It has long come to the point that an independent investigator needs to examine what the Russians did or did not do in our 2016 national election. It is also important to ensure that our elected representatives are clear on their responsibilities and the role of government.
Enter chairman of the House Judiciary, Bob Goodlatte, and Congresswoman Barbara Comstock.
As leaders of the Virginia delegation to Congress, they both seem to get it.
Chairman Goodlatte writes:
“Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein made the right decision by appointing a special counsel to oversee the FBI’s investigation of Russia’s efforts to influence our nation’s 2016 presidential election. Former Director Mueller is a well-respected law enforcement professional who served the FBI for a dozen years under both Democratic and Republican presidents. I am confident that he will serve with integrity and professionalism, and will conduct a thorough and fair investigation.
“I applaud the Trump Administration for taking this important step that the previous Administration repeatedly declined to do in other matters, ensuring an independent and thorough investigation is conducted to unearth all the facts. This decision will help instill much needed public confidence in the investigation.”
This only makes sense.
Comstock adds:
“Last week I called for an independent investigation that the American people can trust. With Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein’s appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel, the American people can have confidence in a fair and thorough investigation as well as confidence in the eventual outcome.”
This is long overdue. Both the president’s and congress’ approval are in the tank and to retain faith in our institutions, it’s important for someone with the perception of no partisan interests to take the reins of this investigation.
That said, one thing that perplexes me in the criticism of Trump on this issue is how the firing of Comey actually helps him.
The extreme leftists are howling that this is somehow a dodge. Not really.
The firing actually gives the president credibility because the new acting FBI Director is a close connection to the Democratic party: He’s married to Dr. Jill McCabe. McCabe challenged for the state Senate against Sen. Dick Black. And Black won, despite McCabe having a 2:1 fundraising advantage, which included a large cash-infusion from the Common Good PAC and Gov. Terry McAuliffe. This, of course, is not to say that Andrew McCabe can’t be entrusted with the FBI. In fact, I am saying just the opposite.
With McCabe now in charge of the FBI, it’s clear that bureau is completely independent of the presidency. So, if they are also investigating the issue, one should presume that the findings, if favorable to Trump, will be accepted by the public.
Trump gains additional credibility with Robert Mueller leading this special investigation. While Mueller’s a Republican, President Obama trusted him with the FBI for two years too.
All that anyone in America wants is continued faith in our republic. We want our voting process to be clear, fair, transparent, and secure.
At the end of the day, that’s what’s more important than who’s president or who’s in Congress or who’s running the FBI or a special investigation.
However, what’s also clear is that those currently in these positions do understand the importance of having a credible government, They are showing their leadership and are taking the necessary steps to ensure our great experiment remains strong. And that’s a step in the right direction.
