- The Washington Times - Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Sen. Tom Cotton speculated Wednesday that former FBI Director James B. Comey may have set a precedent by requesting a private meeting with President Trump prior to his inauguration.

“I understand that Jim Comey expressed his misgivings about being in that meeting alone. But Jim Comey testified that he was the person that first requested a private meeting with the president on Jan. 6. Donald Trump didn’t request that meeting as president-elect, Jim Comey did. And I have to wonder if he set a precedent in the president’s mind that it was appropriate to meet with the FBI director one-on-one,” Mr. Cotton said on MSNBC.

Mr. Cotton, Arkansas Republican and a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, also responded to the claims that witnesses were not cooperating by refusing to answer questions even without the protection of privilege.

“I don’t think the only options are you have to spill the beans on everything you said to the president of the United States, or you have to invoke executive privilege, especially when you’re appearing voluntarily as all these witnesses do,” he said.

• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.

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