Internal surveys show Comey highly respected as FBI leader

FBI agents gave former Director James Comey high marks during his tenure, according to internal surveys obtained by The Associated Press.

The surveys appear to contradict the White House’s claims that Comey had lost the support of the FBI’s rank and file when he was fired by President Trump.

The annual anonymous surveys ask participants about workplace conditions and leadership within the organization.

Participants are asked to rate the director on a scale of one to five. Anything over a 3.81 average is considered successful, according to NBC News.

{mosads}Comey received a 4.74 average when employees were asked to rate their “trust and confidence in this person as a leader.”

Agents gave Comey a 4.48 score when asked if they would choose to work with him again.

The surveys go against the White House’s clams that Comey was highly unpopular in the bureau.

Trump fired Comey as director in May and said that the agency was in disarray under his leadership.

“He’s a showboat. He’s a grandstander. The FBI has been in turmoil, you know that, I know that, everybody knows that,” Trump told NBC’s Lester Holt.

“You take a look at the FBI a year ago, it was in virtual turmoil, less than a year ago. It hasn’t recovered from that,” he continued.

At the time, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway also said that “integrity and morale” were down at the FBI under Comey.

Former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe also contradicted those White House claims publicly.

“Director Comey enjoyed broad support within the FBI and still does to this day,” McCabe told senators during a hearing in May.