which deputy attorney general wrote letter recommending comey be fired

Who was the Acting FBI director after Comey was fired?

May 10, 2017 · image caption Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein penned the memo recommending Comey's dismissal

When did Trump announce his dismissal of Comey?

May 09, 2017 · Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein wrote a letter in which he detailed why James Comey should be removed from his role. Thu, Feb 17, 2022 LOGIN Subscribe for $1

Did president Trump fire James Comey?

May 18, 2017 · WASHINGTON ― Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein already knew the president was going to fire FBI Director James Comey before he wrote a memo recommending the director’s termination, senators said he told them in a private briefing Thursday.

Should Comey have turned his findings over to federal prosecution?

Image caption Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein penned the memo recommending Comey's dismissal . President Donald Trump followed the recommendation of his deputy attorney general when he fired FBI boss James Comey. What did Rod Rosenstein say? This is his letter in full. Memorandum for the Attorney General. FROM: Rod J Rosenstein

What did Rosenstein say about the FBI?

On Tuesday, Rosenstein detailed his case in a letter, titled "Restoring public confidence in the FBI, " and sent it to Sessions earlier in the day. "The FBI's reputation and credibility have suffered substantial damage, and it has affected the entire Department of Justice. That is deeply troubling to many Department employees and veterans, legislators and citizens," Rosenstein said. "I cannot defend the directors handling of the conclusion of the investigation of Secretary Clinton's emails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly universal judgment that he was mistaken."

When did Comey testify?

FBI Director James Comey arrives to testify before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 3. The White House removed him from his role Tuesday. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Why was James Comey criticized?

Comey had been criticized in 2016 for his handling of the FBI 's investigation of the Hillary Clinton email controversy and in 2017 for the FBI's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections as it related to alleged collusion with Trump's presidential campaign.

What did Rosenstein say about Comey?

On May 8, 2017, Trump directed Attorney General Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein to provide advice and input in writing. On Trump's direction, on May 9, Rosenstein prepared and delivered a memorandum to Sessions relating to Comey (Sessions and Rosenstein had already begun considering whether to dismiss Comey months earlier). Rosenstein's memorandum said that the "reputation and credibility" of the FBI had been damaged under Comey's tenure, and the memo presented critical quotes from several former attorneys general in previously published op-eds; Rosenstein concluded that their "nearly unanimous opinions" were that Comey's handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation was "wrong." In his memo, Rosenstein asserted that the FBI must have "a Director who understands the gravity of the mistakes and pledges never to repeat them." He ended with an argument against keeping Comey as FBI director, on the grounds that he was given an opportunity to "admit his errors" but that there is no hope that he will "implement the necessary corrective actions." Rosenstein also criticized Comey on two other grounds: for usurping the prerogative of the Justice Department and the Attorney General in his July 2016 public statements announcing the closure of the investigation into Clinton's emails, and for making derogatory comments about Clinton in that same meeting. Both of these actions, he argued, were in conflict with longstanding FBI practice. To Comey's previous defense that Attorney General Loretta Lynch had a conflict of interest, Rosenstein argued that in such a case, it is the duty of the Attorney General to recuse herself, and that there is a process for another Justice Department official to take over her duties.

When was James Comey fired?

Dismissal of James Comey. James Comey, the seventh Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), was fired by U.S. President Donald Trump on May 9, 2017. Comey had been criticized in 2016 for his handling of the FBI 's investigation of the Hillary Clinton email controversy and in 2017 for the FBI's investigation ...

Who appointed James Comey to the FBI?

Bush administration as Deputy Attorney General. He was appointed FBI Director by President Barack Obama. Comey was confirmed by the Senate in 2013 by a vote of 93–1.

Did James Comey testify to Congress?

In January 2017, Comey testified to Congress confirming Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections and confirmed an ongoing investigation, although he refused to comment specifically on the Trump organization. President-elect Trump stated his intention to keep Comey as the FBI director.

Why did Comey fire Trump?

On June 7, 2017, during an interview with MSNBC, House Speaker Paul Ryan stated that it's "obviously" inappropriate for the president to ask the FBI director for loyalty. According to sources, Comey's unwillingness to offer personal loyalty to Trump was one of the reasons for the firing.

What did Comey say about the FBI?

Comey, in his testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee on June 8, objected strongly to Trump's description of the FBI as "in disarray" and "poorly led". "The administration chose to defame me, and more importantly the FBI," Comey said. "Those were lies, plain and simple.".

Was James Comey fired?

U.S. James Comey FBI Donald Trump Fired. Just hours after the FBI sent a letter Tuesday to the Senate Judiciary Committee clarifying his testimony in relation to the Hillary Clinton email scandal , FBI Director James Comey was fired. "Today, President Donald J. Trump informed FBI Director James Comey that he has been terminated ...

What does Rosenstein say about Comey's departure?

Rosenstein cites several attorneys general and other authorities who decried Comey's actions as a "departure from the department's widely respected, nonpartisan traditions." Rosenstein writes that "we should reject the departure and return to the traditions."

When did James Comey testify?

FBI Director James Comey testifies before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on "Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., May 3, 2017. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters. Just hours after the FBI sent a letter Tuesday to the Senate Judiciary Committee clarifying his testimony in relation to ...

Did Comey give a news conference?

Rosenstein writes that Comey should not have given a news conference last July recommending that Clinton, who used a private email server while secretary of state, not face criminal charges. The deputy attorney general writes that Comey should have turned his findings over to federal prosecutors. He also takes issue with Comey's decision to send a letter just days before the November election revealing newly discovered Clinton emails. "When federal agents and prosecutors quietly open a criminal investigation, we are not concealing anything; we are simply following the longstanding policy that we refrain from publicizing non-public information," the letter states.

Did Obama wiretap his phone?

The president recently accused his predecessor, Barack Obama, of wiretapping his phones during the campaign. Comey has shut down this allegation, explaining that Obama could not order a wiretap of anyone's phone unchecked.

Overview

Dismissal

Background

Post-dismissal

FBI investigation of Russian interference

Reactions from Congress

Commentary

Testimony