CONYERS: Trump’s Nixonian Comey Firing is a Clear Cover Up

Washington, DC – Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Ranking Member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, issued the following statement in response to Trump abruptly firing FBI Director James Comey:

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

“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.   There is little doubt that the President’s actions harken our nation back to Watergate and the “Saturday Night Massacre.” This decision makes it clear that we must have an independent, non-partisan commission to investigate both Russian interference in the U.S. election and allegations of collusion between the government of Vladimir Putin and the Trump campaign.  Today’s actions reek of a cover up and appear to be part of an ongoing effort by the Trump White House to impede the investigation into Russian ties and interference in our elections.

“I am particularly concerned that President Trump fired Director Comey based in part on the recommendation of Attorney General Sessions--who was forced to recuse himself from the underlying investigation based on his own actions and misconduct.  This shocking decision by the President is beyond the pale and itself warrants independent inquiry and hearings, and reinforces the need for the Attorney General himself to step down given his own obvious and ongoing conflicts. 

“Though we may not have always agreed with James Comey, he was critical to overseeing the ongoing investigation into Russian interference with the 2016 election. The Administration’s after-the-fact efforts to rationalize this blatantly self-serving political firing--by complaining about the manner Director Comey handled the investigation into Secretary Clinton’s emails—is too cute by half and does not even pass the smell test.”

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