Two FBI officials — both advisers to former FBI Director James Comey — are resigning from their posts at the agency.
James Baker, who served as the bureau’s top lawyer until late last year when he was reassigned as an adviser to FBI Director Christopher Wray, is resigning, per the New York Times. He is also being looked at for possibly disclosing classified information with journalists about the so-called Trump dossier, though he has not been charged.
Comey addressed Baker’s departure in a tweet Twitter Friday night, heaping praise on his former adviser.
A great public servant retired from the FBI today. Jim Baker’s integrity and commitment to the rule of law have benefitted our country through 5 presidents, of both parties. We are fortunate he and so many others choose to devote their lives to justice.
— James Comey (@Comey) May 5, 2018
This isn’t the first time Comey has taken to Twitter to express his support for Baker. Comey also spoke out in December after it was reported Baker was being reassigned from his role as general counsel amid scrutiny of his potential involvement with the “Trump dossier,” which contains salacious and some unverified claims about Trump’s connection to Russia.
“Sadly, we are now at a point in our political life when anyone can be attacked for partisan gain,” Comey tweeted. “James Baker, who is stepping down as FBI General Counsel, served our country incredibly well for 25 years & deserves better. He is what we should all want our public servants to be.”
The tweet marked Comey’s first direct political statement on the social media platform.
Following his departure from the FBI, Baker will head to the Brookings Institution to contribute to their Lawfare blog, which is run by a longtime friend of Comey’s, Benjamin Wittes.
Additionally, Lisa Page, who has come under fire after it was revealed she exchanged anti-Trump text messages with another FBI official, is also stepping down.
Despite the controversial text messages, Comey said in an interview on Fox News last month that he did not detect any bias from Page. However, he did acknowledge that he was “deeply disappointed” by the texts and said that if he had been aware of the level of disdain she and the other FBI official, Peter Strzok, appeared to have for Trump, they would be have removed from any relevant investigations.
Texts between the two, who were involved in an extramarital affair, include Page calling Trump an “idiot” and a “douche.” Additionally, Strzok said in one text “F Trump.”
Page was previously a member of the special counsel team, which is looking into interference in the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin. Strzok was also a member of the team until he was demoted after the anti-Trump text messages were revealed.
Page was also part of the team that advised Comey in what amounted to his announcement in the summer of 2016 that the FBI would not recommend criminal charges against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the investigation of her unauthorized email server.
The FBI did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner to comment.
