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U.S. senators from New Jersey on the firing of James Comey

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President Donald Trump (R) fired Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey on May 9, 2017. Trump stated in a letter that he no longer had confidence in Comey's ability to lead the agency.[1]

HIGHLIGHTS
  • President Donald Trump (R) fired FBI Director James Comey on May 9, 2017.
  • Comey's firing occurred in the midst of the FBI's investigation into Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential election.
  • According to the memo recommending his removal, Comey's firing stemmed from his handling of the investigation into former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's private email server.
  • On May 16, 2017, The New York Times reported that Comey had penned a memo documenting a conversation in which Trump allegedly asked Comey to halt an investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.

    • Comey's dismissal occurred after Trump received a memo from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to Attorney General Jeff Sessions recommending Comey's removal. According to the memo, Rosenstein recommended Comey's ouster due to what Rosenstein and his colleagues viewed as mistaken actions taken by Comey during the course of the investigation into former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's private email server. Trump later stated that he had lost confidence in Comey's ability to lead the agency and had made the decision to fire Comey prior to receiving the memo. According to White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the memo was the "final straw that pushed [Trump]" to remove Comey from the post.[2][3]

    Comey's dismissal sparked varying responses from congressional members. Many Democrats and Republicans expressed concern over the firing in light of the FBI's ongoing investigation into Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential election. Others supported Trump's decision, stating that he had acted within his authority as president and citing many Democrats' prior condemnations of Comey during the course of the Clinton email investigation. Comey's removal also sparked calls from a number of Democrats to appoint a special prosecutor to lead the FBI's Russia investigation.[2][3]

    On May 16, 2017, The New York Times reported that Comey had penned a memo documenting a conversation in which Trump allegedly asked Comey to halt an investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. The report generated additional responses by congressional members.[4]

    U.S. Senators from New Jersey on the firing of James Comey

    Cory Booker (D)

    U.S. Senator Cory Booker issued the following statement in response to Comey's firing on May 9, 2017:

    “ The President of the United States just fired the person who was investigating his campaign, which should set off alarm bells across the country. The last time a presidential firing raised this many questions, America was in the middle of the Watergate crisis.

    For months, I’ve been calling for an independent special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the US election. The need is even more urgent now.

    The Russians undermined our election. How exactly they were able to do that with so much success is a question we need to answer – to prevent a similar attack in the future and hold those responsible accountable. In order to give the American people full confidence in this investigation, it should be handled by an independent counsel who does not answer to President Trump.

    Past nominees to be FBI director have enjoyed broad bipartisan support for their confirmation. The next pick should be no exception.[5][6]

    		”

    Bob Menendez (D)

    U.S. Senator Bob Menendez made the following comments on Comey's firing via Twitter:

    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ The New York Times, "F.B.I. Director James Comey Is Fired by Trump," May 9, 2017
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 CNN, "Trump: I was going to fire Comey regardless of DOJ recommendation," May 11, 2017
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 NPR, "'I Will Be Fine,' Comey Reportedly Tells FBI Agents In Farewell Letter," May 10, 2017
    4. ↑ The Atlantic, "The House Demands to See the Comey Memos," May 16, 2017
    5. ↑ U.S. Senator Cory Booker, "Booker Statement on Comey Firing," May 9, 2017
    6. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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