Abby Phillip on Comey Indictment: There’s ‘Basic Free Speech Issues at Play Here’

EXCERPT:

BORELLI: "Well, let‘s start with two things. The original case against him wasn‘t dismissed on any merits. It was dismissed because the prosecutor was appointed improperly. So we didn‘t hear any evidence in that case beyond what that indictment said. There wasn‘t an opportunity for discovery. There wasn‘t evidence presented at trial. There wasn‘t a jury verdict. All we had in that case was an indictment. Everything Elie said is true. The fact remains, though, that a jury of of bona fide Americans, you know, formed and issued a true bill against Jim Comey for violating a specific statute. Okay? I wasn‘t there. You have the indictment. I don‘t think you were at the trial. I don‘t think you were part of James Comey‘s questioning. I don‘t think you were part of any evidence they gathered. So we don‘t know what else they might have that might corroborate the intent, the willful intent that‘s part of the statute."

PHILLIP: "What do you think, Joe?"

BORELLI: "What do I think?"

PHILLIP: "You just recited a lot of things. But what do you think are the merits of a charge like this? I think on a on a principled level, because, I mean, I think there are a couple of issues here. I mean, there are some legal issues, but then there‘s also just basic free speech issues at play here."