The Columbia law professor James Comey used as a go-between last year to leak the contents of sensitive memos to the media confirmed to Fox News on Tuesday that he previously worked as a “special government employee” (SGE) for Comey’s FBI on an unpaid basis.
The professor, Daniel Richman, confirmed the special status in response to an inquiry from Fox News, while referring other questions, including on the scope of his work, to the FBI.
“I did indeed have SGE status with the Bureau (for no pay),” Richman wrote in an email.
Richman emerged last year as the former FBI director’s contact for leaking memos documenting his private discussions with President Trump – memos that are now the subject of an inspector general review over the presence of classified material. Sources familiar with Richman’s status at the FBI told Fox News that he was assigned to “special projects” by Comey, and had a security clearance as well as badge access to the building. Richman’s status was the subject of a Memorandum of Understanding.
Lawmakers are only beginning to raise questions about Richman’s status. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo,” said the information about Richman and his special FBI status first emerged during closed-door testimony by Comey’s former chief of staff James Rybicki before the House oversight and judiciary committees.
“[D]uring that deposition, it was brought out that Daniel Richman, the guy who information was leaked through to The New York Times, had this special status called special government employee status, where he could sort of come and go in the FBI,” Jordan said. He said he could not speak to the significance, but “it seems kind of interesting that the guy who Comey leaks to is a good friend, who had this sort of unfettered access into the FBI.”
Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., also raised questions about the status.
[give_form id=”79809″] [contentcards url=”http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/04/24/comeys-memo-leak-contact-had-special-government-employee-status-at-fbi.html” target=”_blank”]These two stooges think this helps Comey? Nope. Now Comey's pal is on the hook too. He had better protection as a professor who didn't know the Memos were classified. Now he is co-conspirator. Morons. https://t.co/klCJfigOqC
— Thomas Paine (@Thomas1774Paine) April 25, 2018