Former FBI director, James B Comey is to be summoned before a Republican-led Justice Committee on Wednesday. Comey initiated the investigation to certify links between Trump administration and Russia in the 2016 Presidential elections. Justice Committee aims to discredit the investigation and mitigate charges against Trump.
The investigation by Comey led to revelations that presented the dismal side of Trump. The Justice Department led by South Carolina senator, Lindsay Graham, has cracked down heavily upon perpetrators of the investigation. It seeks to mitigate charges against Trump and furnish his clean image ahead of US Presidential election
Comey’s testimony is a climax to the process as he is a key player of Crossfire Hurricane, the investigation against Trump allies. Other officials have already testified before the Committee.
What is Crossfire Hurricane?
Crossfire Hurricane is the code name for an interagency probe led by FBI into the role of Trump associates in Russia’s meddling of 2016 Presidential election. The probe was initiated after FBI found derogatory stuff against Hillary Clinton in Russian hands.
Trump fired James Comey from his role of FBI director in 2017. This led to suspicion against the President. The investigation went in hands of Thomas Mueller, who concluded in 2019 that there were links between Trump campaign and Russian intervention. It, however, couldn’t consolidate proof against Trump.
Trump and his allies alleged the probe to be a political conspiracy against Trump administration. The theory culminated into an independent probe against political motives of FBI. It came to be known as Horowitz investigation.
Horowitz Investigation and its findings
Michael E Horowitz is an independent inspector of the Justice Department. Under the Trump administration, he launched a probe against political motives of the 2016 FBI probe.
Horowitz report came in December last year. It found error and negligence in FBI investigation. The application of the FBI to wiretap Trump’s Campaign advisor, Carter Page was not up to the mark. The report, however, did not mention any evidence of a political conspiracy against FBI.
The accusation still persists in political spheres. Republicans contend that FBI aimed to remove President Donald Trump from the presidency. Lindsay Graham is adamant upon proving Trump’s integrity to ascertain that he was victimised by the 2016 probe.
An attempt to rewrite 2016 drama
Trump’s image was deeply maligned by Crossfire Hurricane. Neither Horowitz report not Mueller’s investigation could undo that. Allegiance to America’s arch-enemy, Russia is no less than abuse for Trump.
Ahead of 2020 presidential election, Trump has persisted that intervention of China and Iran in the election is a bigger threat than Russia. He tends to push the burden off his shoulders by belittling Russia’s role but that is hard to come.
There is a vigorous attempt by the Justice Department to give clean chit to Trump. Republicans are persistent upon rewriting 2016 story in an entirely different way. In the new story, Trump will be presented as a victim and his rivals have engineered a plot along with FBI to tarnish his image. This will help Trump and his senators to cash votes in the election.
What is at stake for Lindsay Graham
Lindsay is a three-time senator from South Carolina. He is leading the Justice Committee against the FBI. This time his chances to win senate seat are grim. He is facing stiff competition from the Democrat, Jamie Harrison who has targeted him for being Trump’s spineless lackey. Jamie has amassed a large sum of money for campaigning, urging him to do the same. Her chair depends upon Justice Committee’s probe against the FBI.
Previously, Rod J. Rosenstein and Sally Yates, other two signatories of the application, have admitted their mistake of secret wiretapping before the Committee. But they declined any politician inspiration behind FBI probe. James B. Comey is expected to give a tough fight to the committee and maintain the integrity of the institution along with his own.
