How NY and NJ Representatives Are Responding to Comey's Firing

By
The Associated Press
and
WNYC Newsroom
WNYC News | May 10, 2017

President Donald Trump has defended his firing of FBI Director James Comey, asserting in a flurry of tweets Wednesday that Republicans and Democrats "will be thanking me."

Are they?

While Comey has drawn anger from Democrats since he reopened the email investigation in the closing days of last year's campaign, they didn't buy that justification for his firing. Several Republicans joined them in raising alarms of how it could affect probes into possible coordination between Trump associates and Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

In one of the strongest statements by Republicans, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, said, "I am troubled by the timing and reasoning of Director Comey's termination."

"His dismissal further confuses an already difficult investigation by the committee," Burr said.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer told Trump in a phone call he thought dumping Comey was a mistake. On Wednesday, Trump labeled the Senate minority leader "'Cryin' Chuck Schumer.'"

On the floor of the Senate Wednesday morning, Schumer renewed calls for an independent prosecutor. He said Comey's firing continued a troubling pattern.

"This administration has now removed several law enforcement officials in a position to conduct independent investigations of the president and his administration," he said, "from Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, to Preet Bharara, and now, Jim Comey."

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona said Congress must form a special committee to investigate Russia's interference in the election.

Here's what lawmakers from the New York City area are saying:

Rep. Lee Zeldin (D-NY 1st District)

 "James Comey was in an incredibly challenging situation last year with so many factors and enormous pressures coming down to bear on him and his agency from the highest levels and with the highest stakes. Ultimately, President Trump's decision does in fact present the Bureau with a fresh start and the type of new beginning that has enormous potential to restore any broken trust wherever it may exist. While I too had questioned some of the decisions made last year, I truly wish Director Comey and his family the absolute best as he moves forward in a life that has been filled with so much selfless service to our great country."

 

Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-NY 3rd District)

 

Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY 4th District)

 

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY 5th District)

 

Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY 6th District)

 

Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY 7th District)

 

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY 8th District)

 

Rep. Yvette D. Clark (D-NY 9th District)

 

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY 10th District) 

 

Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY 11th District) 

 

Statement from Rep. Dan Donovan
(via Donovan's website)

 

Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY 12th District)

 

 Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY 13th District)

 

Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY 14th District)

 

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY 16th District)

 

Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY 17th District)

 

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY 18th District)

 

Rep. John Faso (R-NY 19th District) 

 

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

 

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) 

 

Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ 1st District)

 

Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ 2nd District)

 

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ 6th District)

 

Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ 8th District)

 

Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ 9th District)

 

Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ 10th District) 

 

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NY)

 

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ)

 

While Democrats from the area have mostly echoed the same line--that a special prosecutor is needed to investigate the potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign--some local Republicans have been less than vocal on the issue in the past 24 hours.

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