Headline writers incorrectly comparing Comey’s statements

President Trump has promised to say more about a “tape” that would prove former FBI Director James Comey lied during his testimony last week.

But there were headlines over the weekend from some websites claiming they already have all the “tape” they need to prove that Comey perjured himself – specifically when he said he felt he’d been ordered to drop the Michael Flynn investigation.

RELATED: Republicans urge Trump on tapes; Sessions to testify

“I mean it’s the the President of the United States with me alone saying, ‘I hope this,'” Comey explained. “I took it as this is what he wants me to do. I didn’t obey that, but that’s the way I took it.”

The perjury headlines compare that statement to what he said at a previous hearing back on May 3, a week before he was fired, when he was asked if his bosses at the Justice Department had ever ordered him to drop an investigation.

“So if the attorney general or senior officials at the Department of Justice opposes a specific investigation, can they halt that FBI investigation?” Senator Mazie Hirono asked.

“In theory, yes,” Comey replied.

“Has it happened?” she asked.

“Not in my experience,” he said. “That would be a very big deal.”

Comey was never ordered by Justice Department officials to drop an investigation. But the question there was about Justice Department officials, not the president.

Sign up for KIRO Radio’s daily email updates

When Comey said in Thursday’s hearing “I took it as an order,” he was testifying to his opinion. In fact, he admitted that the words themselves were not an order.

“He did not direct you to let it go?”

“Not in his words. No,” Comey said.

“He did not order you to let it go?”

“Again, those words are not an order,” Comey said.

No. So I think the only deception here is by the headline writers.

Follow @http://www.twitter.com/thedaveross