Trump’s opinion of Comey wasn’t defamation
SIR, Jonathan McCrea asks his contestants on TV3’s ‘ The Lie’ the question all the time: ‘Is It a Lie?’.
In his testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, James Comey accused President Trump of defaming him and his august organisation, the FBI. According to Comey, the president said the ‘organisation is in disarray’. That was the president’s opinion. Clearly, the sacked FBI director did not share that opinion and, therefore, stated the president was lying.
If I tell a mate of mine that Cork hurlers are rubbish and Kerry hurlers are the best, that would be my opinion. My mate could not accuse me of lying since I have only expressed my opinion. Neither have I defamed any Cork hurlers.
Since when did having a strong opinion become tantamount to lying and defamation?
If President Trump had called Comey a drunk and a tax cheat that might amount to defamation and a lie; but that is not what he did.
Comey’s appearance before the committee was the hottest ticket in town in a town where the ‘ hottest ticket’ changes with alarming regularity. He was unceremoniously fired and appeared to have come back for a bit of sweet revenge by calling the president of the United States a liar.
To paraphrase Jonathan McCrea: ‘Was It a Lie?’
Congress must now mull all this over and they move like molasses in January. So ... I guess we’ll find out after the break!
Sincerely,
Tom Cahill, Ballinskelligs