ASSOCIATED WITH AN ONLINE
VIOLENT MOVEMENT OR HATE GROUPS.
SAVANNAH, BACK TO YOU.
>> TOM, THANK YOU.
JOINING US NOW, FORMER FBI
DIRECTOR, JAMES COMEY.
THE AUTHOR OF "SAVING JUSTICE,
TRUTH, TRANSPARENCY, AND TRUST."
DIRECTOR COMEY, GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, WE’VE GOT A
LOT OF EVENTS IN THE NEWS TO
TALK ABOUT.
I’LL START WITH YOUR OLD POST,
THE FBI.
IT’S ISSUED A BULLETIN, WARNING
OF ARMED PROTESTS, NOT ONLY IN
WASHINGTON, D.C., BUT ALL 50
STATE CAPITOLS.
HOW EXTRAORDINARY IS A WARNING
LIKE THAT, AND HOW CONCERNED ARE
YOU?
>> WELL, IT IS EXTRAORDINARY,
BECAUSE WE LIVE IN EXTRAORDINARY
TIMES.
WHERE A PRESIDENT AND HIS
ENABLERS TRIED TO MOTIVATE
PEOPLE TO VIOLENCE.
IT DOESN’T SURPRISE ME, ALTHOUGH
IT IS VERY, VERY UNUSUAL.
THE FBI’S JOB IS TO GATHER
INFORMATION AND PUSH IT OUT TO
THE PEOPLE WHO COULD SECURE
THOSE LOCATIONS.
SO I THINK THEY’RE RIGHT TO BE
CONCERNED.
IT’S RIGHT TO BE PREPARED.
WHAT’S APPALLING ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6th IS THE
LACK OF PREPARATION.
WE CAN’T REPEAT THAT MISTAKE.
>> AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
CAPITOL RIOTS THAT HAPPENED LAST
WEEK, BUT LET’S FOCUS ON THIS
CURRENT THREAT ENVIRONMENT.
DO YOU FEEL LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN
HANDLE SOMETHING LIKE THIS?
IS LAW ENFORCEMENT GOING TO BE
READY THIS TIME?
>> WELL, LAW ENFORCEMENT
DEFINITELY CAN HANDLE THESE
KINDS OF RIOTS, ATTACKS, AND
CIVIL DISTURBANCES.
IF THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION
THEY NEED AND THEY PREPARE, THIS
IS SOMETHING LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS
BUILT FOR.
AGAIN, WHAT’S SO PAINFUL ABOUT
THE CAPITOL IS THE LACK OF
PREPARATION.
ADEQUATELY PREPARED, THE 50
STATES CAN SECURE THEIR
CAPITOLS, AND THE UNITED STATES
CAN SECURE ITS CAPITOL.
>> HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT
INAUGURATION?
OBVIOUSLY, IT TRADITIONALLY
TAKES PLACE IN THE WEST FRONT OF
THE CAPITOL.
THERE ARE ALSO PLANS FOR
PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN TO
PROCESS, HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A
WALK, AN ESCORTED WALK OUTSIDE
ON THE STREETS OF WASHINGTON.
DO YOU THINK ANY OF THAT SHOULD
BE CHANGED OR LOOKED AT AGAIN?
>> I DON’T THINK IT SHOULD BE
CHANGED.
IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US
AS AMERICANS AFTER 9/11 NOT TO
LET TERRORISTS WIN, AN
EXPRESSION I’M SURE YOU
REMEMBER, BY ALTERING OUR
NATIONAL LIFE IN A FUNDAMENTAL
WAY.
THESE ARE TERRORISTS.
IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE FOR THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO
CHANGE OUR RITUALS, THE THINGS
THAT MARK OUR CIVIC -- IMPORTANT
CIVIC EVENTS BECAUSE OF THEM.
WE CAN BE PREPARED.
WE SHOULD BE PREPARED.
WE SHOULD ACT LIKE THE COUNTRY
WE ARE, FREE AND OPEN AND SAFE.
>> WHAT’S GOING THROUGH YOUR
MIND AS YOU WATCHED WHAT
UNFOLDED LAST SEND AT THE--
WEDNESDAY AT THE CAPITOL?
>> LIKE ALL AMERICANS, I HOPE, I
WAS SICKENED BY THE ATTACK ON
THIS SYMBOL OF OUR DEMOCRACY,
BUT GIVEN MY CAREER, I WAS ALSO
REALLY ANGRY ABOUT THE FAILURE
TO SECURE IN THE FACE OF A
THREAT THAT WAS OBVIOUS ON A
DATE THAT’S BEEN MARKED FOR 130
YEARS, JANUARY 6th.
