2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumCriticized by Candidates, Comey Has Tense Days Ahead After Election
WASHINGTON The F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, sometimes rattles off the exact amount of time left in his decade-long term as if he is eagerly watching the clock.
The next six years, nine months and 30 days until Sept. 4, 2023, look a lot more difficult lately.
Depending on who wins the election, Mr. Comey will work for either a man who accused him of being part of a rigged criminal justice system or a woman who has criticized his decisions as deeply troubling and whose surrogates accused him of committing a stunning violation of longstanding principles of fairness.
Friends and colleagues say that, despite a controversy that has entangled the F.B.I. in presidential politics, Mr. Comey feels no pressure to leave office and has no plans to do so. But, as one colleague recalled Mr. Comey saying recently, Its going to be awkward.
Things will be particularly awkward if Hillary Clinton wins, those close to her and to Mr. Comey acknowledge. His decision, in the campaigns final days, to make public an F.B.I. inquiry into emails belonging to one of Mrs. Clintons aides renewed a controversy that she thought she had put behind her. He left her little time to resolve it, and provided little more than a vaguely written letter for her to rebut.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/06/us/politics/james-comey-fbi-hillary-clinton.html?emc=edit_th_20161106&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=57435284&_r=0
Mike Nelson
(9,966 posts)...easy choices. #1 is resign for the good of the country, along with a speech expressing faith in President Clinton. If he doesn't want to resign, he should still make a statement expressing complete faith in President Clinton.
Ilsa
(61,697 posts)about not respdcting the FBI until he's gone and they've cleaned house.
bullimiami
(13,103 posts)Then we need a serious investigation into the entire agency.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)and functional interval, or not since this is definitely a low point in a mostly distinguished career.
I was reading, though, that--although it's unusual to replace FBI directors, who are appointed to 10-year terms that must be approved by Congress--the president can fire him without cause. (Or in this case, without obligation to officially point the causes out.)
Demsrule86
(68,643 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)message by kicking him out, but relations with the FBI are very complex. We do know she's experienced enough to know if that simple "solution" is a solution or if it could start a cascade of other major problems. The FBI is a power center that can be a very bad enemy for a president to make.
Note that Comey and the rogue faction that also attacked Hillary are not at all on the same side. They were causing him a lot of trouble before they showed the entire nation that he couldn't control them, but just firing these enemies within the FBI was apparently not considered an option by its director.
Interesting times...
Demsrule86
(68,643 posts)He should not leave this mess for President Clinton...hehe...kind of like the sound of that.
OnDoutside
(19,969 posts)means that there is no way that he could "enjoy the confidence" of the new Madame President. His position is untenable and I expect him to go of his own accord between Nov 9 and Jan 20, perhaps Friday Dec 23rd, since he is so fond of releasing stuff on a Friday !
Cha
(297,561 posts)bullimiami
(13,103 posts)No charges. End of statement.
Then he compounded his involvement against specific instructions from his Atty Gen.
There is more than sufficient evidence he has politicized his position.