Rod Rosenstein Almost Quit Over Comey Firing
Rod Rosenstein Image by Getty Images
After a memo written by him was invoked as the reason for FBI Director James Comey’s abrupt ouster, deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was apparently so incensed that he threatened to resign.
An administration told the Washington Post Rosenstein was upset that the White House said it was firing Comey due to his memo faulting Comey’s leadership but not explicitly calling for the sacking.
According to the source, it was the other way around – with President Trump deciding to fire Comey and then asking Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Rosenstein to draft a rationale for doing so.
Rosenstein is a career public servant, who has now served in three successive administrations, both Republican and Democrat.
Before his appointment as deputy attorney general, he worked for the Bush and Obama administrations as the United States attorney for Maryland.
Before his firing, Comey is said to have asked Rosenstein for more funding so the FBI could pursue its investigation of ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.
The White House has denied both this claim and the resignation threat rumor.
Contact Daniel J. Solomon at [email protected] or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon
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