The reason the Trump administration gave for firing Mr. Comey this year is the exact
same reason for which Mr. Trump praised Mr. Comey last year: the former F. B.I.
Based on his repeated public comments lacerating Mrs. Clinton and praising Mr. Comey for reopening the investigation in October, there is no disputing the fact
that Mr. Trump personally rejects the core arguments that his aides are now giving for his firing of the F. B.I.
Indeed, in his letter informing Mr. Comey that he was fired, the president did not mention Mr. Comey’s handling of Mrs. Clinton’s email, but he did mention
that Mr. Comey has told him personally not once, not twice, but three times that he wasn’t the subject of the F. B.I.’s investigation.
It does not require great detective skill to see that there is something else is going on here and
that the something else involves the F. B.I.’s investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.
director: that Mr. Comey overstepped his role; that he disclosed information critical of Hillary Clinton in July when the F. B.I.
Don’t Be Complicit, Republicans -
President Trump’s firing of James Comey, the 7th director of the F.
For the record, it was in March that Mr. Comey confirmed in a congressional hearing that the F. B.I.
In fact, Mr. Trump’s animus toward Mrs. Clinton was so deep
that he endorsed the “lock her up” chants from his supporters and declared that “she has to go to jail.”
The president wanted Mr. Comey fired all right, but for reasons other than the one that was publicly stated.