Shapiro: Comey's Book Deal Shows He's 'Grandstanding, Glory Seeker'
Radio talk show host Ben Shapiro accused James Comey of being a “grandstanding, glory seeker” as the former FBI director began a publicity tour to promote his soon to be released book.
Shapiro tweeted on Thursday, “Serious question: if Comey isn’t a grandstanding glory-seeker, why wait a year and a book deal before telling the whole story?”
Serious question: if Comey isn’t a grandstanding glory-seeker, why wait a year and a book deal before telling the whole story?
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) April 12, 2018
President Donald Trump fired Comey in May 2017, citing the FBI director’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, and a memo from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein making the recommendation.
The memo stated that Comey was wrong to announce the closing of the Clinton case explaining, “It is not the function of the Director to make such an announcement.” Rather, it is the role of the prosecutors at the Department of Justice to do so.
Rosenstein also hit the FBI director for ignoring a longstanding principle of not holding “press conferences to release derogatory information about the subject of a decline criminal investigation.”
The deputy attorney general added, “The Director laid out his version of the facts for the news media as if it were a closing argument, but without a trial.”
Rosenstein concluded, “The way the Director handled the conclusion of the email investigation was wrong. As a result, the FBI is unlikely to regain public and congressional trust until it has a Director who understands the gravity of the mistakes and pledges to correct them.”
Given Comey had refused to admit his mistakes during congressional testimony regarding the matter, Rosenstein did not anticipate he would likely do so going forward.
Shapiro’s tweet about Comey being a grandstander drew both doubters and defenders of the former FBI director.
“I thought he was supposed to tell the whole story when he testified before congress,” one tweeted. “Does this mean he didn’t tell the truth under oath or he willingly withheld information?”
Another responded directly to Shapiro’s question, writing, “Probably for the fame and glory. Oh wait, that’s what you said.”
Probably for the fame and glory. Oh wait, that's what you said. Well in that case, it's probably about the fame and glory. Hmm. That keeps happening. What I mean is, it's probably for the fame and glory.
— Caleb Howe (@CalebHowe) April 12, 2018
One curtly conjectured that Comey held off for “Same reason Stormy waited 12 years.”
A Twitter user turned the question back on Shapiro, accusing him of being a “grandstanding glory seeker” too.
Serious question: If one isn't a grandstanding glory-seeker, why would one provide their wisdom through a syndicated radio show, write a column for pay, host a for-pay radio show and write books to be sold and hope to be on the NYT Best Seller list?
— Arthur Siegal ⚖️ ☮️ ✡️ 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 (@ArthurSiegal) April 12, 2018
Still another argued Comey was being a good capitalist.
Maybe he wants to make $ writing a book. That's what capitalists do. Until they annoy other so-called capitalists. Then it's called grandstanding or being greedy or unfair.
— Erik B (@erikbransteen) April 12, 2018
Comey received strong criticism from Trump and others last September after FBI documents obtained by Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley revealed the former director began drafting a letter exonerating Clinton months before the bureau interviewed her and key members of her staff, USA Today reported.
Wow, looks like James Comey exonerated Hillary Clinton long before the investigation was over…and so much more. A rigged system!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2017
Trump tweeted at the time, “Wow, looks like James Comey exonerated Hillary Clinton long before the investigation was over…and so much more. A rigged system!”
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