than the people 
exercising their voice at the ballot box. There is no principle more 
enshrined in our legal system than the principle that no one--no one--
is above the law. Members of both parties should deeply care about 
getting the truth, whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I hope that 
spirit will direct Senators in their questioning today.

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