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The Tuesday Night Massacre, popular vote loser Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey has blown up Washington, D.C., more on one side of the political divide than the other.
Speaking for Senate Democrats in a press conference, Sen. Chuck Schumer summed it up: "The only way the American people can have faith in this investigation is for it to be lead by a fearless special prosecutor. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, on the other hand emerged from his shell to say simply: there will be a "full, fair and timely confirmation process" for Trump's appointee as a new.
Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings (MD) and Sen. Ron Wyden (OR) have both called for Comey to testify before Congress, with Cummings demanding that Attorney General Jeff Sessions also appear. Wyden reminds Trump: "The president would do well to remember that in America, the truth always comes out."
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley (IA) stays true to Trump, saying "The effectiveness of the FBI depends upon the public trust and confidence. Unfortunately, this has clearly been lost." Well, then. His Republican colleagues John Cornyn (TX) and Marco Rubio (FL) think that the Republican-controlled Congress can handle this just fine—no worries and no need for a real investigation. Cornyn is just fine with it all, saying Comey serves at the "pleasure of the president."
Ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee Rep. Adam Schiff (CA) says: "The same President who has called the investigation into the Russian hacking of our democracy and the potential complicity of his campaign a 'fake' cannot pretend to have made such a decision uninfluenced by his concerns over Comey's continued involvement in the investigation." He added "the White House is brazenly interfering in a criminal matter." His counterpart Sen. Mark Warner (VA), ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Trump's actions are "shocking" and "deeply troubling." He joins in the calls for Comey to testify and adds that "a Special Counsel also must be appointed," and that that is the "only way the American people will be able to trust the results of any DOJ investigation."
Senate Intelligence Chair Richard Burr, however, won't go beyond a statement that he is "troubled by the timing and reasoning of Jim Comey’s termination," and adds that Comey's dismissal "is a loss for the Bureau and the nation." On the other side, that totally principled Sen. Lindsey Graham says the FBI needs a "fresh start." And lots of Republicans think that maybe the timing isn't great. Sen. Bob Corker (TN) says "his removal at this particular time will raise questions," and Ted Cruz (TX) declined comment.
So far, among Republicans, only Sen. John McCain (AZ) and Rep. Justin Amash (MI) are expressing sincere concern. McCain, however, says that a "special congressional committee" is needed and that this "only confirms the need and the urgency of such a committee." Amash is pushing for an "independent commission," and says Trump's letter to Comey is "bizarre."
The last word, for now, goes to Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz: