Sixth District Congressman Andy Barr says President Trump has the authority and prerogative to dismiss FBI Director James Comey.
The GOP representative made his remarks following a Lexington ceremony recognizing a new world headquarters for Valvoline. Barr said congressional questions about the timing of the president’s ousting of Comey should be anticipated.
“Anyone should reasonably expect congress to ask questions about the timing, but let’s face it, this is a director of the FBI who members of both parties lacked confidence in and lost confidence in a long time ago,” Barr said.
Barr doesn’t see a need for a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of Russian influence benefitting President Trump in his race against Hillary Clinton.
“I have strong confidence in the career professionals of the FBI and their ongoing investigation and the other two bipartisan, bicameral investigations in the intelligence community,” Barr said.
Barr says members of both political parties lost confidence in Comey as director of the FBI a “long time ago.” Meanwhile, Barr said members of the financial services committee, on which he serves, are interested in the dismissal of another director, Richard Cordray, who heads the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
