DONALD TRUMP has fired FBI Director James Comey during the bureau’s investigation into whether the tycoon’s campaign had links to Russia’s meddling in the presidential election.
In a letter to Comey, Trump said the firing was necessary to restore “public trust and confidence” in the FBI.
Comey has come under intense scrutiny in recent months for his public comments on an investigation into Democrat Hillary Clinton’s emails, including two letters he sent to Congress on the matter in the closing days of last year’s campaign.
The White House circulated a scathing memo by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, criticising Comey’s handling of the Clinton investigation, including the director’s decision to hold a news conference announcing its findings and releasing “derogatory information” about Clinton.
Here's the letter President Trump sent to FBI Director James Comey regarding his dismissal https://t.co/EMgwUlg0j4 pic.twitter.com/yCdDgugcX7
— CNN (@CNN) May 9, 2017
Trump has to select a replacement for Comey for a new 10-year term and here are some possible candidates:
Chris Christie
Happy to be in Elizabeth today to announce some exciting news on the “Raise the Roadway” project. pic.twitter.com/UtYR5KImj7
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) May 2, 2017
Though his relationship with Trump has been mixed, the governor of New Jersey has known the president for years and could bring law enforcement experience to the job.
He is a former Republican-appointed United States attorney in New Jersey, and he cited that background time and again during his 2016 presidential campaign.
His legacy as governor took a hit, however, with a Bridgegate scandal that was investigated by the FBI, prosecuted by the Justice and brought down some of his allies.
David Clarke
Humbled to have been awarded the 2017 United States Concealed Carry Association 2nd Amendment Hero Award. #MakeAmericaSafeAgain. Carry on. pic.twitter.com/rYymhnqBql
— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) May 5, 2017
A wild-card, but the outspoken and polarising Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, sheriff has been a fierce supporter of Trump and even landed a speaking spot at last summer’s Republican National Convention.
A conservative firebrand known for his cowboy hat, Clarke has called himself “one of those bare-knuckles fighters” and has been critical of what he called the “hateful ideology” of the Black Lives Matter movement.
But he would be a long shot given that a county jury recently recommended criminal charges against seven Milwaukee County jail staffers over the dehydration death of an inmate who went without water for seven days.
Trey Gowdy
It was great joining @TuckerCarlson in studio tonight. Tune in to @FoxNews at 9pm to watch our full interview. pic.twitter.com/0CoW4cvzMN
— Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) March 29, 2017
Gowdy is also a former federal prosecutor who boasts of his work on drug trafficking, bank robberies and child pornography cases.
He was among politicians critical of Comey’s decision not to prosecute Clinton over the email server investigation, saying other government officials would have been prosecuted if they handled classified information like she did.
Ray Kelly
Former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly is the obvious choice to lead the FBI. Independent, tested, unimpeachable, and tough on terror
— Scott Ruesterholz (@Read_N_Learn) May 9, 2017
His tough-on-crime stance, including support for provocative tactics like stop-and-search, could make him a natural ally of Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe