Was Trump’s Behavior Legal But Inappropriate?

Rick Klein: “Even in the black-or-white, red-or-blue worlds of present-day politics, several things can be true at once about James Comey’s testimony. The conduct Comey ascribes to President Trump may be both technically legal and wholly inappropriate. Trump’s request for loyalty and push for the ‘cloud’ to be lifted are far from normal and are potentially alarming. Yet that doesn’t mean Comey acted perfectly, with his pledge of ‘honest loyalty’ and the now-famous three assurances that Trump himself was not under investigation.”

“Comey’s prepared testimony gives Trump a window for an out, an opportunity to say he did nothing wrong, and simply wanted that word out so he could focus on governing. But Comey has not yet begun to talk: By having his testimony out for all to digest a day early, senators can sharpen their questions and start to pick at some of the more intriguing threads in the timeline he laid out. White House allies are split on how much to either attack or embrace Comey’s testimony. Remember: Comey, who’s been called a ‘nut job’ by the president and been accused of ‘atrocities’ by a White House spokesperson, is a savvy pro in the hot seat. He can lift clouds but he can also unleash new kinds of weather patterns on the president.”