Troubling is that the AG was supposed to recuse himself from investigations into Russian interference that was led by Director Comey. That is more than an awkward chain-of-command issue because Sessions is a likely subject of the inquiry.
Beyond that, the main problem comes from the content of Donald Trump's letter to Comey in which Trump attempts to exonerate himself by claims of Comey's having met with him several times stating that Trump was not a target. Also, Trump's campaign rhetoric repeatedly praised the actions on which Trump ultimately fired Comey.
Transparent to even the most unenlightened Americans is that Trump is conflicted and that his action is one of executive abuse and interference as well as obstruction of justice.
Republican and Democratic leaders are denouncing the manner and timing of the Comey firing, and many are calling for a Special Prosecutor.
Also, Trump will be in a position to hire a new FBI Director subject to Senate approval. Since FBI investigations fall under that chain-of-command, there will be a cloud of suspicion.
One remedy is for the appointment of a special prosecutor that is determined and selected by a bipartisan committee of Congress.
Still, the actions by Donald Trump are highly irregular and inappropriate under the circumstances. For the same logic that he decided to remove Comey, he should step down from the office of President.
Comey's firing is a hiccup from which the burp may well lead to Trump's impeachment sooner than later.
U.S. President Donald Trump takes his seat to host a meeting with cyber security experts in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., January 31, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
GOP Intelligence chairman troubled by Trump's firing of FBI director
ReplyDeleteSenate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said Tuesday he is “troubled by the timing and reasoning” of President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey.
The chairman is leading a Senate investigation into Russia’s influence over the 2016 presidential election.
thehill@email.thehill.com
Mother Jones
ReplyDeleteNEWS ALERT
We Are in Watergate Territory Now
Donald Trump's Nixonian firing of the FBI director creates a crisis.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Federal prosecutors have issued grand jury subpoenas to associates of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn seeking business records, as part of the ongoing probe of Russian meddling in last year's election, according to people familiar with the matter. CNN learned of the subpoenas hours before President Donald Trump fired FBI director James Comey.
ReplyDeleteThe subpoenas represent the first sign of a significant escalation of activity in the FBI's broader investigation begun last July into possible ties between Trump campaign associates and Russia.
CNN
ReplyDeleteAfter Trump fired Comey, White House staff scrambled to explain the bombshell news
For more than three hours Tuesday night, White House press secretary Sean Spicer and his staff had been scrambling to answer why President Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey. Spicer had wanted to announce the news in an emailed statement but it was not transmitting quickly enough, so he ended up standing in the doorway of the press office around 5:40 p.m. and shouting a statement to reporters who happened to be nearby. He then vanished for several hours. Late Tuesday night, Spicer agreed to talk to reporters, as long as he was not filmed doing so. Here is what happened when the TV cameras and lights were turned off.
The Washington Post