— Drew McCoy (@_Drew_McCoy_) May 16, 2017
Oh ho!
Comey Memo Says Trump Asked Him to End Flynn Investigation: https://t.co/lnYddXhbXq
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) May 16, 2017
And the Comey train kept a-rollin’:
.@nytmike BOMBSHELL — Trump told Comey in Oval to back off Flynn probe, 1st evidence of interference >>>https://t.co/cIiHDTZE42
— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) May 16, 2017
NEWS: Trump told Comey to stand down on Flynn investigation, 1st evidence Trump tried to influence Russia inquiry https://t.co/7nlT6gaY1G
— Michael S. Schmidt (@nytmike) May 16, 2017
More:
Holy crap: Trump asked Comey to shut down Flynn investigation.https://t.co/g4XB74yprv pic.twitter.com/kk6ewkzC3U
— andrew kaczynski ? (@KFILE) May 16, 2017
The White House has already responded:
WH: "This is not a truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation between the president and Mr. Comey.” https://t.co/t2o4Di1oj2
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) May 16, 2017
White House says NYT story "not a truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation between the President and Mr. Comey."
— Byron Tau (@ByronTau) May 16, 2017
Here is the full statement issued by the White House on the NY Times story pic.twitter.com/Ky4xl7br3y
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 16, 2017
It’s also important to point this out:
That's a doozy of a NYT story and I can imagine it's true, but you have absolutely got to be kidding me here, right? Is this a joke? pic.twitter.com/FgvQM31S8V
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) May 16, 2017
Huh.
A friend of Comey's read parts of a memo to NYT reporter? That's the sourcing. Holy moly. Thanks for the honesty, but that's not journalism.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) May 16, 2017
Seriously, a friend read you a document? You couldn't wait a day until you convinced said friend to show you the document?
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) May 16, 2017
Again, I find the elements and claims of the story believable, so the Times should come back when they can give us something to go on.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) May 16, 2017
Yes, I understand the point of *Comey leaking this info to the Times.* My beef is with the NYT, which should have practiced journalism. https://t.co/nQF0pIsrs8
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) May 16, 2017
Do better, New York Times.
We will see the memo. It will all come out. But no one at the Times can confirm its existence! What are we doing here?
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) May 16, 2017
A sensational story is a sensational story, and it’s gonna be pretty tough to stuff this cat back into the bag:
What? https://t.co/pQk7uhLUN8
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) May 16, 2017
Dear lord… https://t.co/bmbfFhBNdJ
— Kyle Foley (@KFoleyFL) May 16, 2017
Holy crap. https://t.co/h3uwSCw5jN
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) May 16, 2017
I was thinking that our afternoon had been too quiet. Back to Defcon 1 everybody! https://t.co/ZgXxXiYk1I
— David French (@DavidAFrench) May 16, 2017
Every day, 5:30-ish or so, bombshells going off until the end of time https://t.co/pQk7uhLUN8
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) May 16, 2017
Well, this will calm things down https://t.co/Oba8LTUWCr
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) May 16, 2017
At least things can't get any fuck https://t.co/4ObNjoJYA3
— Mat (@sunnyright) May 16, 2017
This is the closest we've come yet to an unambiguously impeachable offense. https://t.co/gHyVCyGds5 pic.twitter.com/Z92iq6mb3n
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) May 16, 2017
They said Comey always left a paper trial, particularly when he felt his integrity was being compromised. Here it is. This is really ugly.
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) May 16, 2017
Comey was a known note taker..writing detailed memos. This may be the tip of a very detailed iceberg & could change the dynamic on the Hill
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) May 16, 2017
Comey may end up haunting Trump for a while yet. And remember, kids: It’s only Tuesday.
I mean, did this White House not think the squeaky clean career law enforcement guy wouldn’t keep notes?
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) May 16, 2017
Remember, he thinks ten moves ahead. This was all part of his plan. https://t.co/42ckaBcU5c
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) May 16, 2017
It won’t be easy to put all the speculation to rest, but this might be a good first step:
Gotta see the memo.
— David French (@DavidAFrench) May 16, 2017
As others have noted, Congress can find out if this story is true by subpoenaing the memo. It should.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) May 16, 2017
Could that be Comey’s goal?
@charlescwcooke They don't have it. Story says someone read parts of it to them. It's gotta be a Comey ploy to get Congress to subpoena it.
— Drew McCoy (@_Drew_McCoy_) May 16, 2017
So, it looks like the NYT doesn't have the actual memo(s). Were these leaks an effort to get congress to subpoena them?
— McKay Coppins (@mckaycoppins) May 16, 2017
@charlescwcooke @guypbenson I strongly suspect the whole point of this leak was to goad Congress into doing just that.
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) May 16, 2017
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional text and tweets.
***
Update:
Hmmm:
NBC confirms https://t.co/PhLCBKiFas
— Blake Hounshell (@blakehounshell) May 16, 2017
Source confirms to @KenDilanianNBC the Comey memo and the line “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go.”
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) May 16, 2017
BREAKING: Sources close to James Comey confirm existence of memo claiming President Trump asked Comey to close Michael Flynn investigation
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 16, 2017
More:
@jaketapper More from @jaketapper source: Trump asked Sessions and Pence to leave before saying this https://t.co/ePgZGUmq0M https://t.co/otqDNoVn5F
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) May 16, 2017
***
Updates:
Will the truth come out? Lindsey Graham invites James Comey to testify publicly
‘I need to see it’: Rep. Jason Chaffetz says he’ll issue subpoena for Comey memo