Special prosecutor gets support
Ohio lawmakers weigh in on Comey firing, Russia ties.
The fallout continued over Tuesday’s firing of FBI Director James Comey by President Donald Trump, and at least one Ohio Republican lawmaker said he would support a special prosecutor to examine links between the White House and Russia a demand made by — Democrats in the wake of the firing.
Columbus area Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Genoa Twp., said he would support such a move if the House and Senate intelligence committees decide a special prosecutor is needed.
“There are many questions about Director Comey’s firing that the White House needs to answer,” said Tiberi. “That said, I continue to support the ongoing bipartisan investigations into Russia in both the House and Senate intelligence committees to examine the facts and follow the evidence where it leads. If the leaders of these committees together determine that a special prosecutor is warranted, I would support that decision.”
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, also questioned Trump’s decision.
“Given the timing and circumstances of the decision, I believe the White House should provide a fuller explanation regarding the president’s rationale,” the Ohio Republican said. “The American people must have faith in a strong, independent FBI.”
Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Cincinnati, said: “The timing of the dismissal raises a number of questions.” He called for “a clear explanation” and for the administration to lay out how they’ll handle investigations that had been under Comey’s direction.
The offices of other Ohio Republicans made statements that seemed to back Trump’s decision.
“I know he trusts the President’s decision and isn’t going to feed into political or partisan gossip regarding why,” said Kelsey Knight, a spokeswoman for Rep. Jim Renacci, R-Wadsworth, who is running for governor.
Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Marietta, said: “This president, like any president, is free to hire and fire appointees to federal agencies.”
In the confusing nature of politics in Washington, some Democrats had been calling for Comey’s firing since last year’s election, believing he cost Democrat Hillary Clinton the presidency when he announced just before the election that the FBI had reopened its investigation of Clinton’s emails.
But almost immediately after the firing, Democrats accused the president of dismissing the FBI director because of his investigation of the Trump administration’s ties to Russia, and called on Congress to bring in a special prosecutor to investigate.
In a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said he’d spent the morning talking to senators from both parties about the issue.
“Everyone’s concerned about what Trump’s connections with the oligarchs and Putin and Russia are,” he said. “Everybody wants to get to the bottom of this, particularly the rank and file Republican and Democratic senators.”
Just about everyone on Wednesday said it’s important that the country have an independent FBI that is free from influence by the White House.
“Director Comey unquestionably led divisive and complex investigations, and it is essential that the next Director of the FBI inspire confidence in the rule of law,” said Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Troy. “I look forward to reviewing the facts in question and seeing justice preeminent at the Justice Department.”
Brown said few in the Senate trust Trump to replace Comey with someone that’s “fair minded.” An early morning story that Trump might name former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, he said, was “almost laughable.”