If President Donald Trump was hoping congressional Republicans would support him in his effort to discredit former FBI Director James Comey, he’s probably pretty disappointed, as GOP Senator have publicly backed the ex-FBI chief, Politico reports.
Senator Lindsey Graham said Trump might bring down his own presidency and Senator James Lankford stated that Trump’s interactions with Comey were “very inappropriate”. Senator Susan Collins said that it’s unclear whether Trump’s actions toward Comey, leading to his abrupt firing on May 9, amounted to a crime.
Republican lawmakers showed varying degrees of concern throughout the media about Trump’s handling of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, and his decision to fire Comey in the midst of that probe. Though many contended the reaction to Comey’s testimony was overblown, most said Trump had acted improperly, even if it was out of naivety and not malice, Politico comments.
In his testimony, Comey told the Senate Intelligence Committee that in several meetings prior to his ouster, Trump asked him to help “lift the cloud” of the Russia inquiry and, in the most damaging instance, said he hoped Comey would “let go” of his related investigation of former national security adviser and as he said “good guy” Michael Flynn.
Since Comey testified Thursday before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Trump has repeatedly questioned the former FBI director’s credibility, as he began attacking him as a “leaker” and suggested Sunday that his decision to make his concerns public, could be illegal.
But even Trump’s most loyal Republican defenders declined to directly back up that claim on Sunday. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr had strong praise for Comey after his testimony.
“I want to say personally on behalf of all the committee members we’re grateful for your service to the country not just in your capacity as FBI director but as prosecutor, and more importantly being somebody that loves this country enough to tell it like it is,” Burr told the former FBI chief.
Meanwhile, the Democrats have started making suggestions that Trump may have obstructed justice by allegedly pressuring Comey away from the Flynn probe, Politico adds. Most on Sunday cautiously addressed the issue, noting that special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe would get to the bottom of that question.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said that he intends to invite Trump to testify publicly and under oath before the Senate, as Trump himself said Friday he would be willing to defend himself in public testimony. But Schumer’s request seems unlikely to materialize anytime soon, Politico writes.
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