Be careful. I don’t have the transcript but just re-watched Comey’s answer to one question about whether Trumps tweets were correct, and Comey’s response was “I have no information that supports those tweets, and we have looked carefully inside the FBI”.
So now let’s analyze and parse, Clinton-style:
1. “I” - not “we” or “the FBI”. Plausible deniability. Comey said he personally has no informaton, not that such information doesn’t exists even inside the FBI.
2. “Supports those tweets” - refers to the specific language Trump used. This could get into another set of minutia, but for example, it could be the definition of “wiretap” vs. some other form of surveillance, the previous discussion about whether Obama “ordered” it, etc. Lots of loopholes.
3. “looked carefully”. That’s a weasel-word just like saying “as far as I know” or “to my best knowledge”. If such evidence becomes known in the future Comey would not be accused of lying, just of not “looking carefully” enough.
Comey’s a lawyer and you don’t get to be head of FBI without being not only smart but also shrewd. He knows many things we can’t even guess at, including other investigations that may be ongoing that intersect with this one. He also knows testimony before Congress must be factual, but that does not prevent him from choosing his words very carefully, which I’m certain he did.
Turtledove was anticipating the emergence of James Comey. :)