Comey: It’s ‘Correct’ Russia Preferred Trump over Clinton in 2016

SCHIFF I have a ░░░░░░░░ of questions before I ░░░░░░░░ to Representative Sewell It ░░░░░░░░ t simply that the ░░░░░░░░ had a negative preference ░░░░░░░░ Secretary Clinton They also ░░░░░░░░ a positive preference for ░░░░░░░░ Trump Is that correct ░░░░░░░░ Correct SCHIFF And I ░░░░░░░░ to ask you to ░░░░░░░░ whether this is an ░░░░░░░░ characterization of Mr Trump ░░░░░░░░ won t put you ░░░░░░░░ that spot but would ░░░░░░░░ be logical for the ░░░░░░░░ to prefer a candidate ░░░░░░░░ disparaged NATO to be ░░░░░░░░ of the United States ░░░░░░░░ You re not going ░░░░░░░░ put me in that ░░░░░░░░ you said SCHIFF I ░░░░░░░░ not going to put ░░░░░░░░ in the spot of ░░░░░░░░ this is an accurate ░░░░░░░░ of Mr Trump s ░░░░░░░░ but it would be ░░░░░░░░ for the Kremlin to ░░░░░░░░ someone who had a ░░░░░░░░ view of NATO Is ░░░░░░░░ right COMEY All kidding ░░░░░░░░ I don t think ░░░░░░░░ s something I should ░░░░░░░░ answering That s beyond ░░░░░░░░ s beyond my responsibilities ░░░░░░░░ Well what is the ░░░░░░░░ view of NATO Do ░░░░░░░░ like NATO Do they ░░░░░░░░ to see NATO strong ░░░░░░░░ Again I m sure ░░░░░░░░ have already spoken to ░░░░░░░░ who are greater experts ░░░░░░░░ I but yeah they ░░░░░░░░ t like NATO They ░░░░░░░░ NATO encircles them and ░░░░░░░░ them SCHIFF And would ░░░░░░░░ have a preference for ░░░░░░░░ candidate that expressed an ░░░░░░░░ to repealing the sanctions ░░░░░░░░ Ukraine COMEY I don ░░░░░░░░ want to get into ░░░░░░░░ of commenting on that ░░░░░░░░ SCHIFF Then let me ░░░░░░░░ you this way director ░░░░░░░░ they like to see ░░░░░░░░ sanctions on Ukraine go ░░░░░░░░ COMEY Yes SCHIFF Would ░░░░░░░░ have a preference for ░░░░░░░░ candidate who expressed open ░░░░░░░░ for Putin COMEY I ░░░░░░░░ you d reformulate the ░░░░░░░░ Mr Putin would like ░░░░░░░░ who like him SCHIFF ░░░░░░░░ they have a preference ░░░░░░░░ a candidate who encouraged ░░░░░░░░ and other departures from ░░░░░░░░ Would they like to ░░░░░░░░ more Brexits COMEY Yes ░░░░░░░░ And have the Russians ░░░░░░░░ Europe demonstrated a preference ░░░░░░░░ business people as political ░░░░░░░░ with the hope that ░░░░░░░░ can entangle them in ░░░░░░░░ interests or that they ░░░░░░░░ allow their financial interests ░░░░░░░░ take precedence over the ░░░░░░░░ of the countries in ░░░░░░░░ they represent COMEY In ░░░░░░░░ joint report we recount ░░░░░░░░ the Russians that president ░░░░░░░░ has expressed a preference ░░░░░░░░ business leaders in leading ░░░░░░░░ governments and mentions Gerhard ░░░░░░░░ and I m going ░░░░░░░░ forget one Berlusconi because ░░░░░░░░ believes they are people ░░░░░░░░ are more open to ░░░░░░░░ easier to deal with.”