Republican Sen. Jeff Flake who quickly criticized the timing of President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey said he’s still trying to come to terms with the bureau chief’s ouster.
“I just don’t know why this happened now. I’m having trouble with it still,” Flake (R-Ariz.) told CNN on Wednesday. “With regard to a special prosecutor, I’m looking to see how that would impact the Senate investigation that’s going on. I have confidence in the Senate Intelligence Committee investigation so still reviewing.”
The Intelligence Committee is one of the two congressional panels and the FBI investigating the Kremlin’s involvement in the 2016 presidential election and whether Trump campaign officials colluded with Russian officials.
“Obviously a number of my colleagues, all of us are concerned. Whenever you have the president fire the FBI head, there are concerns,” he added.
Flake said he learned of Comey’s firing on Tuesday while watching television in his office. Asked by CNN if he was surprised, he shook his head yes and said, “to say the least.”
After learning of Comey’s ouster, Flake tweeted: “I’ve spent the last several hours trying to find an acceptable rationale for the timing of Comey’s firing. I just can’t do it,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Democrats want a special prosecutor to take over the FBI’s investigation into Team Trump’s possible ties to Russia.
Top Judiciary Committee Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Wednesday renewed her call for a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation.
“At a minimum, the decision to fire Comey raises questions about the appropriateness and timing of the person in charge of an investigation that could, I won’t say would, but could, implicate the administration,” Feinstein said.
