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Friday 20 april 2018

Comey memo: Trump complained about Flynn's 'judgment issues'

By MARY CLARE JALONICK tees.
and ERIC TUCKER Comey is on a public-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- ity tour to promote his new
dent Donald Trump told book, "A Higher Loyalty."
former FBI Director James He revealed last year that
Comey that he had serious he had written the memos
concerns about the judg- after conversations with
ment of his first national Trump.
security adviser, Michael Details from some memos
Flynn, according to memos were made public in me-
maintained by Comey and dia accounts in the days
obtained by The Associ- after he was fired. At the
ated Press. Senate hearing, Comey
The 15 pages of documents detailed his conversations
contain new details about with Trump.
a series of interactions that One Comey memo re-
Comey had with Trump in counts a February request
the weeks before his May from Trump, during a pri-
2017 firing. Those encoun- vate meeting in the Oval
ters include a White House Office, that Comey end an
dinner at which Comey investigation into Flynn.
says Trump asked him for his Boyd wrote in the letter that
loyalty, and a meeting the Copies of the memos written by former FBI Director James Comey are photographed in Washing- the department "consulted
following month in which ton, Thursday, April 19, 2018. the relevant parties" and
he says the president asked Associated Press concluded that releasing
him to end an investigation the memos would not ad-
into Flynn. ey wrote. record of what had hap- evening, Assistant Attor- versely affect any ongo-
According to one memo, Flynn was fired a month pened, not just to defend ney General Stephen Boyd ing investigations. Special
Trump complained about later after White House of- myself, but to defend the wrote that the department counsel Robert Mueller
Flynn at a private January ficials said he had misled FBI and our integrity as an was sending a classified is investigating potential
2017 dinner with Comey, about his Russian contacts institution and the indepen- version of the memos and ties between Russia and
saying "the guy has serious during the transition pe- dence of our investigative an unclassified version. Trump's 2016 campaign as
judgment issues." He then riod. In a separate memo, function." The department released well as possible obstruction
blamed Flynn for a delay Comey says Trump cleared The memos were provided Boyd's letter publicly but of justice by the president.
in returning the congratula- the Oval Office of other to Congress earlier Thurs- did not release the memos. Boyd said the decision to
tory call of an international officials, encouraged him day as House Republicans Justice officials had al- allow the release of the
leader. to let the investigation into escalated criticism of the lowed some lawmakers to memos "does not alter the
"I did not comment at any Flynn go and called him a department, threatening view the memos but had department's traditional
point during this topic and good guy. to subpoena the docu- never provided copies to obligation to protect from
there was no mention or In a Senate hearing in June, ments and questioning offi- Congress. Boyd wrote that public disclosure witness
acknowledgment of any Comey told Congress, "I cials. In a letter sent to three the department had also statements and other doc-
FBI interest in or contact knew there might come a Republican House com- provided the memos to uments obtained during an
with General Flynn," Com- day when I would need a mittee chairmen Thursday several Senate commit- ongoing investigation."q

FBI offers $1M for info on U.S. reporter missing in Syria

has been missing in Syria for demand has ever been and the U.S. and Syrian
more than five years. The made. But a newly released governments have assured
reward is up to $1 million. FBI poster urges people to them they are working to
Austin Tice, of Houston, Tex- report any information that secure his safe release.
as, disappeared in August could lead to his location, Of the reward offer, Tice's
2012 while covering Syria's recovery or return. mother Debra Tice told The
civil war. A video released The FBI did not say why it Associated Press Thursday,
a month later showed him was offering the reward "We're thrilled. We're hap-
blindfolded and held by money now, only that it py for anything that might
armed men saying "Oh, Je- was unrelated to any spe- move the needle and bring
sus." He has not been heard cific event or new piece of our son safely home."
from since. information. An FBI spokes- She said she and her hus-
Tice is a former Marine who woman would not say how band didn't prompt the
has reported for The Wash- officials settled on the $1 offering, noting it was an
ington Post, McClatchy million sum, only that re- internal decision by the FBI.
In this July 20, 2017, file photo, Marc and Debra Tice, the parents Newspapers, CBS and oth- ward payment amounts They are "just really, really
of Austin Tice, who has been missing in Syria since August 2012,
hold up photos of him during a new conference, at the Press er outlets. He disappeared are based on a number of happy to see that level of
Club, in Beirut, Lebanon. shortly after his 31st birth- factors including "the sever- involvement and commit-
Associated Press day. ity of the danger or injury" ment," she said. "It really
The circumstances sur- to a U.S. citizen and the risk warms our hearts because
By SADIE GURMAN and JA- eral authorities for the first rounding his disappear- to the source providing the it's just another indication of
MIE STENGLE time are offering a reward ance are still a mystery. information. their commitment, involve-
Associated Press for information leading to It's not clear what entity is Tice's parents have said ment."
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fed- an American journalist who holding him and no ransom they believe he is still alive q