Comey: FBI officials being ‘attacked for partisan gain’

Former FBI Director James Comey is accusing current FBI leadership of bowing to political pressure by reassigning the FBI’s top lawyer.

“Sadly, we are now at a point in our political life when anyone can be attacked for partisan gain,” Comey tweeted Friday night, in a rare public statement.

“James Baker, who is stepping down as FBI General Counsel, served our country incredibly well for 25 years & deserves better,” he continued. “He is what we should all want our public servants to be.”

Sadly, we are now at a point in our political life when anyone can be attacked for partisan gain. 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.

— James Comey (@Comey) December 22, 2017

{mosads}

Baker worked closely with Comey during the latter’s time at the FBI and served as the head of the FBI’s Office of General Counsel during Comey’s time as director.

Baker’s reassignment duties are not clear. 

The new FBI director, Christopher Wray, is reorganizing some of the top leaders at the agency as he forms his own team of senior advisers, The Washington Post reported. It is common for a new director to reorganize when taking charge of an agency.

But according to the New York Times, Wray is also under pressure from President Trump to reassign Comey loyalists within the agency.

The FBI faces heavy criticism from the president — who has said the agency’s reputation is in “tatters” in part because of Comey, whom he fired in May — and Republican scrutiny amid accusations of anti-Trump bias.

Baker was one of the senior officials under fire for an alleged connection to the leak of a dossier last year containing unverified and salacious claims about the president, including reports of collusion between Trump and Russia.

That issue was not cited as a reason for Baker’s reassignment, according to the Post. An internal investigation into Baker’s role in the leak ended with no charges.