President Donald Trump was right to allow ousted FBI director James Comey to testify on Capitol Hill this week, former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Monday.
Fleischer, who worked in former President George W. Bush's White House, told Newsmax TV's Steve Malzberg that Trump would have sent the wrong message by invoking executive privilege to prevent Comey from appearing in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
"It would have been disastrous for Donald Trump to try to block James Comey, it would have fed every rumor that he's doing it because he has something to hide," Fleischer said. "So, for better or worse, it's now time to listen to James Comey, and I'm glad they didn't block him."
Fleischer noted, according to Washington leaks, Trump did request Comey's FBI drop its investigation into whether the Trump campaign had improper ties to Russia. He doubts, however, Comey will come out and say that when he speaks with lawmakers.
"My hunch is at this hearing, James Comey is going to say about Donald Trump what he basically said about Hillary Clinton, that Trump acted inappropriately, Trump was reckless, Trump almost crossed the line, he shouldn't have said to me, 'I hope you drop the case,' that it bordered on pressure," Fleischer said. "But none of it will equal he committed a crime, which is, of course, what the Democrats are banking their entire everything on."
Further, Comey testifying on Capitol Hill likely means special counsel Bob Mueller is not focusing on an obstruction of justice case in the probe.
Comey is "a witness, and if that was the case, I assure you, no prosecutor, Bob Mueller or anybody else, would let their witness come up to Capitol Hill and testify."
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