Flake: There Was No Justification for Comey Firing, There Should Be ‘No Firing of Anybody Else’

Tuesday following President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) said there was no justification for the firing of former FBI Director James Comey, and he would consider legislation, so there is “no firing of anybody else.”

Partial transcript as follows:

WILLIAMS: Our mutual friend Chris Matthews has this theory that what we’re watching is a slow motion Saturday Night Massacre, that first there was Comey, then there was McCabe, and now Mr. Rosenstein appears to be squarely in the sights. Who in your party is prepared to stop that if Chris’ theory is correct?

FLAKE: Well, I know a number of us are concerned, obviously. I don’t think there was justification for the timing, certainly, of the Comey firing, and I think the president has recognized the fallacy of that move given it got him this investigation going on right now with the special counsel. So I sure hope that there is going to be no firing of anybody else, and in terms of legislation, if there is a piece of legislation that is constitutional, that would ensure that he doesn’t fire the deputy attorney general or somebody else, then I would consider it, but I haven’t seen that legislation yet.

WILLIAMS: Do you think there are the votes to insulate, to make Mueller Trump-proof?

FLAKE: I think the president does know, frankly, the fact it looks as if he started to do it in the summer and was rebuffed by his own legal counsel and others probably indicates if he wasn’t going to do it then, he certainly shouldn’t do it now. I hope that he lets the investigation take its course. I have confidence in the FBI, I have confidence in the special counsel, certainly Robert Mueller, so let’s see where it goes.

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN