Mich. Dems seek independent Russia probe

Mich. Dems seek independent Russia probe

President Donald Trump's abrupt dismissal of FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday prompted a wave of calls for an independent Russia investigation from Democratic lawmakers, while two Michigan GOP congressmen said they would consider it.

Michigan's senior congressional Republican, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton of St. Joseph, said in a statement he would "support a special prosecutor at the appropriate time," but remained "hopeful that the existing bipartisan congressional committees in the House and Senate can find answers for the many questions."

Upton also urged Trump to select an FBI director replacement who would "restore the public confidence immediately."

Several Michigan Democrats, including Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow and Reps. Dan Kildee and John Conyers Jr., renewed their requests for an independent, nonpartisan panel to investigate Russian interference in the U.S. election and allegations of collusion between the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Trump campaign.

"I was shocked as to the firing and to have it occur without really any substantial reasons. I am very concerned, given the fact that Mr. Comey and the FBI were in the midst of an investigation into the Trump administration's possible collusion with the Russians," Peters said at the U.S. Capitol.

"We need to have more answers. I think it's troubling when you had Attorney General Sessions involved in this decision, given the fact that he's recused himself from the Russian investigation."

Rep. Jack Bergman, a Watersmeet Republican who is a retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant general, said he "shared concerns that have been expressed on both sides of the aisle about the timing of Director Comey's dismissal."

But he said focus now for the FBI and other agencies is "carrying out their specific missions free from political influence and with the full confidence of the American people. To that end, I trust that the Administration will be diligent in selecting a new Director of the FBI."

Trump fired Comey after Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein recommended the dismissal over "serious mistakes" in the investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's private email server and doing "substantial damage" to the FBI's reputation.

In a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Rosenstein also criticized Comey for improperly usurping then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch's authority by announcing in July that the Clinton case would be closed without prosecution.

He said Comey compounded the mistake by ignoring longstanding Bureau practice and releasing "derogatory information about the subject of a declined criminal investigation" at a news conference.

Trump issued a different assessment of Comey last fall when campaigning Oct. 31 in Grand Rapids, where he praised the FBI director as "gutsy" after Comey said he would review newly discovered emails related to Clinton's server.

Trump previously criticized Comey for not prosecuting Clinton but said at the Grand Rapids campaign rally, "I have to give the FBI credit."

"That was so bad what happened originally, and it took guts for Director Comey to make the move that he made in light of the kind of opposition he had where they're trying to protect her from criminal prosecution," Trump said. "It took a lot of guts."

Among the names being floated as candidates for FBI director is former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, a Howell Republican who is a former FBI agent and former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

For a time, Rogers advised the Trump transition team on national security issues. But he told WJR's Paul W. Smith he had not heard from the Trump administration as of Wednesday morning.

"The administration is going to need to move fairly quickly on a consensus candidate. This creates a little bit of turmoil, as we can all see and imagine, not only in the ranks of the FBI ... but we need a little calming factor, a little leadership, and a little less spotlight for the FBI director running to the microphone every time he has a pain about some political fluttering out there," Rogers said. "I think that's what got Jim Comey in trouble."

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, led by ranking member Conyers of Detroit, sent letters to the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI late Tuesday demanding the agencies preserve all investigative documents and their materials related to the Russia probe and Comey's firing and to place them "off limits" to all White House officials and staff.

Conyers said that, while Democrats didn't always agree with Comey, he was critical to the ongoing investigation into Russian interference with the 2016 election. The administration's rationale for his "blatantly self-serving" dismissal -- by focusing on Comey's handling of the investigation into Clinton's emails — "is too cute by half and does not even pass the smell test."

"There is little doubt that the President's actions harken our nation back to Watergate and the ‘Saturday Night Massacre,'" Conyers said in a statement, referring to President Richard Nixon's order to fire the Watergate independent prosecutor in 1973.

"Today's actions reek of a cover-up and appear to be part of an ongoing effort by the Trump White House to impede the investigation into Russian ties and interference in our elections."

GOP Rep. Justin Amash, who represents the Grand Rapids area, tweeted that part of Trump's letter dismissing Comey was "bizarre" and said his staff was studying legislation to establish an independent probe on Russia.

Amash appeared to be highlighting the part of Trump's four-paragraph letter in which he wrote: "While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau."

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, said Comey's firing is particularly troubling, as he had recently sought more resources to ramp up his agency's Russia probe and was slated to testify Thursday before the Senate intelligence committee.

The Russians "must be thrilled that the president of the United States has now fired the FBI director over a situation they helped to create," Stabenow said.

"I have no confidence the attorney general will be involved in appointing anyone who is objective, and if they were objective and proceeded with the investigation, I have every confidence they would fired, as well. We need someone independent, above partisan politics. This is not about Democrats and Republicans. This is about Americans versus the Russians."

Kildee of Flint Township noted on Twitter that Trump also fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates and former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara.

"What do they have in common? They were investigating Trump. #TrumpRussia," he tweeted.

Rep. Paul Mitchell, R-Dryden, said it was Trump's decision to fire Comey, and he did not receive details about the dismissal beyond what was publicly available.

"There are four separate bipartisan committees conducting their own investigations into potential ties with Russia," Mitchell said. "These investigations must and will continue regardless of Comey's dismissal, and we must allow them to conclude before making conjectures about what may have transpired."

Rep. Dave Trott, R-Birmingham, argues the next director needs to restore Americans' confidence in the independent and nonpartisan investigative ability of the FBI.

"Rep. Trott is committed to ensuring the men and women of the FBI who selflessly serve our nation have a director with an unwavering commitment to impartiality who will lead their unparalleled organization in its important mission to defend our nation," spokeswoman Katie Vincentz said.

In a statement, Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, sidestepped a question about the Russian investigation.

"Congressman Bishop has spoken with Director Comey on multiple occasions since coming to Congress and appreciated his input on important intelligence and security matters," Bishop spokeswoman Kelli Ford said Wednesday.

"Moving forward, Congressman Bishop wants to ensure the next director can lead with the integrity and confidence this top-notch agency is known for. There is no place for politics at the FBI."

On the Senate floor, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell noted that, just a short time ago, Democrats were hammering Comey's investigation into the Democratic presidential candidate's emails and even called for Comey's resignation.

"This is what we have now, Mr. President: Our Democratic colleagues complaining about the removal of an FBI director whom they themselves repeatedly and sharply criticized," McConnell said. That removal was "for many of the reasons they consistently complained about."

McConnell accused Democrats of partisan motives and said a new investigation "could only serve to impede the current work being done to not only discover what the Russians may have done, also to let this body and the national security community develop countermeasures and war-fighting doctrine to see that it doesn't happen again."

For his part, Trump tweeted Wednesday morning that lawmakers would thank him later.

"Comey lost the confidence of almost everyone in Washington, Republican and Democrat alike. When things calm down, they will be thanking me!" Trump said on Twitter.

Trump met Wednesday morning at the White House with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

While in a separate meeting with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Trump told reporters he fired Comey because "He wasn't doing a good job. Very simply. He was not doing a good job."

Asked whether the Comey firing affected his conversations with the Russians, Trump replied, "Not at all."

Trump did not respond when asked if the new FBI director would be in charge of the bureau's Russia investigation.