America reaches 'an even more perilous moment': New York Times editorial board eviscerates Trump over James Comey's firing

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May 10, 2017 5:50 AM

The newspaper says Comey's dismissal means "there's no guarantee" the FBI will continue its Trump-Russia investigation.

President Donald Trump.

After President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday, The New York Times' editorial board painted a grim picture of the state of the US's democracy.

"This is a tense and uncertain time in the nation's history," the board wrote. "The president of the United States, who is no more above the law than any other citizen, has now decisively crippled the FBI's ability to carry out an investigation of him and his associates. There is no guarantee that Mr. Comey's replacement, who will be chosen by Mr. Trump, will continue that investigation; in fact, there are already hints to the contrary."

White House officials appeared to telegraph as much Tuesday night. Deputy White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during an interview on Fox News that it was "time to move on" from the investigations into whether any Trump associates colluded with Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election.

And in his dismissal letter to Comey, Trump wrote: "While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the bureau."

The Times editorial urged US officials to appoint an independent investigator to take over the Trump-Russia investigation.

The editorial echoed much of the sentiment heard from Republicans and Democrats in the hours following Comey's firing — specifically that the action could threaten the status of the Russia investigation while also placing an even sharper focus on Trump, his administration and allies, and their potentially illicit connections to the Kremlin.

In firing Comey, Trump effectively placed the ongoing investigation into the hands of the FBI's deputy director, Andrew McCabe, and the Justice Department's deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, despite having recused himself from all inquiries concerning Russia, participated in the decision to dismiss Comey, who was the most prominent face of the Russia investigation.

Observers and historians have sounded alarms about some of the events unfolding in the early months of Trump's presidency. His firing of Sally Yates as acting attorney general, the dismissal of numerous US attorneys, and, now, Comey's firing, have all been cited as atypical.

To that, The Times' editorial board warned: America "has reached an even more perilous moment."

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