Office

of

the

Inspector

General

U.S.

Department

of

Justice

OVERSIGHT INTEGRITY GUID NCE

Report

of

Investigation

of

Former

Federal Bureau

of

Investigation

Director James

Comey s

isclosure

of

Sensitive

Investigative

Information

and

Handling

of

Certain

Memoranda

Oversight and Review Division

19 02

August 2019

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction ........................................................................................ 1 II. Relevant Statutes and Policies ............................................................... 3 A. Federal Records and Official Information........................................ 3 B. Disclosure of FBI Information for Non-Official Use Purposes ............. 5 C. Department and FBI Policies on Disclosure of Information about Pending Investigations ................................................................ 6 D. Statutes, Regulations, and Policies Regarding Classified Information and Documents Designated For Official Use Only ............................ 7 III. Timeline of Relevant Events ................................................................ 10 IV. Factual Findings................................................................................. 14 A. Background Facts ..................................................................... 14 1. Comey's Professional Background ...................................... 14 2. Terms of Comey's FBI Employment Agreement ................... 15 3. Comey's Security Clearance History ................................... 15 4. Comey's Status as an Original Classification Authority and Responsibility for Designating Classified Material ................. 16 B. Comey’s Creation and Handling of the Memos from January 6, 2017 through May 9, 2017................................................................. 16 1. January 7, 2017 Memo (Memo 1) ...................................... 17 2. January 11, 2017 Telephone Call (No Memo) ...................... 19 3. January 28, 2017 Memo (Memo 2)..................................... 20 4. February 8, 2017 Memo (Memo 3)..................................... 22 5. February 14, 2017 Memo (Memo 4) ................................... 23 6. March 1, 2017 Memo (Memo 5)......................................... 25 7. March 9, 2017 Telephone Call (No Memo)........................... 26 8. March 30, 2017 Memo (Memo 6) ....................................... 26 9. April 11, 2017 Memo (Memo 7) ......................................... 27 10. Handling, Storage, Distribution, and Discussion of the Memos While Comey was FBI Director........................................... 28 C. Comey’s March 20, 2017 Congressional Testimony on FBI’s Russia Investigation............................................................................ 31 D. May 9, 2017 Removal of Comey as FBI Director............................ 33 E. FBI Efforts to Secure Information and Devices from Comey's Office and Home................................................................................ 33 F. FBI Preservation of the Memos ................................................... 34 G. May 11, 2017 Article in The New York Times ................................ 35 H. President's Tweet on May 12, 2017 ............................................. 36 i

 

 

I. Copies of the Memos are Provided to the OIG............................... 37 J. Comey Provides Scanned Copies of Memos 2, 4, 6, and 7 to His Attorneys via Email ................................................................... 37 K. May 15, 2017 Comey’s Chief of Staff Informs SSA of Existence of Comey Memos.......................................................................... 38 L. Comey Provides Richman Digital Photographs of Memo 4 Via Text Message on May 16, 2017.......................................................... 39 M. May 16, 2017 Article in The New York Times ................................ 41 N. The FBI's June 2017 Classification Review of the Memos................ 42 1. OGC Review of the Memos................................................ 42 2. OCA Classification of the Memos........................................ 46 O. Comey's Preparation for and Testimony to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence ......................................................... 47 1. Comey's June 7, 2017 Review of the Memos with the FBI’s Classification Markings ..................................................... 47 2. Comey Returns his Copies of the Memos to the FBI.............. 48 3. Comey's June 8, 2017 Testimony....................................... 49 P. FBI Retrieval of Memos from Comey's Attorneys........................... 50 V. OIG Analysis ..................................................................................... 52 A. The Memos were FBI Records..................................................... 52 B. Comey Violated Department and FBI Policies Pertaining to the Retention, Handling, and Dissemination of FBI Records and Information.............................................................................. 54 1. Comey Failed to Return Memos 2, 4, 6, and 7 after Being Removed as FBI Director .................................................. 55 2. Comey Improperly Disclosed FBI Documents and Information 56 C. Comey Failed to Immediately Alert the FBI to the Unauthorized Disclosure of Classified Information............................................. 59 VI. Conclusion ........................................................................................ 59

APPENDIX A .........................................................................................62 APPENDIX B ........................................................................................79 

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