Obama WH ethics lawyer: Lack of Comey tapes example of ‘witness intimidation’

Norm Eisen, the former White House ethics czar for President Barack Obama, argued on Thursday that President Trump’s admission to not possessing tapes of conversations with former FBI Director James Comey amounts to witness intimidation. 

“This lie increases Trump’s legal exposure for obstruction and witness intimidation—more evidence of corrupt intent @Susan_Hennessey,” Eisen wrote on Twitter, copying Susan Hennessey, the managing editor of the Lawfare blog.

Trump, after firing Comey in May, said the former bureau director “better hope” there were not any “tapes” of their conversations. 

{mosads}

“James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!” Trump said on May 12. 

The May 12 tweet came after reports in the press cited former and current FBI officials challenging the president’s account of a meeting with Comey.

After weeks of speculation over whether tapes existed, Trump on Thursday said he never made any recordings and maintained he does not know if any exist. 

“With all of the recently reported electronic surveillance, intercepts, unmasking and illegal leaking of information, I have no idea……whether there are ‘tapes’ or recordings of my conversations with James Comey, but I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings,” the president said.