[ad_1]
Former FBI director James Comey described Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as having "no strong character" on Thursday during a televised show at CNN City Hall.
"I think people like this one, like Rod Rosenstein, who are accomplished people but who do not have an exceptional character, a strong character, are trapped. And then, they start telling each other a story to justify their trapping: "Yeah, it's awful, but the country needs me," said Comey to host Anderson Cooper.
COMEY DEFENDS OBAMA FROM THE RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE
Cooper mentioned Rosenstein as Comey answered a question about an editorial he had recently written, in which he wrote that the president "eat your soul in small bites".
"Republicans do it in Congress. "Yeah, it's awful, but if I talk, I'll be defeated and this nation needs me here now." So they start making small compromises to stay in the team. Talk about collusion, say that's what I have to do to survive, and in doing so, they've devoured their souls, they're lost. So that's what happens to a lot of people, "said Comey.
Rosenstein was honored with a dispatch from the Justice Department on Thursday after handing out his resignation to President Trump last month. His departure is expected to come into effect on Saturday.
Thursday was also the second anniversary of Trump's dismissal by Comey from the FBI.
Attorney General Bill Barr, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI Director Christopher Wray were present at Rosenstein's farewell, extolling his background and character throughout his career, but more specifically the last two years.
Throughout his tenure, Rosenstein was caught in the political line of fire and was the victim of the President's anger over the investigation of Russia. Rosenstein had regained control of the investigation after Sessions withdrew from the investigation – a decision that made Trump furious.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
It's early in the probe's observation by Rosenstein, in May 2017, that Trump fired Comey. Barely a week later, Rosenstein was named special advisor Robert Mueller, former Chief of Comey at the FBI. Rosenstein oversaw the investigation until November 2018, when former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker took office. Whitaker was eventually replaced by Barr.
During CNN's televised broadcast on Thursday, Comey also told Cooper that he had tried to avoid becoming like Rosenstein and other members of the administration "co-opted" in the summer. 39, openly opposing President Trump in the Oval Office.
According to Comey, Trump likened the United States to "assassins" like Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"And among the words quoted, he said that we are the same kind of killers as Vladimir Putin, he defended his moral equivalence between us and Putin and I interrupted him saying," Mr. President, no, we are not the kind of killers that Putin is, "Comey said.
Brooke Singman of Fox News contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
Source link