Judicial Watch Sues for Comey Memo

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch today announced it filed a Freedom of Information (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice for information about former FBI Director James Comey’s memorandum written after his meeting with President Trump regarding potential interference by the Russians in the 2016 presidential election (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:17-cv-01189)

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after the Department of Justice failed to respond to a May 16 FOIA request seeking:

The memorandum written by former Director James Comey memorializing his meeting and conversation with President Trump regarding the FBI’s investigation of potential Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election. For purposes of clarification, this memorandum was reportedly written on or about February 13, 2017 and is the subject of a New York Times article … dated May 16, 2017.

The memo purportedly recounts a conversation between President Trump and Comey about a pending investigation of Gen. Mike Flynn.

Judicial Watch is pursuing six FOIA lawsuits (see here, here, here, here and here) related to the surveillance, unmasking, and illegal leaking targeting President Trump and his associates during the FBI’s investigation of potential Russian involvement.

“That we have to sue in federal court to get a document that was read to a reporter at The New York Times is a scandal,” stated Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton. “This Comey memo should be released forthwith and, frankly, the president can and should order its immediate release.”

Separately, Judicial Watch yesterday sent Acting FBI Director Andrew G. McCabe a warning letter concerning the FBI’s legal responsibility under the Federal Records Act (FRA) to recover records, including memos Comey subsequently leaked to the media, unlawfully removed from the Bureau by Comey.

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