New York Times reporters debunk this burgeoning Comey conspiracy theory

New York Times reporters debunk this burgeoning Comey conspiracy theory
Former FBI Director James Comey is the subject of a conspiracy theory claiming he visited the New York Times offices to leak more information about President Donald Trump. He was actually at the building for an unrelated event. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

New York Times reporters took to Twitter to try to debunk a burgeoning conspiracy theory surrounding pictures of former FBI Director James Comey entering the building that houses the offices of the New York Times.

Since Comey testified that he had asked a friend to provide details of his meeting with President Trump to The New York Times, many took the images of his apparently visiting the newspaper’s building as evidence he was leaking more information.

The photos of Comey walking into the New York Times’ building were publicized by the Daily Mail. They reported that he spent three hours in the building, but admitted that a New York Times spokesperson denied that he had visited the newsroom.

New York Times journalist Nick Confessore mocked the assumption that Comey was visiting their offices.

“Before anyone gets incredibly stupid,” he tweeted, “there are a number of other tenants in the building, and that isn’t our security desk.”

Fox News’ Eric Bolling retorted skeptically, “Oh yeah … probably visiting someone else … nothing to see here … really … pinky swear.”

To which Confessore replied, mocking again, “You’re right, Eric. Our super-secret sources usually show up at our Times Square office in broad daylight with their spouse in tow.”

The Times’ White House correspondent Maggie Haberman also provided some evidence that the visit was more benign than many were making it appear.

Confessore added more sarcastic commentary:

Haberman had an explanation for why Comey was at the building.

“Comey didn’t visit NYT newsroom,” she tweeted. “A person close to him said he and wife went to ceremony for CASA at Covington & Burling in NYT building.”

CASA stands for the Court Appointed Special Advocates association, a group dedicated to helping neglected and abused children. According to Haberman, Comey and his wife have been foster parents, which explains their support for the advocacy group.

This didn’t prevent Comey critics from spreading the false story that he was leaking more information to the New York Times.

Fox and Friends also showcased the story Friday morning without mentioning The Daily Mail’s quote from a spokesperson denying that he visited the newsroom.

Trump supporters say that Comey is a part of the “deep state” of leakers dedicated to toppling President Trump, while Trump’s lawyer Jay Sekulow claimed that Comey’s testimony was a “total and complete vindication” of the president.

From The New York Times: Michael S. Schmidt takes questions during a Facebook Live on the former F.B.I. director??s testimony to the the Senate Intelligence Committee, and shares his analysis.. Watch the original video on Times Video: https://nyti.ms/2sZ2D8h

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