Vermont’s three-member congressional delegation expressed alarm Thursday at former Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey’s first public recounting of his May 9 firing by President Donald Trump. At a highly anticipated hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee, the former director accused the president of lying and of seeking to derail an FBI probe of Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
“[Comey] made very clear that he was fired because of the Russia investigation,” Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) told Seven Days Thursday afternoon. “Today, I think a lot of questions were answered.”
Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said he found Comey’s testimony “stunning.”
“It’s very disturbing,” he said. “I mean, essentially you’ve got the president of the United States, whose responsibility is to enforce the law, interfering with an investigation … There’s an enormous amount of smoke here and a persistent pattern that is very alarming.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has not granted Seven Days an interview in more than two years, was not available Thursday, spokesman Daniel McLean said. But in a written statement, the senator called Comey’s testimony “deeply troubling.”
Sanders seized on Comey’s allegation that the president had spread “lies, plain and simple” about the reason for the dismissal.
“Unfortunately, most people would agree with Mr. Comey,” the senator said in his statement. “On issue after issue, Trump has blatantly lied. Dangerously, this diminishes the office of the president and our standing in the world.”
While Vermont’s congressional delegates appeared to accept Comey’s contention that the president had sought to interfere with an active FBI investigation, none explicitly said they believed he had obstructed justice — a potentially impeachable offense. Leahy and Welch said they expect former FBI director Robert Mueller, who is overseeing the investigation as special counsel for the Department of Justice, to address that question.
“I don’t know if I have all the facts. I mean, I could make that decision on my own, based on my prosecutorial experience, but I’ll wait to have all the facts,” said Leahy, a former Chittenden County state’s attorney. “I also don’t want it to look like a senior member of the Senate is trying to tell Bob Mueller what he’s supposed to find out in his investigation.”
According to Welch, it was “inappropriate, at best” for Trump to ask the FBI director to drop his investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn, as Comey accused the president of doing. But Welch would not directly address whether Trump had obstructed justice.
“Well … the legal definitions, you’d have to talk to a lawyer about,” said Welch, a former lawyer. “And a lot has to do with context. But that’s for the legal side. I’m watching this as a citizen and as a member of Congress, and it’s disturbing to me that you have the chief executive, the chief law enforcement officer, basically asking for the FBI director to turn a blind eye to a case involving ‘a good guy’ who’s a friend of the president.”
Welch said it was premature to initiate impeachment proceedings against the president.
“We’ve gotta find all the facts,” he said. “I mean, I’m not filing articles of impeachment at this point.”
Leahy said much the same, arguing that the Republican-controlled House was unlikely to seriously consider impeachment.
“That doesn’t mean whether it’s justified or not,” the senator said. “I’m just saying, as a practical matter, it would go nowhere in the House of Representatives.”
None of Vermont’s federal representatives serve on the Senate or House intelligence committees, which are leading congressional oversight efforts. But Leahy said he hoped to bring Comey before the Senate Judiciary Committee, on which he serves. He said he was also eagerly anticipating Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ testimony next Tuesday in front of a Senate appropriations subcommittee on which he also serves.
Leahy has been a leading critic of Sessions, who recused himself from overseeing the Russia investigation after the Washington Post revealed that he had misled Leahy and other members of the Senate Judiciary Committee about his contacts with Russian officials. Leahy and Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) sent a letter to Comey on March 20 calling on the FBI to investigate Sessions.
“Was [Sessions’] testimony false? Yes, it was. So he’ll be asked about that. It’ll be a chance for him to set the record straight,” Leahy said Thursday. “If he has not recused himself the way he said he would, he doesn’t have any choice but to resign.”
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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has not granted Seven Days an interview in more than two years
First, get this in anyway you can. Maybe stick to blowing the lid off of the STA bankruptcy scandal.
Second, and I’m not fan of Trump, but of course the delegates are anti-trump here. They all jumped in bed with Hillary and even now can’t admit what a horrible candidate she was. It only makes sense to blame the Russians and go all the way down with the ship.
I am shocked!
Bernie is probably not going to talk with Seven Days. Get over it and stop acting like a jilted ex-girlfriend. It’s unbecoming.
Hillary was a rotten candidate. It’s time for the democrats to stop clinging to the Russians and take responsibility for losing touch. It’s not just the presidential election either. The democrats are losing elections all over the place and it’s not because of the Russians.
The Democrats were calling for Comey’s head not more than 6 months ago for “destoring” Hillary’s chances at the presidency, now he is another victim of the Evil Trump. These people have lost their minds. Wake the fuck up America the Russia of today is not the USSR of the 80’s and they had no effect on our elections results. It’s time to hold our elected officials accountable and tell them to get back to governing and stop wasting tax payer money on an endless witch hunt. They are never going to find the smoking gun because it does not exist.#timetovotethebaldguysout.
It is totally appropriate for Seven Days to mention the VERMONT senator’s refusal to talk to the Vermont media, including one of the largest if not the largest print and online news outlet. And certainly the one looked to by Bernie’s constituents.
