Memos penned by former FBI Director James B. Comey involving his interactions with President Trump while in office may remain under wraps, a federal judge ruled Friday.
The subject of several consolidated Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by news outlets and nonprofit organizations in 2017, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled that releasing the memos written by Mr. Comey memorializing his conversations with Mr. Trump would likely interfere with special counsel Robert Mueller’s ongoing investigation into the 2016 presidential race.
“As it prevails here, the Comey Memos, at least for now, will remain in the hands of the Special Counsel and not the public,” Judge Boasberg ruled from D.C. District Court.
The Russian government interfered in the 2016 White House race in hopes of helping elect Mr. Trump, the U.S. intelligence community previously concluded, and Mr. Comey was in the midst of probing Moscow’s involvement in the election when Mr. Trump abruptly fired him last May.
The Justice Department subsequently appointed Mr. Mueller, Mr. Comey’s predecessor as FBI director, to serve as special counsel overseeing the FBI’s Russia probe, as well as “any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation,” and that probe has reportedly expanded to included Mr. Comey’s firing.
Mr. Comey acknowledged drafting several memos immediately following his nine conversations in office with Mr. Trump, though the judge ruled that releasing them to news organizations and non-profits seeking access could disrupt Mr. Mueller’s probe.
“The Court asked an attorney from the Office of Special Counsel to make an on-the-record proffer about the investigation. Having heard this, the Court is now fully convinced that disclosure ’could reasonably be expected to interfere’ with that ongoing investigation,” Judge Boasberg ruled Friday.
“The Court acknowledges that this situation is rather unprecedented; it is not every day that an FBI Director feels the need to memorialize his conversations with a sitting President and then publicize that he did so. But the case law aligns with common sense,” the judge added.
Mr. Trump has denied his presidential campaign colluded with Russia, and he previously said he fired Mr. Comey in part because of “this Russia thing with Trump.”
The judge’s ruling Friday against releasing the so-called Comey Memos came the same day the White House authorized the release of a memorandum drafted by the staff of House intelligence committee and Rep. Devin Nunes, California Republican and panel chairman, alleging the FBI improperly surveilled a former Trump campaign official.
Democrats including the panel’s ranking member, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, dismissed the Nunes memo as “misleading” and “a transparent attempt to discredit” the DOJ, FBI and Mr. Mueller’s probe.
“This memo totally vindicates ’Trump’ in probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on,” Mr. Trump tweeted Saturday with respect to Mr. Nunes’s document.
Russia has denied meddling in Mr. Trump’s election. CIA Director Mike Pompeo, meanwhile, warned last week that Russian operatives are likely to target the 2018 midterm elections.
“The Russians have been at this a long time, and I fully expect they’ll continue to be at it,” Mr. Pompeo said.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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