GOP Mocks Comey Book with Modified Version of Cover
Republicans are ramping up their attacks on former FBI Director James Comey’s character ahead of the release of a memoir said to include a critical tell-all account of his time serving under President Donald Trump.
The Republican National Committee has adopted some of Trump’s own rhetoric in developing a website meant to besmirch Comey’s reputation by depicting him as an unethical liar.
In a Twitter plug for the “Lyin’ Comey” website, the RNC posted an altered version of the former intelligence official’s new book, “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership.”
FIRST LOOK at Comey’s new book. Pre-order more insider info at https://t.co/ms7BQ1FS2T pic.twitter.com/QbpPitVcho
— GOP (@GOP) April 13, 2018
The subtitle was changed to suggest the “higher loyalty” he promised was “to me, myself and I.”
On the rear flap of the mock book jacket, the GOP included quotes meant to further the narrative that Comey is only speaking out against the president for self-serving reasons.
Instead of the traditional blurbs of praise for the book, the altered cover included excerpts from statements made by Comey’s critics. The negative quotes are housed under the title of “widespread accord for James Comey’s ego.”
A similar talking point was prominent in White House press secretary Sarah Sanders’ response to questions about the soon-to-be-released book.
After Trump engaged in a more intense than usual ad hominem attack on Comey in a series of Friday morning tweets, Sanders continued the heated rhetoric later in the day.
James Comey is a proven LEAKER & LIAR. Virtually everyone in Washington thought he should be fired for the terrible job he did-until he was, in fact, fired. He leaked CLASSIFIED information, for which he should be prosecuted. He lied to Congress under OATH. He is a weak and…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 13, 2018
….untruthful slime ball who was, as time has proven, a terrible Director of the FBI. His handling of the Crooked Hillary Clinton case, and the events surrounding it, will go down as one of the worst “botch jobs” of history. It was my great honor to fire James Comey!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 13, 2018
“The American people see right through the blatant lies of a self-admitted leaker,” Sanders said.
She went on to allege that Comey’s book is “a poorly executed PR stunt” designed “to desperately rehabilitate his tattered reputation and enrich his own bank account.”
The White House spokeswoman claimed the book “belongs in the bargain bin of the fiction section.”
Sanders’ excoriation of Comey, who was fired in a controversial move by Trump last year, extended beyond the contents of his new memoir.
She claimed his reputation will be “a disgraced partisan hack that broke his sacred trust with the president of the United States, the dedicated agents of the FBI, and the American people he vowed to faithfully serve.”
Echoing another line from Trump’s vitriolic tweets, Sanders said one of Trump’s “greatest achievements will go down as firing Director James Comey.”
Trump tweeted that it was his “great honor” to fire him.
For his part, released excerpts from the highly anticipated book further expectations that Comey has provided salacious accounts of his encounters with and assessment of the president.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