YOU KNEW IT WAS COMING.
YOU KNEW IT WAS LITERALLY COMING
TO YOU FROM THE PRESIDENT’S
RALLY, WALKING DOWN PENNSYLVANIA
AVENUE.
VERY, VERY UPSETTING TO WATCH IT
HAPPEN ANYWAY.
>> AND HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN IT?
I REMEMBER AFTER 9/11, YOU KNOW,
THE COMMISSION CONCLUDED, IN
PART, IT WAS A FAILURE OF
IMAGINATION, A FAILURE TO EVEN
CONTEMPLATE THAT AIRLINERS COULD
BE USED AS WEAPONS AND FLOWN
INTO BUILDINGS ON THE EAST COAST
OF THE UNITED STATES.
THIS ISN’T A FAILURE OF
IMAGINATION.
A BUNCH OF THUGS COMING IN,
BREAKING WINDOWS, AND BEATING UP
POLICE OFFICERS.
THAT’S NOT SOME INGENIOUS PLOT.
WHERE WAS THE FAILURE HERE?
>> YEAH, I AGREE WITH YOU.
IT WASN’T A FAILURE OF
IMAGINATION, IT WAS JUST A
FAILURE TO SEE A THREAT THAT WAS
IN BRIGHT DAYLIGHT, COMING AT
YOU.
I DON’T KNOW.
IT’S GOING TO BE REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR THERE TO BE SOME
KIND OF COMMISSION TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
NOT JUST AT THE CAPITOL WITH THE
CAPITOL POLICE, BUT DID THEY GET
THE INFORMATION THEY NEED?
DID THEY SEE THE THREAT THE WAY
SO MANY OTHER AGENCIES MUST HAVE
SEEN IT?
I DON’T WANT TO PREJUDGE, BUT
IT’LL BE IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT.
>> THIS WAS COMPLEX.
THERE WERE OFFICERS THAT DAY WHO
WERE HEROIC, AND AT LEAST ONE
PAID WITH HIS LIFE.
THERE ARE OTHER OFFICERS WHO
HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED BECAUSE OF
SOME OF THEIR CONDUCT ON THAT
DAY.
THERE ARE POLICE JURISDICTIONS
AROUND THE COUNTRY LOOKING INTO
WHETHER SOME OF THEIR OWN
MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
PARTICIPATED.
HOW MUCH DOES THAT CONCERN YOU,
PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU’RE TALKING
ABOUT NOW HAVING TO SECURE THESE
FUTURE EVENTS?
I MEAN, IS THERE A CONCERN ABOUT
SOME KIND OF INSIDE JOB?
>> IT’S SOMETHING THAT A POLICE
LEADER HAS TO LOOK AT, BECAUSE
POLICE OFFICERS ARE PEOPLE.
SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE
DRAWN INTO THE SAME FOG OF LIES
THAT SURROUND SO MANY MILLIONS
OF AMERICANS.
BUT IN THE MAIN, LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICERS ARE PUTTING THEIR LIVES
ON THE LINE FOR THE CONSTITUTION
THAT THEY SWORE TO UPHOLD AND TO
PROTECT.
I’M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT IN
THE MAIN, EVEN THOUGH A LEAD ERE
OF A DEPARTMENT HAS TO
UNDERSTAND EVERY SINGLE MEMBER
OF HIS OR HER DEPARTMENT.
>> THE FBI HAS RECEIVED NOW
70,000 TIPS.
IT’S A HUGE AMOUNT OF WORK.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR THE FBI
TO TRACK DOWN THOSE RESPONSIBLE
AND FOLLOW UP ON IT, EVEN THOUGH
IT MAY BE INCREDIBLY TIME
CONSUMING?
FOR SOME PEOPLE, IT MIGHT JUST
BE A CASE OF TRESPASSING.
>> IT’S IMPORTANT THAT EVERY
LAST PERSON WHO ENTERED THAT
CAPITOL BE FOUND AND CHARGED.
THEY NEED TO FEEL THE FORCE OF
THE RULE OF LAW.
THEY NEED TO FEEL THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE’S WILL TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE’RE A COUNTRY THAT DOESN’T
ACCEPT ATTACKS ON OUR DEMOCRACY.
I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES AT THE FBI
ARE HONORED AND EXCITED TO DO
THIS WORK, AND WILL DO IT 24
HOURS A DAY UNTIL THEY FIND
EVERY ONE OF THEM.
>> THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HAS SAID
THAT HE IS LOOKING INTO WHETHER
OR NOT THE PRESIDENT VIOLATED
D.C. LAW, D.C. CODE, IN INVITING
A RIOT.
