Photo shows James Comey testifying before the House Intelligence Committee, March 20, 2017 Credit: Screenshot/Official House Committee YouTube video
President Donald Trump on Tuesday dismissed James Comey from the position of Director Federal Bureau of Investigation, concurring with recommendation of the Justice Department which found Comey’s performance on various occasions as inconsistent with traditions, particularly on the issue of probe into the Hillary Clinton’s email scandal.
The move comes amidst ongoing counterintelligence investigation into Trump campaigns’ contacts with the Russians during the 2016 election season, and has invoked concern from Democrats and some Republicans over the future of the probe since Comey was heading the probe.
“Today, President Donald J. Trump informed FBI Director James Comey that he has been terminated and removed from office. President Trump acted based on the clear recommendations of both Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions,” a White House statement said.
The statement by Press Secretary Sean Spicer immediately touched off a storm of reactions from the Capitol Hill.
While Democrats had been previously critical of Comey’s revelation of another probe into Hillary Clinton’s use of private email account on the eve of election, they raised questions about the timing of the Trump Administration’s firing of the FBI chief.
“The first question the administration has to answer is, why now?” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “If the administration had objections to the way Director Comey handled the Clinton investigation, they had those objections the minute the president got into office. But they didn’t fire him then. Why did it happen today?”
“I am troubled by the timing and reasoning of Director Comey’s termination,” said Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is also looking into the question of Russian interference in the American political process. “I have found Director Comey to be a public servant of the highest order, and his dismissal further confuses an already difficult investigation by the Committee.”
But the White House defended the decision.
According to a White House statement, Trump said “The FBI is one of our Nation’s most cherished and respected institutions and today will mark a new beginning for our crown jewel of law enforcement,” the president said in the statement.
Convey his decision to fire th FBI chief, Trump told Comey: “While I greatly appreciate you informing me. on three separate occasions. that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau.”
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that Comey’s deputy, Andrew McCabe, would be the acting director of the FBI.
