ACLU files FOIA for records on Comey firing

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Monday filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request demanding records about President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey.

“White House interference with any FBI investigation is incompatible with democratic safeguards, and that’s especially the case when the investigation involves the president or his associates,” Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU National Security Project, said in a statement.

“The public has a right to know why Comey was fired so the president can be held accountable for any abuse of his position. It’s impossible to know the truth right now because the Trump administration has issued shifting explanations, each of which is increasingly troubling.”

{mosads}The request seeks all Department of Justice and FBI records pertaining to Comey’s dismissal last week.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Monday announced that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will brief all 100 senators Thursday on Comey’s firing.

After the firing last week, the White House initially cited the recommendations of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Rosenstein. But Trump later said in an interview he was planning to do it anyway, citing the FBI’s investigation into Russian election interference.

“Regardless of recommendation, I was going to fire Comey,” Trump said. “And in fact, when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, ‘You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story.”

Comey announced in March that the FBI was probing Russian interference in the 2016 race, including possible ties between Trump’s campaign and Russia.