Tag Archives: James Comey

A Witch Hunt?

After he was fired by President Trump, former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe issued the following statement:

“The big picture is a tale of what can happen when law enforcement is politicized, public servants are attacked, and people who are supposed to cherish and protect our institutions become instruments for damaging those institutions and people.”

Supposedly, McCabe was fired because he provided an interview to a news agency unauthorized by the FBI.

In his rebuttal, McCabe says of the charge: “As Deputy Director, I was one of only a few people who had the authority to do that. It was not a secret, it took place over several days, and others, including the Director, were aware of the interaction with the reporter.”

McCabe is said to have written memos relating to his conversations with President Trump as did former FBI director James Comey. They, like Comey’s memos, may shed light on whether Trump attempted to halt the investigation into possible collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Robert Mueller was appointed by the U.S. Justice Department to investigate the Russian meddling. Now Trump is calling this investigation a “WITCH HUNT.”

Trump makes this accusation, despite cases already brought against thirteen Russians, as well as several Americans within the Trump campaign and administration.

Robert Mueller, by the way, is not a Democrat. He is a Republican, a highly respected public servant appointed as FBI director by President George W. Bush. He served for thirteen years as director.

Grace Under Firing: The Gift of Gratitude

An American diplomat, Thomas Countryman, was fired by the Trump administration a few days after Trump took office as president. Countryman was on his way to a conference on arms control when he learned of his sudden ousting.

Countryman had given thirty-five years of service to his country. He was a talented career officer, relieved of duty in a purge reminiscent of the old Soviet Union.

One might expect him to be bitter. Instead, in a farewell address to his U.S. State Department colleagues, Countryman wrote: “Some of you have asked if recent events have left me disgruntled. The answer is no; I am probably the most ‘gruntled’ person in the room.”

He quoted from another retiring ambassador: “The State Department doesn’t owe me anything. It has given me everything.” Countryman went on to count the blessings in his career of service.

Another official unceremoniously relieved of his duties, James Comey, wrote in a similar vein to his former FBI colleagues: “I have long believed that a President can fire an FBI Director for any reason, or for no reason at all. I’m not going to spend time on the decision or the way it was executed. I hope you won’t either. It is done, and I will be fine, although I will miss you and the mission deeply.”

He ended the letter: “Working with you has been one of the great joys of my life. Thank you for that gift.”

Donald Trump also has much to be thankful for. He was granted the opportunity to serve his country in ways given only to a few.

However, his tweets, his main form of communication, show little evidence of grace or gratitude. Perhaps he should ponder the words of those public servants that he has attempted to humiliate.