Senate Republicans defend FBI Director Wray against Trump’s angry attacks: ‘I think he’s excellent’

AlterNet logoMore often than not, Republicans in the U.S. Senate decline to say anything critical of President Donald Trump — especially if they are up for reelection in 2020 and are worried about the possibility of a GOP primary challenge. The message often conveyed to Republicans in right-wing media is: disagree with Trump at your own peril. But this week, some Senate Republicans are defending FBI Director Christopher Wray against attacks from Trump.

The president is upset with Wray because of his response to U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz’ report on the FBI’s 2016 investigation of Russian interference in the presidential election and possible Russian ties to the Trump campaign. Horowitz concluded that the FBI’s investigation was legitimately predicated and showed no political bias against Trump, although he was critical of the way some FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) warrants were handled during the investigation. And Trump is angry with Wray for agreeing with Horowitz’ report, attacking Wray as someone who “will never be able to fix the FBI.” Continue reading “Senate Republicans defend FBI Director Wray against Trump’s angry attacks: ‘I think he’s excellent’”

The Key Players In Trump’s ‘Deep State’ Conspiracy Theory Are All Republicans

The following article by Ryan J. Reilly and Jessica Schulberg was posted on the Huffington Post website February 1, 2018:

Just worth remembering.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, FBI Director Christopher Wray, former FBI Director James Comey and special counsel Robert Mueller, also a former FBI director. Credit: Getty Images

WASHINGTON — The key law enforcement figures in what President Donald Trump and his allies have characterized as a “deep state” conspiracy against him are not lefties or even Democrats: They are Republicans. And Trump picked a number of them himself.

Trump and Republicans are continuing to attack the nation’s top law enforcement organizations to undermine the special counsel investigation into his campaign, which has already resulted in criminal charges against four Trump associates. But factually speaking, it’s really tough for Trump backers to credibly argue that the deck has been stacked against the president, simply based on the political leanings of the key figures in the case. Continue reading “The Key Players In Trump’s ‘Deep State’ Conspiracy Theory Are All Republicans”