Might support independent investigation, Rep. Faso says
In the wake of FBI Director James Comey being fired, U.S. Rep. John Faso said Wednesday that he might support the appointment of an independent investigator to examine possible meddling by Russia in the 2016 presidential election.
Comey was fired by President Donald Trump on Tuesday in the midst of investigating whether Trump campaign aides colluded with Russia last year.
Faso, R-Kinderhook, said in a statement issued by his office early Wednesday that the Comey firing “was shocking in that the FBI has an ongoing investigation into Russian efforts to influence the U.S. elections last year.”
“The public must have absolute confidence that the FBI investigation will be thorough and result in a complete resolution of that question regardless of the outcome,” the statement continued. “The facts must be known.”
In the phone interview, however, Faso would not say if he thought the firing had anything to do with the Russia probe. That would be “purely speculation,” he said.
Faso said in the written statement that whoever Republican Trump nominates to replace Comey needs support from both parties in the Senate.
“It is incumbent upon the administration to nominate a new FBI director who will be someone of unquestioned integrity and experience, acceptable to both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate, to lead this critical agency on the Russian investigation and all other matters coming before it,” Faso said in his written statement. “If the nominee does not pass that test, then the only alternative in my view would be the selection of an independent investigator to get to the bottom of this matter once and for all.”
Faso, in his statement,
also referred to misleading statements Comey made in testimony last week before a congressional committee.
“His statements the other day before a congressional committee regarding Huma Abedin’s emails were perhaps the final misstep he has made in this regard,” Faso said.
Comey told the Senate Judiciary Committee last week that Abedin, a former Clinton aide, forwarded “hundreds and thousands” of emails to the computer of former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, Abedin’s husband at the time. On Tuesday, the FBI sent the committee a letter that said, in fact, only “a small number” of the emails were forwarded to Weiner by Abedin.
Other New York political figures also weighed in on the Comey firing.
State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman said in a prepared statement Tuesday night that he had no doubt about the impact of Comey’s firing on the Russia investigations.
“The president’s actions today threaten both critical investigations now underway, and the integrity and independence of the FBI, which is a critical partner to my office and to law-enforcement agencies across the country,” said Schneiderman, a Democrat. “It is now clear that we need a special prosecutor to investigate interference by the Russian government into our presidential election and any potential ties to the Trump
campaign or campaign associates”
U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-Cold Spring, reacted similarly.
“For the second time in U.S. history, an American president has fired the director of the FBI,” Maloney said in a prepared statement. “It’s a Tuesday night massacre. This raises as many questions as it answers, and the public deserves a real explanation from the president.
“I only have two words,” Maloney wrote. “Independent investigation.”
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., meanwhile was criticized by Trump for comments the Democrat made about the dismissal.
Trump had telephoned Schumer earlier to inform
him of the decision. Schumer said he told Trump that “you are making a big mistake.” Schumer also questioned why the firing occurred when it did and wondered whether investigations into the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Russia were “getting too close for the president.”
Schumer said unless a special prosecutor is named, Americans could rightfully wonder whether the move was “part of a cover-up.”
Trump fired back with a tweet: “Cryin’ Chuck Schumer stated recently, ‘I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer.’ Then acts so indignant.”