Did Rod Rosenstein Know About Comey’s Memo On Trump And Russia?

Rod Rosenstein Image by Getty Images

By Daniel J. Solomon May 17, 2017

There’s a big unawnswered question about the bombshell memo that ex-FBI director James Comey wrote in which he documents that President Trump pressured him to ease up on the investigation into Russia and Michael Flynn.

Did deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein see it before writing his own memo that led to Comey’s ouster?

According to the Washington Post, “details of Comey’s notes have been shared with a very small circle of people at the FBI and Justice Department.” It’s unclear whether Rosenstein, who started his new position only a few weeks ago, was privy to the communication.

Rosenstein, who has previously served in the Bush and Obama administrations, has taken a hit for the firing of Comey, leading many to question his integrity and independence.

Before Comey was fired, the ex-FBI director reportedly asked Rosenstein for more resources with which to conduct the Russia investigation. It would certainly raise even more eyebrows if it turns out Rosenstein knew that Trump had pressured Comey to dial back the probe — and still went ahead and wrote a damning letter that the White House initially used as the rationale for dumping Comey.

Contact Daniel J. Solomon at solomon@forward.com or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon

Daniel J. Solomon is the former Assistant to the Editor/News Writer at the Forward. Originally from Queens, he attended Harvard as an undergraduate, where he wrote his senior thesis on French-Jewish intellectual history. He is excited to have returned to New York after his time in Massachusetts. Daniel’s passions include folk music, cycling, and pointed argument.

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