Trump ties to Russia must be investigated
Of course any
First it was New York U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara who was ousted (after being told he’d be retained). Then Acting Attorney General Sally Yates was fired after alerting the White House that National Security Adviser Michael Flynn could be compromised due to his ties with Russia. And yet Mr. Flynn was not fired until nearly three weeks later (explained by reference to Mr. Flynn’s misleading Vice President Mike Pence).
The latest “you’re fired” was FBI Director James Comey, who happened to be investigating ties between the Trump administration and Russia. Naturally, the president denies any connection with Russia — something his closely guarded federal income tax returns could well corroborate ... or contradict.
By way of relevant backdrop, Mr. Trump’s secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, had received Russia’s highest honor bestowed on foreign citizens. And candidate Trump’s campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, had substantial ties with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. In 2008 Donald Trump Jr. admitted, “We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.” Withal, his dad may be well suited to being addressed as “Comrade” but not “Mr. President.” WILLIAM J. BROWN
Squirrel Hill
TheJames Comey firing reminded me of my experience years ago creating a new quality plan for my division of a company. The general manager thought I was taking too long and thundered to wrap it up.I did and got promoted.
Surely President Donald Trump, a former businessman used to setting deadlines and expecting them to be kept, was obviously growing impatient with the ninemonth Russia investigation and wanted it wrapped up. FBI Director Comey, with his wheels of justice turning slowly in the background, had a different perspective. He gave no indication, at least to me, of any urgency. He knew he reported through to the president but may have thought he was politically insulated.
A while back, Kimberley Strassel, a Wall Street Journal columnist, facetiously wondered if the FBI director had a boss. He did. JAMES DONOVAN
Murrysville