James Comey's revenge

James Comey, whose actions may well have put Trump in the White House, might also be responsible for his political implosion

James Comey on Capitol Hill
(Image credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)

In substantial measure, Donald J. Trump owes both his celebrity status and accidental presidency to his impulsiveness, his willingness to say whatever he's thinking without considering the long-term consequences. Of course, the qualities that make a successful reality television star are not what make a successful president. The Trump impeachable offense du jour is the nearly inevitable result of a classic example of shortsightedness: Trump's snap decision to fire FBI Director James Comey.

On Tuesday, Michael Schmidt at The New York Times uncovered the existence of a memo written by Comey summarizing his meeting with Trump on Feb. 14. According to Comey's notes, Trump suggested that the FBI should give a pass to Michael Flynn, Trump's initial choice for national security adviser who had been fired the previous day because he had been compromised by ties to the Russian state. "I hope you can let this go," Trump allegedly said to Comey.

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Scott Lemieux

Scott Lemieux is a professor of political science at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y., with a focus on the Supreme Court and constitutional law. He is a frequent contributor to the American Prospect and blogs for Lawyers, Guns and Money.