Grassley blames Comey for false Trump narrative: 'Played right into Russia's hands'

A top Republican took to the Senate floor Thursday to blame fired FBI Director James B. Comey for fanning “conspiracy theories” about the U.S. election that “played right into Russia’s hands.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican who, as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has oversight of the FBI, also accused Mr. Comey of working to “shade the truth” by agreeing to the Obama administration’s attempt to soft-pedal the criminal probe of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Despite rampant public speculation, Mr. Comey kept hidden the fact that the president wasn’t under investigation — allowing conspiracy theories and speculation to run wild, Mr. Grassley said.

Mr. Grassley said he personally told Mr. Comey to reveal publicly what the FBI director had told top congressional leaders — that the president wasn’t a target of the Russia probe.

But Mr. Comey refused, saying later that he had feared saying something he’d later have to correct.

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