Fox’s Charles Krauthammer slammed President Trump for firing FBI Director James Comey, calling the decision “inexplicable.”
Krauthammer said the stated reason for the firing, that Comey had mishandled the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of State, was implausible.
“Here’s what so odd about it. This is about, according to the deputy attorney general, something that occurred on July the 5th,” Krauthammer said on “Special Report.”
{mosads}“So we start out with something that is highly implausible.
“If that was so offensive to the Trump administration, which you would have done during the transition is you would have spoken to Comey and said, ‘We’re going to let you go,’” he continued. “That is when a president could very easily make a decision to have a change that’s not unprecedented.
“To fire him summarily in the middle of May for something that happened in July is inexplicable,” Krauthammer concluded.
Krauthammer was referring to Comey’s decision in July to not recommend that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton be indicted based on mishandling of classified email via a private server.
Trump fired Comey based on the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters.
“While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to lead the bureau,” Trump wrote in a letter to Comey dated Tuesday.
“It is essential that we find new leadership for the FBI that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission,” the president wrote.
In a statement on Comey’s firing released by the White House, Trump called the FBI “one of our Nation’s most cherished and respected institutions,” adding, “today will mark a new beginning for our crown jewel of law enforcement.”
The White House said that a search for a new permanent FBI director would “begin immediately.”