THAT’S AN OPEN INVESTIGATION,
ACCORDING TO THE D.C. ATTORNEY
GENERAL.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR BOOK,
BECAUSE AT THE END OF IT, THE
EPILOGUE -- I DON’T WANT TO GIVE
AWAY THE ENDING, BUT I THINK
YOU’LL FORGIVE ME -- YOU SAY
GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT’S
HAPPENED, YOU DON’T THINK THE
PRESIDENT SHOULD BE PROSECUTED.
HAS YOUR OPINION CHANGED IN
LIGHT OF WHAT HAPPENED ON
WEDNESDAY, AND CAN YOU EXPLAIN
YOUR THINKING?
>> YEAH.
IT WAS A HARD QUESTION WHEN I
WAS WRITING THAT BACK IN THE
FALL.
IT’S EVEN HARDER NOW.
THE PRESIDENT NEEDS TO BE
SANCTIONED FOR HIS BEHAVIOR AND
HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT HE
BE IMPEACHED.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT
LOCAL PRORT
LOCAL PROSECUTORS IN NEW YORK
CONTINUE TO PURSUE THE VARIETY
OF FRAUDS HE SURELY COMMITTED
BEFORE HE BECAME PRESIDENT.
I JUST DON’T THINK IT IS IN THE
NATIONAL INTEREST FOR DONALD
TRUMP TO BE ON OUR TELEVISION
SCREENS EVERY DAY FOR THE NEXT
THREE OR FOUR YEARS AS PART OF
THE UNITED STATES VERSUS DONALD
TRUMP IN THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA.
I DON’T THINK THAT HELPS JOE
BIDEN HEAL A NATION.
I DON’T THINK IT HELPS US COAX
THE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WHO
HAVE BEEN DEFRAUDED, WHO ARE
CAUGHT IN THE FOG OF LIES, I
DON’T THINK IT HELPS US MOVE
THEM BACK INTO A HEALTHY PLACE.
SO IT IS A HARD, PAINFUL
DECISION, BUT I STILL THINK IT
WOULD BE BETTER FOR THIS COUNTRY
IF WE MOVE PAST A FALLEN AND
CORRUPT PRESIDENT, AND TURNED
OFF THE TELEVISION LIGHTS ON
HIM, WHICH IN SOME WAYS, WOULD
BE THE GREATEST PUNISHMENT HE
COULD IMAGINE.
>> COMPARING ANYTHING TO 9/11 IS
A DANGEROUS BUSINESS, BUT ONE
THING I REMEMBER IS HOW IT WAS
AN INFLECTION POINT, AND IT
REALLY WOKE UP AMERICA TO A
THREAT THAT HAD BEEN THERE ALL
ALONG BUT, PERHAPS, WE HAD NOT
RECOGNIZED.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US HAVE
FRIENDS AND FAMILIES WHO SUPPORT
THE PRESIDENT.
THEY NOW BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS
SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE
ELECTION.
WHAT DO YOU DO TO CHANGE MINDS
AND CHANGE HEARTS AND OPEN
PEOPLE’S EYES UP TO FACTS?
>> YOU CAN’T SHOUT AT PEOPLE TO
CONVINCE THEM THAT THEY’VE BEEN
DEFRAUDED.
ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS IN THE
WORLD IS FOR A VICTIM OF A
FRAUD, OF LIES, TO ADMIT THEY
WERE FOOLED.
I WORKED CRIMINAL CASES WHERE
THE VICTIMS OF A FRAUD WOULD
COME TO SUPPORT THE FRAUDSTER
AFTER HE PLED GUILTY.
IT IS NOT ABOUT SHOUTING AT
THEM.
IT IS ABOUT COAXING THEM AND
URGING THEM AND LETTING THEM OUT
OF THAT FOG OF LIES.
IT IS A REALLY HARD THING THAT
TAKES YEARS, AND IT WILL TAKE
YEARS, BUT IT IS HASTENED BY
THEM SEEING COMPETENT, HONEST,
EMPATHETIC LEADERSHIP, WHICH I
THINK THEY’RE GOING TO SEE
STARTING JANUARY THE 20th, AS WE
HEAL THIS COUNTRY, BOTH
SPIRITUALITY AND FROM THIS
VIRUS.
>> JAMES COMEY, THE FORMER FBI
DIRECTOR, AUTHOR OF THE BOOK
"SAVING JUSTICE, TRUTH,
TRANSPARENCY, AND TRUST" WITH A
LOT OF REALLY FASCINATING
STORIES FROM YOUR TIME, YOUR
DECADES AT THE JUSTICE