CREW sends FBI director letter to Senate leadership

CREW sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary Charles Grassley, and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary Dianne Feinstein urging the Senate to postpone the confirmation of a new Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) until the White House takes concrete steps to insulate the Director from improper political interference.

Following the firing of former FBI Director James Comey, and in light of recent statements by President Trump that: 1) indicate he believes the FBI Director should be politically loyal to him, instead of serving the country and the rule of law; 2) seek to undermine the Special Counsel’s investigation into Russian interference in our elections; 3) demean the Attorney General over his recusal in the matter of Russian interference in U.S. elections; there is legitimate concern that the President may be considering a series of personnel changes seeking to terminate the investigation into Russian interference.

Under these circumstances, confirming the President’s hand-picked new FBI Director would plunge him or her into an unfair and untenable position, where the stated expectations of the President directly conflict with the Director’s independent law enforcement responsibilities. As such, the Senate should not proceed to confirm a new Director until the President has made specific commitments, set forth in the letter, to respect the independence of the Department of Justice.