CNN's Jeffrey Toobin: Trump's Firing Of FBI Director Comey Is “A Grotesque Abuse Of Power”

Toobin: "This Is The Kind Of Thing That Goes On In Non-Democracies. That When There Is A Investigation That Reaches Near The President Of The United States, Or The Leader Of A Non-Democracy, They Fire The People Who Are

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

From the May 9 edition of CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer:

WOLF BLITZER (HOST): Jeffrey, this is an extraordinary moment in American history. 

JEFFREY TOOBIN: You bet it is, Wolf. And it's a grotesque abuse of power by the president of the United States. This is the kind of thing that goes on in non-democracies. That when there is a investigation that reaches near the president of the United States, or the leader of a non-democracy, they fire the people who are in charge of the investigation. I have not seen anything like this since October 20, 1973, when President Nixon fired Archibald Cox, the Watergate special prosecutor. This is something that is not within the American political tradition. That firing led indirectly but certainly to the resignation of President Nixon. And this is very much in this tradition. This is not normal. This is not politics as usual. This is something that is completely outside how American law is supposed to work. 

Previously:

CNN's Jeffery Toobin: Trump Attacked Sally Yates “Based On No Evidence”

Sean Hannity: FBI Director James Comey Is Lying About Hillary Clinton's Emails

FBI Director Puts To Rest Two Weeks Of Fox Lies About Trump's False Wiretap Claim