Trump's White House says that Comey has been 'terminated and removed from office' based on the recommendations of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
- May 10, 2017
AceShowbiz - President Donald Trump has fired FBI Director James Comey. Trump's White House announced the shocking move in a statement released on Tuesday, May 9, saying that Comey was informed he's been "terminated and removed from office" based on "the clear recommendations of both Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
The statement continued, "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."
Of the shocking move, President Trump said, "The FBI is one of our nation's most cherished and respected institutions and today will mark a new beginning for our crown jewel of law enforcement." The search of a new FBI director was expected to begin "immediately," added the statement.
BREAKING: White House statement on firing of FBI Director Comey. pic.twitter.com/iV9ptQ32h9
— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) May 9, 2017
As to why Sessions recommended that Comey be dismissed, his letter to the POTUS said, "I have concluded that a fresh start is needed at the leadership of the FBI. It is essential that this Department of Justice clearly reaffirm its commitment to longstanding principals that ensure the integrity and fairness of federal investigations."
BREAKING: WH statement. Letter from Trump to Comey. And AG Sessions recommendation. pic.twitter.com/BPjIJ4MVvH
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) May 9, 2017
The unexpected White House statement on the termination came after the FBI corrected Comey's sworn testimony to Congress that top Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin had sent "hundreds and thousands" of emails to her husband's laptop, including some with classified information.
The agency claimed only "a small number" of the thousands of emails found on the laptop had been forwarded there, while most had simply been backed up from electronic devices. The apparent false statements came during an hour-long hearing, in which Comey was slammed for public comments made during the election season.
These included his claim from July that Clinton and her aides had been "extremely careless" in their handling of secret information. Comey's removal also came as the FBI was investigating Trump's link to Russia and the country's possible tampering in the U.S. election last year.
