Former FBI Director James Comey speaking at Arlington National Cemetery in 2015.
Credit: Rachel Larue
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a former FBI special agent and special prosecutor for the federal government, released a statement on the outing of FBI Director James Comey Tuesday night.
The Republican freshman congressman acknowledged President Donald Trump’s legal ability to remove the FBI director, but added: “both the timing and reasoning for his removal clearly raise questions.”
Below is Fitzpatrick’s full statement:
“Jim Comey is a man of principle and integrity; I have stated that repeatedly in the past, and I feel the same way today. It was an honor of a lifetime to serve under his leadership as an FBI Supervisory Special Agent. At the FBI, all of my colleagues – regardless of our role – put the pursuit of the truth and the defense of our country above all else. Our mission was to uncover the facts, and to report those facts with unimpeachable integrity. In recent months, Director Comey found himself in the middle of partisan crossfire – being both praised and blamed by both parties. While the President clearly has the legal authority to remove the Director, both the timing and reasoning for his removal clearly raise questions. It is incumbent upon all of us, as Americans – regardless of party – to allow all of the facts to be revealed in a timely and thorough manner and to react accordingly based on those facts. That is precisely what we will do. At this time, it is critical to our national security that an independent leader be nominated to lead the FBI so that the agency can continue the very significant national security matters currently under investigation, without interruption. We shall not and will not accept anything less.”
