James Comey has a selective memory when it comes to President Donald Trump, said House Judiciary Committee member Rep. Matt Gaetz Monday, while reflecting on the former FBI director's testimony.
"His amnesia is very selective," the Florida Republican told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "On any facts that are unfavorable to President Trump, he remembers them with great particularity.
"When you try to create four corners around who knows about the communications, who came into possession of documents, then Comey becomes more hazy on the actual details."
Going forward, as Democrats gain the House majority, Gaetz said he thinks there will be even more distance from what happened in connection with questions about how the FBI was operating under Comey.
During his testimony, Comey reportedly answered questions by answering "I don't know" 166 times and "I don't recall" eight times, Fox News noted, and Gaetz said he found it "ironic and bizarre."
"I think that he did not want to give us the tools to be able to determine his inconsistencies," said Gaetz. "Comey viewed the job of the FBI director as something different than it's called. He thought it was appropriate to become a political hack to create links and perception around their activity."
Also on Monday, Gaetz said he favors Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., as Trump's replacement for outgoing Chief of Staff John Kelly.
"Mark spends a lot of time at the White House already," said Gaetz. "I think it would be pretty seamless and a big mistake to bring someone in as chief of staff who is a good manager but who hasn't lived the timeline and the facts and the details the way Meadows has."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.