Shortly after news broke that President Donald Trump had fired now-former FBI director James Comey on Tuesday, the White House released the termination letter used to make the move official.
Reaction to four-paragraph document was swift and harsh as many felt the letter failed to offer a clear rationale for the firing and appeared to contain major falsehoods.
That second paragraph is a bizarre, transparent attempt at PR for Trump in a termination letter. Emphasis on "transparent." @RVAwonk #Comey pic.twitter.com/AfEMiLpFbE
— Lauren Wolfe (@Wolfe321) May 10, 2017
As expected, Trump letter firing Comey had major falsehood. Comey needs to testify. https://t.co/TNz2ENb5hf pic.twitter.com/XdydA9MNbT
— Max Boot (@MaxBoot) May 11, 2017
The letter, and the questions surrounding it, became fertile grist for the writers of the "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" who offered up various imagined takes on what initial drafts of the document might have looked like.
"Dear Director Comey," the fake first draft says, "I am terminating you because of the Russian investigation. No hard feelings."
"Dear Director Comey," the next draft says, "I am terminating you because of NOT the Russian investigation. Have a great summer!"
For the third draft, "The Late Show" offered a different approach.
"Dear Director Comey: I am terminating you just 'case . . . who said anything about a Russian investigation? Is that a thing? Hugs 'n' kisses!"
Another draft shows the White House letterhead with the text is written in Russian.
The final fake draft was perhaps the best:
"Dear Director Comey: I am terminating you because of the Clinton email investigation. That sounds believable, right? Luv ya bigly [sic]."
Watch all of the fake drafts to Comey's termination letter below:
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