Yeomans: Will Comey Book Cause “Real Harm”?

Washington, D.C., April 11, 2018 – In the latest edition of Yeomans Work,AFJ Goldfarb Fellow for Justice Bill Yeomans writes that former FBI director James Comey’s soon-to-be-released book could throw a wrench into Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe. “Comey is entitled to write his book,” Yeomans notes. “But, releasing his book now – in the middle of Mueller’s investigation – threatens real harm.” 

Yeomans observes that the book has the potential to introduce confusion into the narrative around the Russia investigation. “The book may be perfect,” he writes, “but more likely it will contain errors, contradictions and inconsistencies and it may not square with parts of the public record.  It may contradict statements Comey has already made to investigators and the grand jury, undermining his credibility and making him less effective as a witness at the trials of Trump underlings or Trump’s impeachment.  These dangers will be greatly exacerbated by Comey’s many scheduled public appearances at which his every word will be parsed by the Trump legal and political teams.  The more Comey becomes a political figure, the less likely he is to be believed by people who don’t support the political consequences of his words.”

Yeomans Work focuses on the challenges to the justice system in the era of Trump. Bill Yeomans is available for media interviews. Contact Laurie Kinney, Communications Director, at laurie@afj.org or 202-464-7367.