What does ""on balance" it had."(3rd paragraph) mean?

Context
Former FBI Director James Comey, in his first television interview since special counsel Robert Mueller concluded his investigation, said the principal findings of the probe show President Donald Trump's blistering criticism of the FBI were lies and his attempt to destroy the agency had failed.

Comey, in an exclusive interview with NBC News, told "Nightly News" anchor Lester Holt that the release of Attorney General William Barr's summary of Mueller's investigation "establishes, I hope, to all people no matter where they are on the spectrum, that the FBI is not corrupt, not a nest of vipers, of spies, but an honest group of people trying to find out what is true."

Responding to Holt's question about whether the "damage to the reputation of the justice system, FBI in particular, been worth it," Comey replied that "on balance" it had.

"I don't think that we've seen in the history of our country, the president try to burn down an institution of justice because he saw it as a threat," Comey said. "And the lies he told, forget about me, the lies he told about the agents of the FBI, 'storm troopers,' the lies he told about Bob Mueller, were terrible."

"But in the long run, the institutions will be fine, because the American people know them and also know this president, know what he's like," Comey added. "I think the people of the United States are going to see what I know about the FBI: These are people who are not in anyone's tribe, they're trying to find the facts."

Question

What does ""on balance" it had."(3rd paragraph) mean?

Context>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Former FBI Director James Comey, in his first television interview since special counsel Robert Mueller concluded his investigation, said the principal findings of the probe show President Donald Trump's blistering criticism of the FBI were lies and his attempt to destroy the agency had failed.

Comey, in an exclusive interview with NBC News, told "Nightly News" anchor Lester Holt that the release of Attorney General William Barr's summary of Mueller's investigation "establishes, I hope, to all people no matter where they are on the spectrum, that the FBI is not corrupt, not a nest of vipers, of spies, but an honest group of people trying to find out what is true."

Responding to Holt's question about whether the "damage to the reputation of the justice system, FBI in particular, been worth it," Comey replied that "on balance" it had.

"I don't think that we've seen in the history of our country, the president try to burn down an institution of justice because he saw it as a threat," Comey said. "And the lies he told, forget about me, the lies he told about the agents of the FBI, 'storm troopers,' the lies he told about Bob Mueller, were terrible."

"But in the long run, the institutions will be fine, because the American people know them and also know this president, know what he's like," Comey added. "I think the people of the United States are going to see what I know about the FBI: These are people who are not in anyone's tribe, they're trying to find the facts."

ladybug · Accepted Answer

In answering the question about whether the damage was worth it, Comey's reply is that it was worth it, when you weigh/consider the pros and cons.  “On balance” = balancing the pluses and minuses, good and bad.

ladybug · Answer

@monica8 Comey didn't outright admit faults, but his answer reveals that he knows the FBI was at fault.  Comey's hatred for Trump seems to give Comey (in Comey's mind) permission to subvert justice, in the attempt to oust the president.  This comes back to his “on balance” comment:  FBI's tactics may have been despicable, but if they accomplish the goal of bringing down the elected president, then it will have been worth it (in Comey's mind).  This is an attempt to overthrow the 2016 election of the president; an attempt to overthrow the expressed will of the American people.

In answering the question about whether the damage was worth it, Comey's reply is that it was worth it, when you weigh/consider the pros and cons. “On balance” = balancing the pluses and minuses, good and bad.

In answering the question about whether the damage was worth it, Comey's reply is that it was worth it, when you weigh/consider the pros and cons. “On balance” = balancing the pluses and minuses, good and bad.

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