In his typical colorful language, Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy described FBI Director James Comey’s social standing in Washington as “about as popular as cholera.”
“It’s no secret Comey doesn’t get invited to many parties on Capitol Hill,” the Republican senator said on CNN’s “New Day” Thursday morning, a day after Comey testified on Capitol Hill about his agency’s probe into alleged links between the Trump campaign and the Russians. “He’s about as popular as cholera. I respect that about him. The impression I get of Comey is he’s going to do his job and he doesn’t care who gets mad at him.”
Comey is set to appear before the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday for a second round of testimony, this time behind closed doors — after weeks of wrangling that almost knocked the House Russia investigation off-track.
“I appreciated Comey’s candor,” said Kennedy. “He was forthcoming. He wasn’t apologetic.”
Comey and NSA Director Mike Rogers will brief the panel Thursday in a closed hearing that both Republicans and Democrats hope will result in more answers.
Republicans on the House Russia investigation noted that during Comey’s last visit, there were almost 100 instances when he said he could not answer their questions — something they hope will change in the private setting.
Comey has been tight-lipped about the FBI’s ongoing Trump-Russia investigation, but he did divulge some additional information at the hearing before the Senate judiciary committee Wednesday — including telling senators that former acting Attorney General Sally Yates alerted him to former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s lying about calls with the Russian ambassador and the potential for him to be blackmailed.