Today’s IG report may not have exposed the FBI as the treasonous operation some people have portrayed it as, but the FBI hardly came out smelling like roses, either. Even so, despite the report’s citing multiple examples of misconduct, former FBI Director James Comey insisted that the report was a vindication:

So it was all lies. No treason. No spying on the campaign. No tapping Trumps wires. It was just good people trying to protect America. https://t.co/9nurCaIBq2 — James Comey (@Comey) December 9, 2019

That interpretation didn’t fly with a lot of people, but it was evidently good enough for CNBC’s John Harwood:

this is amazing Jim Comey just told Nicole Wallace on @MSNBC that Fox and Friends had scheduled him to appear tomorrow morning then Fox cancelled after Justice Dept Inspector General exonerated Comey and other FBI leaders for how they opened the 2016 Trump-Russia investigation — John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) December 9, 2019

Putting aside this business about Fox canceling on Comey (“Special Report” anchor Bret Baier invited Comey on his show to discuss the report, an invitation Comey has yet to accept or acknowledge), what’s all this about Comey being “exonerated”?

Exonerated? ??? — Chris Cornwell (@jccornwell) December 9, 2019

“Exonerated” – things delusional people got from the report. https://t.co/ab0uwB4kHI — Stacey (@ScotsFyre) December 9, 2019

Exonerated? The report states 17 significant “inaccuracies and omissions” in the four FISA warrant applications. Seems like abuse of the system by those in FBI. But not Comey of course. As a citizen John you should be concerned with most of what was released. You should read it. — Bill Bolander (@BBolander26) December 9, 2019

"…exonerated Comey… for how they **opened**" seems like a rather obvious way of avoiding mentioning the harsh criticism of @comey's FBI in the report. https://t.co/0knab0VSN4 pic.twitter.com/6av3FnSeGn — Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) December 9, 2019

Exonerated? LOL Only the media could call a guy who presided over massive incompetence (mendacity, pick your poison) "exonerated." https://t.co/oyX16Ny5Xd — Melissa Mackenzie ? (@MelissaTweets) December 9, 2019

John Harwood proudly acting as Comey's p.r. agent. Sums the media up pretty well. — Ryan A. Stambaugh (@StambaughRyan) December 9, 2019

***

Related:

Hold up: Did James Comey lie about being booked (and subsequently ‘cancelled’) by Fox News?