By Eric Stock
CHICAGO – A Republican strategist who has worked in the Justice Department is taking the Trump administration to task over its inconsistent explanations for why the president fired FBI director James Comey.
Former Illinois Republican Party chairman and former federal prosecutor Pat Brady told WJBC’s Patti Penn that President Trump mistakenly presumed Comey’s firing would be cheered by Democrats who were upset that he announced the FBI was reopening its investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails days before the November election. He added Trump expected Republicans would want Comey out for failing to prosecute Mrs. Clinton in the first place.
PODCAST: Listen to Patti’s interview with Brady on WJBC.
“I think he thought the Democrats were going to way it was great and the Republicans were going to say it was great, but the reality is people care about these institutions and how they operate,” Brady said. “The president is not above the law and he’s not the king.”
Democratic leaders say Trump is trying to obstruct the Justice Department’s investigation of his alleged ties to Russia.
Trump told NBC news yesterday he had planned to fire Comey all along. The administration had said previously Comey was let go because on the recommendations of the deputy Attorney General.
“From the time you are a kid, you can figure out when somebody’s lying,” Trump said. “When you have inconsistent statements, that usually means you are lying and that’s what I think we have here with the President. He’s lying through his teeth right now.”
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
