Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) mentioned Thursday he thinks FBI Director Christopher Wray shouldn’t have determined to resign on the finish of President Biden’s time period and may have, as an alternative, stayed on and compelled President-elect Trump to fireside him.
However Goldman mentioned he thinks Wray made his choice primarily based solely on what was finest for the FBI, not taking into account the political implications of his choice or his personal pursuits.
“This is exactly the difference between a nonpartisan, apolitical FBI and the political world that Donald Trump inhabits. Christopher Wray wanted to do what was best for the FBI. That is not what is probably best or, I would say, what is best for the country,” Goldman mentioned, when requested on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” whether or not Wray made a mistake by “making things easier” for Trump.
“I would have much rather that he waited and made Donald Trump actually justify firing him rather than resigning,” Goldman continued, “but because Christopher Wray cares about our justice system, cares about the rule of law, cares about the FBI, he did the best thing for the organization, not necessarily for himself.”
Wray introduced Wednesday his plans to resign from the company on the finish of the Biden administration in January. Trump lately mentioned he intends to faucet Kash Patel to steer the FBI, signaling his plans to switch Wray because the bureau’s director.
Wray, whom Trump initially tapped to steer the FBI in 2017, wouldn’t in any other case end his time period till 2027.
“My goal is to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day. In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work,” Wray mentioned at a city corridor Wednesday, asserting his choice.
Trump responded to Wray’s announcement on Wednesday by pushing for Patel’s affirmation and complaining about his authorized troubles.
“We will now restore the Rule of Law for all Americans. Under the leadership of Christopher Wray, the FBI illegally raided my home, without cause, worked diligently on illegally impeaching and indicting me, and has done everything else to interfere with the success and future of America,” he wrote on Reality Social.
Goldman referred to as Trump’s response “somewhat shocking to see … even putting aside that he accused the FBI of impeaching him, which, of course, is only done in Congress, not with the FBI.”
“But he, of course, goes after him about the search of Mar-a-Lago,” Goldman mentioned, noting that the search was accredited by a decide who decided there was possible trigger for the warrant. “So the idea that Christopher Wray went rogue and did a search warrant, of course, is belied by how our justice system works and how due process works.”
“It was a very well-deserved search, based on the facts that we read,” he mentioned. “And Donald Trump is just bitter because it was against him.”