If Bernie ran over a bunch of people in a car today, Philo and Lade would respond by reminding us (yet again and again and again) of their belief that Hillary was a terrible candidate, and accuse 7D of an anti-Bernie bias for reporting the incident.
Typical liberal puke Dems not hearing the truth and only hearing what they want to believe. Trump was NEVER under investigation, so he DID NOT fire that Dbag for that reason!!!
“Trump was NEVER under investigation, so he DID NOT fire that Dbag for that reason!!!.”
Except . . . for the pesky little facts that he went on national TV and told Lester Holt and millions and millions of viewers that he fired Comey because of the Russia investigation. And also told the Russians that he fired Comey because of the Russia investigation.
If Bernie ran over a bunch of people in a car today…
Depends. What kind of car?
“Depends. What kind of car?”
Whatever kind millionaires want to buy.
“Depends. What kind of car?”
Whatever kind millionaires can afford.
Obama had his administration lie about the truth regarding Benghazi. Our delegation’s response? Crickets. Hillary let people with no security clearance access to her server which contained classified emails, lied under oath that there was never any classified emails sent or received on her private server, and intended to destroy government information to hide the truth. Our delegation’s response? Crickets again. But Trump fired Comey because he couldn’t trust him. Our delegation’s response? Very troubling.
All lies.
According to Welch, it was “inappropriate, at best” for Trump to ask the FBI director to drop his investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn, as Comey accused the president of doing.
True to Welch’es normal behavior, this is a lie. He has earned the deserved name, Weasel Welch.
Here is a 32 second clip of Comey assuring the committee of this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y_dYznLOS…
Rep. Gohmert: Comey is loyal to Lynch and Clinton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FvqZtgZax…
Here, as reported by 7Days, is a straight out lie by Welch. Leahy making much to laud Comey who comes across as a traitor, a leaker of classified info; obstruction of justice. Leahy supports treason?
The swamp is being drained, and Welch and Leahy have to be flushed out of Vermont’s federal officials.
They lie about 9/11, they protect Saudi Arabia, they protect Hilary and avoid an investigation into the Seth Rich murder. Impeach these terrible people once and for all. Vermont has its own swamp to drain.
lol lol Leahy, Sanders and Welch are all a joke..they should be put out to pasture or nursing home..all 3 are worthless especially Sanders who is spending his time traveling all over promoting a worthless book..on our dime..instead of doing the job he was voted to do.. It has been proven by snowflake Comey himself that Pres Trump didn’t tell him to drop the investigation on Flynn or Russia.. Why is it that these 3 so called delegates were screaming “FIRE COMEY” when he was doing the Hillary case??? But because he was fired you’re madder then a wet cat..You aren’t screaming at him when he stated that Lynch told him to drop the charges against Clinton..You didn’t say a word when billy boy Clinton met with AG Loretta Lynch and the story off talking about grandkids..BS !!! The 3 never said a word about obumo spying on American citizens.. Nope because the liberal democrats can do what ever they please…You 3 love the Killer Clinton..and will always be against the President of the United States.. a disgrace to true Vermonters..
As a Vermonter I find the anti-Trump bias both hateful and immature for any delegation representing me as a voter and a veteran. It’s time for Leahy to pack it in or get put out to pasture by voters who care more about Vermont than trying to impeach or otherwise screw up OUR President.
If the Vermont Delegation is disturbed with what is happening in DC, here are 6 easy steps to take to help them in their jobs:
1: Contact the Washington County Mental Health Department, and seek counselling. Many Vermonters use this great resource for mental disturbances.
2: Every Vermonter knows you have the BEST in the World health coverage being a member of Congress…contact your Primary Care Physician and ask for a prescription for medical marijuana. This will definitely help with disturbance.
3: Have a stiff one everyday after work.
4. Repeat #3 but at lunch time.
5. Save yourselves with all this disturbance, and resign from your job ( which I think most Vermonters would like )
6. Apply for SSI since you can’t work…….wait are you all 3 millionaires?…..you don’t need to work, write a book like Bernie did and travel the world selling your story.
I hope these tips help you, am not charging for the advice.
@ Vermont Patriot… I wish I could click like on your post 100 times..Thank you for your service..
I have a T-shirt that says.. “Thank a Veteran Punch a Politician”..I wear it a lot and get liberals made at me, which makes my day..!!!! lol
“The #CorruptDemPartyIsDead; Long Live True Progressive 3rd Parties!” -tk
#FuSellOutSanders! #DemExitForever!
The death of the progressive party is aligned with the Dems. Dictatorships never survive. Over educated, hypocritical, holier than thou,trustafarians with daddies inheritance coming in from Connecticut. Who wouldn’t want to wake up to a bong hit in the morning, grow city chickens,pay thrice at city market, but quick lock your car doors there’s homeless Savage baby killing veterans outside. Your worldliness and knowledge of what’s best for us sheeple is as comical as it is terrifying.