Raja Krishnamoorthi, Pramila Jayapal denounce Comey firing

The Indian Americans join a chorus of lawmakers who have called for naming an independent prosecutor probe Trump-Russia ties.

Denouncing President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday, Indian American lawmakers Raja Krishnamoorthi and Pramila Jayapal joined dozens of their congressional colleagues to demand an independent prosecutor to investigate the president’s Russia ties.

The White House removed the controversial FBI chief on Tuesday afternoon in a surprise move, saying that “President Trump acted based on the clear recommendations of both Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.”

Comey, who was appointed as FBI director by President Obama in 2013, had been heading an agency probe into potential collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign during the November elections.

“The need for an independent commission or fully independent prosecutor to investigate and bring to light the truth of these matters for the American people is now more clear than ever,” Krishnamoorthi said in a press statement.

His congressional colleague Jayapal, who is currently in India, as part of a congressional delegation, made a similar call. “As I have said before, we urgently need a fully bipartisan and independent investigation into Russia’s influence on the White House and the 2016 election,” she said.

The two Indian Americans join dozens of their colleagues—mostly Democrats — from the House of Representatives and the Senate, who have called for a special prosecutor to investigate Trump’s Russia ties.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) tweeted: “I’ve said it before and will again – we must have a special prosecutor to oversee the FBI’s Russia investigation. This cannot wait.”

I've said it before and will again – we must have a special prosecutor to oversee the FBI's Russia investigation. This cannot wait. https://t.co/Z9eeGNLTzr

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) May 9, 2017

“My staff and I are reviewing legislation to establish an independent commission on Russia,” Rep. Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) tweeted. “The second paragraph of this letter is bizarre.

In her press statement, Jayapal termed the “manner and suddenness of” the FBI chief’s firing “deeply disturbing.” The Washington Democrat said: “Comey’s dismissal, as he was investigating the Trump campaign’s connections to Russia, is yet another alarming sign of how little regard the administration has for ethical lines and the Constitution.”

Similarly, Krishnamoorthi dubbed the firing “a nearly unprecedented action by an American president.” He said: “It is extremely disturbing that the Chief Executive is interfering with an ongoing investigation into his Administration by firing the person charged with conducting it. One cannot help but be reminded of President Nixon’s Saturday Night Massacre. This action only raises further questions regarding the Administration’s ties to Russia.”

The Illinois Democrat said the White House “has already engaged in misdirection about fired former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn’s misconduct by refusing to provide investigators with documents regarding his security clearance.” He added: “Today, President Trump has fired the individual most central to all the investigations into any illicit involvement with the Russian Government.”

Pointing out that Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who had “promised to recuse himself from the Russia investigation,” on Tuesday “endorsed the firing of the man leading it,” Krishnamoorthi said, “The credibility gap between the Trump Administration and the American people continues to grow each day with each new revelation.”

The lawmaker said as “a member of the House Oversight Committee,” he would welcome Comey’s “public, sworn testimony on the status of the FBI’s investigation.”