Social media explodes over Comey testimony

• The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence published former FBI Director James Comey's prepared testimony.
• Reaction on Twitter was swift.

James Comey

Joshua Roberts | Reuters

Twitter erupted after the release of former FBI Director James Comey's prepared remarks about his interactions with President Donald Trump.

Comey will not face the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence until Thursday at 10 a.m. EDT, but the publication Wednesday of his planned statement sparked an internet firestorm that was swift — and mostly partisan.

Ana Navarro, Republican strategist and political contributor for CNN, ABC and Telemundo tweeted, "Comey opening statement for tmrw's hrng, reads like a Tom Clancy novel. Buckle-up America. Ride about to get bumpy."

Sahil Kapur, a reporter for Bloomberg, shared Sen. John McCain's response, tweeting,
"McCAIN reacts to Comey's written testimony. 'Just as I suspected... I think there's going to be many shoes to drop before this one is over."'

Ted Lieu, a Democrat representing California's 33rd congressional district, praised Comey's statement. "In our Republic, there is one and only one loyalty oath: to the Constitution of the United States. Pleased Comey followed that principle."

Preet Bharara, a federal prosecutor who was fired by Trump in March, condemned the president's alleged actions that Comey laid out in his remarks. He tweeted, "Obstruction aside, it's NEVER ok for a POTUS privately to ask an FBI Director to drop a criminal investigation. Extraordinary, wrong & dumb."

The Republican National Committee responded to the release with a touch of humor. "Trying to find something of substance in Comey's opening statement like"

Editor-in-chief of the conservative news outlet the Daily Wire, Ben Shapiro, argued Comey's testimony proved Trump's innocence. "If all of this makes you think Trump collided with Russia on 2016 campaign, you're nuts."

Dinesh D'Souza, conservative filmmaker and author, highlighted parts of Comey's testimony where he confirmed that Trump is not personally being investigated by the FBI. " If @realDonaldTrump was not under investigation--as Comey now admits--how could Trump "obstruct" an inquiry that didn't even exist?"