Due to his handling of the Hilary Clinton email scandal, President Trump has fired F.B.I. director James Comey. This is the second major public official Trump has fired during his short time in the white house, the first being former attorney general Sally Q. Yates, who took a stance against Trump's travel ban. This is a surprising development for a president whose campaign benefitted from Comey's accusations, with many ultimately holding Comey responsible for the defeat of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.
According to the NY Times, Comey broke many longstanding policies and traditions by berating Clinton publically, calling her "careless" for her handling of classified emails and later reopening the investigation during a pivotal point in the campaign for the presidency. Trump applauded Comey, saying his actions "took guts" and "brought back his reputation", only to now condemn his actions, stating:
“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... It is essential that we find new leadership for the F.B.I. that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission."
The firing of Comey raises questions as to whether Trump is trying to sway the investigation into whether members of his campaign conspired with Russia to influence the election, though Trump has attributed it to recommendations from the Justice Department.
Thoughts?
Source: NYTimes
