Read James Comey’s Opening Remarks To Senate Intelligence Committee

Senate Intel Committee hearing is off and running.

Committee chairman, GOP Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, and committee top Dem, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, have weeded out the fair-weather viewers with their opening remarks. Burr wondering if President Donald Trump repeatedly lifting Comey to lift the “cloud” of the FBI’s investigation into former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn in any way altered that probe. Warner insisted the hearing is “not about religitagting the election” and reminded America that Trump, who sacked Comey, called him a nut job, and publicly said that the firing took the heat off him, Russia probe-wise.

Comey did not read his yeasty opening remarks released Wednesday for the committee, as expected, about his interacting with President Donald Trump in the weeks leading up to being sacked by POTUS. Clever Comey had the committee release them one day before testifying, as Donald Trump was in Cincinnati celebrating Infrastructure Week.

Comey’s known as quite a performer at these clambakes. Who can forget his show-stealing “mildly nauseous” speech in May, when he testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, stoutly defending his decision to “walk into the world of ‘really bad’,” and go public about the bureau’s investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails just 11 days before the election!

Here are those full remarks:

Related stories

'The Great War' EP Mark Samels On The War That Shapes America Today

'The Daily Show' Host Trevor Noah On Trump: "I'm Not Trying To Be A Thorn In His Side"

Donald Trump's Lawyer: James Comey A Leaking Liar

Get more from Deadline.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter