Page:Comey-interview-12-17-18-redacted.pdf/20

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

20

Mr. Kelley. He usually needs it to read along, but go ahead.

Mr. Gowdy. Well, if he needs it, Mr. Kelley, I'll be happy to give it to him. I'm not trying to trick him. But he said it, and there's a chance he may remember it.

"Something we, I, probably wouldn't have done or maybe gotten away with in a more organized investigation, a more organized administration."

Mr. Comey. Yeah, I remember saying that.

Mr. Gowdy. All right. What did you mean by "gotten away with"?

Mr. Comey. As I said, I don't think there were policies or rules -- I could be wrong, but I don't think so -- in prior administrations, but there were norms and practices, that, in a more established environment, there would've been an expectation that the FBI would coordinate the interview through White House Counsel.

Mr. Gowdy. I understand that. I'm just kind of hung up on the phrase "gotten away with."

Mr. Comey. Well, that there would've been -- that there wouldn't have been an opportunity to call Mr. Flynn and ask him to sit and talk to him, that, in an administration where the rhythm of the context between the FBI and the White House was more established, there would've been a strong expectation that we coordinate it through White House Counsel instead of calling the National Security Advisor directly. That's what I meant by it.