President Donald Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday, stunning Washington and raising questions about the president’s motive.
Comey had been leading the investigation into whether or not Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign worked with Russia to influence the election.
Some Democrats quickly compared the move to former President Richard Nixon’s firing of a special prosecutor investigating the Watergate scandal in 1973, which has become known as the “Saturday Night Massacre.”
Here are some of the reactions to Comey’s firing from Democrats and Republicans:
“Earlier this afternoon, President Trump called me and informed me he was firing Director Comey. I told the president: ‘Mr. President, with all due respect, you are making a big mistake’ . . . Given the way the president has fired Director Comey, any person who he appoints to lead the Russia investigation will be concerned that he or she will meet the same fate as Director Comey if they run afoul of the administration.” — Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer in remarks to reporters
“No one should accept President Trump’s absurd justification that he is now concerned that FBI Director Comey treated Secretary Clinton unfairly. . . . This is nothing less than Nixonian.” — Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy in a statement
“Given the recent controversies surrounding the director, I believe a fresh start will serve the FBI and the nation well.” — Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in a statement
“James Comey is a man of honor and integrity and he has led the FBI well in extraordinary circumstances. I have long called for a special congressional committee to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. The president’s decision to remove the FBI director only confirms the need and the urgency of such a committee.” — Republican Sen. John McCain in a statement
“The president’s sudden and brazen firing of the FBI director raises the ghosts of some of the worst executive branch abuses. We cannot stand by and watch a cover up of the possible collusion with a hostile foreign power to undermine American democracy. The interests of justice demand Congress act immediately to create an independent, bipartisan commission to pursue the Trump-Russia investigation free from the administration’s attempts to silence it.” — Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi in a statement
“Today’s action by President Trump completely obliterates any semblance of an independent investigation into Russian efforts to influence our election and places our nation on the verge of a constitutional crisis.” — Democratic Rep. John Conyers in a statement
“Over the course of the last several months, Director Comey’s decisions on controversial matters have prompted concern from across the political spectrum and from career law enforcement experts.” — Republican Sen. Charles Grassley in a statement
“This is an important move to restore public confidence in the fair administration of justice at the federal level. Mr. Comey did not seem to understand some of the laws he was asked to investigate and unfortunately politicized his sensitive position as the FBI director.” — Conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch
