White House Letter on Request for Tapes Refers House Intel Chiefs to Trump’s Tweets
Yesterday President Trump tweeted that if there are “tapes” of his meetings with James Comey, he is unaware of them. This comes after weeks and weeks of discussion set off by another Trump tweet––the one where he said Comey better hope there aren’t tapes:
James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017
With all of the recently reported electronic surveillance, intercepts, unmasking and illegal leaking of information, I have no idea…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
…whether there are "tapes" or recordings of my conversations with James Comey, but I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
The House Intelligence Committee requested the White House hand over any tapes––if they exist––and Republican Mike Conaway said earlier today, “I don’t think tweets are ever official. We’d like something on letterhead.”
So the White House sent this letter to Conaway and Adam Schiff (CC-ing the heads of the Senate Intel Committee) today that refers them back to those tweets:
JUST IN: White House responds to House Intel Cmte. request with the statement used by Pres. Trump in his tweet about no Comey recordings. pic.twitter.com/SlKRoNdutb
— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) June 23, 2017
A few weeks ago, Sean Spicer said that Trump’s tweets are “considered official statements by the President of the United States.” And you’ll notice that the tweets are referred to as a statement from the President.
[image via screengrab]
— —
