ICYMI: Senator Collins Discusses Former Director Comey’s Testimony on Fox’s “America’s Newsroom”
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Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, appeared on Fox’s “America’s Newsroom” with host Bill Hemmer to discuss former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony at yesterday’s Intelligence Committee hearing.
A transcript of the interview follows:
“America’s Newsroom”
June 9, 2017
HEMMER: Susan Collins, now, out of Maine, was on that committee. She is with me now from Capitol Hill. Senator, good morning to you, and thank you for your time.
COLLINS: Good morning
HEMMER: You were the one who asked the question about the memos. Did you expect that answer?
COLLINS: I must admit that I was stunned by Mr. Comey's answer. The reason I asked the question is there had been press stories about the memos, and I was wondering how those memos got to the press. I had assumed that it might have been a high-ranking FBI official, but I never guessed that it was Mr. Comey himself who had leaked the memo.
HEMMER: What do you think now, Senator?
COLLINS: I’m surprised. Obviously it had the result that Mr. Comey wanted, which is it prompted the appointment of a special counsel. But I believe that he could have handled it in a different way. He could have given the memos to the Senate Intelligence Committee, he could have come before us or the Judiciary Committee and disclosed their existence and turned them over. But he chose instead a surprising route for someone who, understandably, has railed against others who have disclosed government documents.
HEMMER: Given that reaction that you are offering now, how does that change the story, Senator?
COLLINS: Well, it's another part of the story. Let me make clear that I think Mr. Comey is an honorable individual with integrity, but he has made some real mistakes in judgment and this would qualify as one of them in my book.
HEMMER: If the memos are out there, why did you not see them before this hearing? Would you not be able to frame a better question if you were able to see it for yourself?
COLLINS: Absolutely. And we on the Intelligence Committee have requested the memos. We had done so before Mr. Comey came to voluntarily testify before us, and I believe we have the right to see those memos. Certainly --
HEMMER: If that request came before yesterday, did he in fact refuse that request, Senator?
COLLINS: The FBI was consulting with the special counsel on access to those memos. So we were waiting to hear back on those negotiations.
HEMMER: Is it not government property if he is serving as acting director of the FBI at the time? That should be part of the record, I would assume. Am I right or wrong?
COLLINS: I believe you're absolutely right. This isn’t as if Mr. Comey was writing in his private journal at home at night. He produced the memos on FBI computers, in an FBI car, he started writing one. And they are FBI documents and thus government work product. They are not his private papers.
HEMMER: There are many in Washington, D.C., including some on our own staff following this story so closely as you well know and they work on Capitol Hill. They believe James Comey has been dragging his feet on this investigation. Do you believe that's the case?
COLLINS: No, I really don't. I think he has been aggressive in this investigation. He has taken some steps that I find baffling, such as his failure to confront the president and tell him that his request was inappropriate, that it crossed the line, that it's a boundary a president should not do. But I don’t think he’s dragged his feet.
HEMMER: Alan Dershowitz has been writing about this all week. He says there’s no plausible case that President Trump obstructed justice. Do you believe that was confirmed yesterday in that testimony?
COLLINS: What was confirmed yesterday is as of May 9th when Director Comey was fired, the president was not under investigation by the FBI. That is a valuable fact that we learned yesterday for the first time. That doesn't mean that some of his associates are not under investigation. And it doesn't answer the question of whether or not there was collaboration between the Russians and members of President Trump's campaign team.
HEMMER: To be determined in the coming days, weeks, or months or years.
COLLINS: Correct.
HEMMER: Final question. Where do you believe we are now as millions of Americans are watching on the outside and they want to know what's the direction? Where do you believe that answer is this morning?
COLLINS: We're proceeding on two tracks. The special counsel is investigating and looking at whether or not there is any criminal wrongdoing. The Senate Intelligence Committee is conducting a broader counterintelligence investigation into Russian interference in the election.
HEMMER: But do we know more today after the testimony yesterday?
COLLINS: We definitely do. All we had before the testimony yesterday was speculation. Now we have some facts on the table. Not enough to reach conclusions but we finally are getting facts. And that's what we need for the American people to produce a credible investigation.
HEMMER: I hope you come back, Senator. Thank you for your time. Susan Collins, member of the Senate Intelligence Committee with us there from Capitol Hill.
