James Comey will not appear in a closed session before the Senate Intelligence Committee next Tuesday. He had been invited to testify by Chairman Richard Burr and top Democrat Mark Warner.
Any way you look at it, Comey’s decision makes sense. Comey surely could some time to decompress. He’s probably had his fill of testifying before Congress.
Assuming that Comey wants to fight back against President Trump, an understandable desire given not just the fact of the firing but also the way Trump has handled it, Comey is well-advised not to go before Congress next week with guns blazing. Better, I think, to hold his fire, let Trump continue to draw heat for his tweets, and appear to be above the fracas.
When the appropriate time comes, or if the committee subpoenas him, he will appear more credible as a result.
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