U.S. lawmakers representing Southwest Georgia react to FBI chief’s firing

ALBANY — Reaction from U.S. lawmakers who represent Southwest Georgia was mixed Wednesday to President Trump’s abrupt firing of embattled FBI Director James Comey late Tuesday.

U.S. Sen. David Perdue, R-Sea Island, said he supported Trump’s decision.

“President Trump acted decisively and within his authority, and I stand behind him,” Perdue said. “The FBI is much larger than one person and the bureau has thousands of agents working hard every day to keep our nation safe. I am confident a new permanent director will be nominated and confirmed as soon as possible.”

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Marrietta, however, did not take a position on the dismissal. Asked for a comment on the firing, his office said Georgia senior senator was “carefully reviewing the facts behind the president’s decision” and that Isakson did not have a statement on it Wednesday.

On the House side, U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Albany, said he was troubled by the dismissal and its timing with a FBI probe into Russian ties to Trump presidential campaign last year. He said an independent commission should be impaneled to investigate the allegations.

“I was shocked by the president’s action to fire FBI Director James Comey during an ongoing investigation of his campaign’s alleged improper ties with Russia,” Bishop said. “It is now clearer than ever that the active investigation should be undertaken by an independent, non-partisan special commission. This is the only way to restore the American people’s trust and confidence in our justice system.

“I urge the president and Congress to support the creation of an independent, non-partisan commission.”

U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Tifton, did not respond Wednesday afternoon to an emailed request for comment.

Critics were saying Trump fired the FBI chief to impede the investigation into his campaign’s relationship with Russia. Trump said it was because Comey, who has come under fire from both sides of the political aisle, had not done a good job.

Republicans were irate last year when Comey stated no charges would come from an investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails as secretary of state, her handling of which had become a campaign issue leading up to the presidential election.

Democrats then became angry with Comey for announcing less than two weeks before the election that the FBI was re-opening a probe of Clinton’s emails, an event many Democrats have blamed as one of the reasons for Clinton’s loss of the election to Trump.

The dismissal Tuesday was reported to have come at the recommendation of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who cited Comey’s handling of the Clinton email investigation in explaining the reason for the firing.