The Senate Intelligence committee investigation into Russian election interference may face a few procedural bumps but will ultimately be brought to fruition despite the Trump administration’s firing of FBI director James Comey, Republican committee members said Wednesday.
President Donald Trump fired Comey Tuesday, citing a letter from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that criticized Comey’s handling of the Clinton email investigation. The FBI is investigating Russian election interference, including any potential links between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.
Republican lawmakers raised concerns about the sudden firing Tuesday night. Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr, who said he was “troubled” by the firing Tuesday, told reporters Wednesday the termination poses challenges to the investigation—but that those challenges are not insurmountable.
“This made our task a little more difficult but it didn’t make it impossible, so we will continue,” he said. Burr explained that the committee must ensure that its investigation does not overstep into individuals that the FBI is actively probing.
“The FBI is a needed participant from a deconfliction standpoint,” he said. “We’d like to make sure that everything that we do does not disrupt any potential investigation that might be going on.”
Burr said that a delay in the FBI investigation would not necessarily slow the committee investigation.
“The majority of the interviews with individuals within the FBI we’ve already done,” he said.
The committee’s top Democrat said shortly after Comey’s firing Tuesday that the committee’s work was “more important than ever.”
“We need this Senate investigation to go full steam ahead, and frankly, redouble our pace,” Virginia senator Mark Warner told reporters.
Comey was slated to appear at a Thursday Senate Intelligence committee hearing on worldwide threats. Burr said that the acting director of the agency, Andrew McCabe, would “hopefully” fill his spot.
Florida senator Marco Rubio said Comey’s firing would not significantly affect the Senate probe.
“It cost a witness on Thursday in terms of the committee on a number of topics. It would be ideal to have a director,” he said. “But I ultimately think we’re going to get to the truth whatever it is irrespective of this decision.”
Asked whether Comey should come back to testify, Rubio said, “I hope so.”
Oklahoma senator James Lankford, who on Tuesday called for more details about the sudden firing, told reporters that the Senate probe could face a short delay.
“It may delay us for a couple days on some of the authorities to get documents,” he said. “We’re going to continue on the investigation.”
Other Republican committee members said Comey’s firing would not hinder the Senate probe at all.
“It changes nothing with regard to the Senate intelligence committee’s bipartisan investigation,” said Texas senator John Cornyn, who supported the administration’s decision.
Idaho senator James Risch told THE WEEKLY STANDARD that the investigation would continue smoothly.
“I wouldn’t think it would slow it down at all,” Risch said. “The investigation is being conducted by a lot of people, both on the Senate side and in the FBI, and in other agencies, and generally speaking, the person at the top isn’t involved in day-to-day operations.”
Maine senator Susan Collins also said in a statement Tuesday that she had every confidence the committee would see its investigation through.
“I am certain that the Senate Intelligence Committee, on which I serve, will continue its own bipartisan investigation and will follow the evidence wherever it leads,” she said.
