A few days ago, fired FBI Director James Comey testified before Congress. As is common practice for such hearings, Comey released a set of written remarks in advance that were pretty damning. They indicate a President obsessed with loyalty.
But even before Comey testified, Republicans began rushing to Trump’s defense, in a manner I find completely indefensible:
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who is leading the Senate probe of possible Russian coordination with Trump associates, said he was not alarmed by Comey’s account.
“I don’t think it’s wrong to ask for loyalty of anyone inside an administration,” Burr said. “I don’t think of what I’ve read there’s anything of wrongdoing.”
This is an abuse of the word “loyalty”, especially since Burr suggests he’s read at least some of Comey’s written remarks. If you read Comey’s written remarks yourself, you’ll see they are a quick read (only a few pages) and include:
- Trump bluntly telling Comey “I need loyalty, I expect loyalty“.
- Comey’s reply of “You will always get honesty from me,” with Trump responding, “That’s what I want, honest loyalty.“
- Trump trying to discuss an open FBI investigation involving a Trump ally (Mike Flynn) with Comey.
- Trying to influence Comey by telling Comey repeatedly what a “good guy” Flynn was.
- The sitting President of the United States telling the then-current FBI Director that he hoped the Director would “see [his] way clear to…letting Flynn go.“
- The former FBI Director writing, in a written statement to Congress, that he “had understood the President to be requesting that we drop any investigation of Flynn in connection with false statements…“
During his testimony the following day, Republicans continued to defend Trump, including by pushing the idea that Trump had not tried to obstruct justice because he literally uttered the words “I order you to let Flynn go”. Comey had the perfect response ready:
Comey reached back to the words of 12th-century autocrat Henry II that led to the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket. “Yes,” Comey said, “it rings in my ear as kind of ‘Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?’ ”
So just to summarize, the former FBI Director testified under oath that the President repeatedly asked him for his loyalty, and then in terms the FBI Director understood as a clear request, encouraged the FBI Director to end an investigation into the President’s friend and former advisor.
These aren’t the actions of a President seeking loyalty to the United States Constitution (which is the legal loyalty oath for all civil servants below the President, including every single person who joins the FBI). No, Donald Trump was asking for loyalty, and then asking the FBI Director to drop an investigation into a Trump ally who was under criminal investigation.
Donald Trump wanted personal loyalty to Donald Trump.
If Republicans in Congress continue to protect Trump, I suspect we’ll see far more examples of Trump demanding personal loyalty before it’s all over. Hopefully, enough Republicans will figure out that Donald Trump’s loyalty runs only one way, and be strong enough to refuse his demand for it.