WASHINGTON—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement:

“Reporting today makes clear that Attorney General Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein offered their ‘recommendations’ for FBI Director Comey's dismissal to give President Trump a modest cover, while in fact, the President’s anger underlay his outrageous decision to fire the person investigating him. This acquiescence at the highest level of the Justice Department shows a remarkable lack of integrity, judgment, and independence.

“I renew my call for AG Sessions, who gave false testimony in his confirmation hearing, to step down. I also urge Deputy AG Rosenstein to request that a three-judge panel appoint a special prosecutor and then recuse himself from any investigations dealing with the Trump Administration. Their jobs are to enforce our laws, not give the President cover, and their actions leave them compromised and entangled in the President's scandal. 

“Furthermore, the Senate should postpone confirming any new Justice Department officials until a special prosecutor and an independent commission are in place to investigate the Trump-Russia Scandal. The President must not be allowed to entrust this issue to a hand-picked Trump insider. This week has already shown that his Administration puts his personal interests ahead of the rule of law.”

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