Fox News' Judge Napolitano apologized to former FBI director James Comey on Fox and Friends this morning and admitted Comey did not break the law when his memos were leaked to the press.
After it was confirmed that Daniel Richman, the man who gave redacted portions of the memos to the press, actually had security clearances within the FBI, that negated any criminal acts on the part of Comey. Prof. Richman had clearance to review them.
Co-host Ainsley Earhardt was upset by the leaks (adorable) and opened the interview by saying it looks like Comey "is covering his tail."
What she actually meant was that James Comey did nothing wrong, and they had no excuse to constantly attack him.
Napolitano shocked the co-hosts by saying he thought Comey "was pretty compelling last night with Anderson Cooper."
Steve Doocy was upset because Comey didn't actually leak classified materials like they had been claiming for months.
"That's not right, "Doocy said.
"Not all leaks are criminal," Napolitano said.
Judge Napolitano is also one of the people who claimed that Comey leaked classified information to the press. Unlike the Fox hosts, Napolitano admitted he now has egg on his face.
KILMEADE: He covered himself?
NAPOLITANO: yes, I thought he covered himself. But legally he did cover himself. The guy has a security clearance. That's why he got it.
KILMEADE: The guy turns around and tells the press stuff that is not confidential.
NAPOLITANO: Correct, correct. Now, I jumped the gun here the other day. Not knowing that Professor Richman had a security clearance and one of you, I think, said to me did Jim Comey break the law? I said, it appears he did. It now appears did he not. We didn't know about the professor having the clearance, which is why as a judge, I ought to have known, you have got to get all the facts before you form a judgment.
DOOCY: Some people have said that was not his property. It was the property of the FBI that he leaked or did not leak.
NAPOLITANO: That's for the inspector general to find out. But if that is the case. At the most, it's a violation of DOJ regulations --it's not a crime.
DOOCY: It's a leak.
NAPOLITANO: The FBI leaks all the time.
DOOCY: That's Washington.
NAPOLITANO: The Justice Department leaks all the time.
EARHARDT: That doesn't mean it's right. We read the memos... there were so many redactions. Blank ink all over. Were they given to the professor with those redactions?
NAPOLITANO: I doubt it.
EARHARDT: Because he has clearance. Anyone at the FBI can read the memos.
NAPOLITANO: No, not everyone at the FBI has all security clearances. Not all their jobs require it.
The only leaks the Fox and Friends co-hosts love are those that benefit the Trump administration. All other leaks should be criminalized in their opinion.
And they competely ignore the two biggest leakers in Washington: The House Intelligence Committee's Devin Nunes, and the entire Trump White House.
Funny how the trio of state-sponsored Trump TV surrogates didn't offer up their own apologies to James Comey.
Don't hold your breath.
