Making sense of the Comey firing

Over the last year now, former FBI Director Comey infuriated just about everyone across the political spectrum. Irrespective of how one feels about how the FBI handled Hillary Clinton’s unsecured emails and Comey’s clumsy handling of alleged “Russian meddling” in the 2016 presidential election, most agree he overstepped his authority and injected himself into the political process. Comey had to go and he only has himself to blame.

Consider the timing of his firing:

Democrats and the liberal corporate media claim President Donald Trump fired Comey because of the FBI investigation into possible Trump team collusion with Russia. Essentially, Trump acted to interrupt and even shutdown the investigation.

However, consider the this: President Barack Obama’s former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper stated repeatedly and under oath (and can be seen on NBC News’ Chuck Todd on Meet the Press on March 5) that he had seen no evidence of collusion between the Trump team and the Russian government. In this sense, the timing of Comey’s firing is perfectly clear. The claim Trump is attempting a cover-up is meaningless and ridiculous.

This week’s Congressional hearing with Clapper and former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates revealed nothing – no “smoking gun” was produced. No evidence was presented to back up the claim Trump and his associates were in bed with the Russians. What was on display was the personal destruction of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn without any mention and presentation of his alleged wrongdoing. This hearing was a historic low point for Congress.

Only just recently did the Trump administration have enough high-level appointees at the Department of Justice to act decisively. (Said differently – former Obama appointees are no longer in place to sabotage the new administration).

This is not another Watergate or Trump abusing is Constitutional powers. It is time to de-politicize the FBI and DOJ. Comey had to go.

Peter Lavelle is host of RT’s political discussion program “CrossTalk.” His employer may or may not agree with his opinions and views.