In a series of tweets, a Washington, D.C.-area legislator blasted President Trump for firing James Comey, appearing to equate the FBI director's dismissal with witness intimidation.
Virginia Congressman Gerald Connolly (D-Fairfax) asked on Twitter whether Trump was "unhinged" and accused him of obstructing an investigation and intimidating a witness.
First obstruction of an investigation. Now witness intimidation from the Highest Office. A sad moment for even this White House. Unhinged?
— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) May 12, 2017
Connolly said Trump "blatantly interfered" with the bureau's investigation into the president's alleged ties to Russia.
He also blasted Trump for a New York Times report that said the president asked Comey if he had his "loyalty" going forward in his administration.
Out of his own mouth Trump links Comey firing to Russia investigation. Not Clinton e-mails. Russia.
— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) May 12, 2017
Blatant interference and possible intimidation of FBI Director while discussing his staying on as Director.
— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) May 11, 2017
It gets weirder and weirder. Trump admits to Lester Holt that at dinner w Comey he directly asked if he was under investigation.
— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) May 11, 2017
Time to revive Watergate vocabulary: obstruction, cover-up, suborn, conspiracy, inoperative, criminal conspiracy, independent prosecutor.
— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) May 9, 2017
Comey's removal is all about Russia and ongoing criminal investigations into Trump campaign aides.
— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) May 9, 2017
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— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) May 9, 2017
"It gets weirder and weirder. Trump admits... that at a dinner with Comey, he directly asked if he was under investigation," Connolly added.
Connolly compared Comey's firing to the way President Richard Nixon fired independent prosecutor Archibald Cox during the Watergate affair's "Saturday Night Massacre," in which several bureaucrats lost their jobs.
He added that Comey's former boss, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, is Trump's "enabler" in this regard.
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