GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said he believes Attorney General Jeff Sessions should be involved in the process of finding a new FBI director during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”
Lee’s comments were a sharp split from Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner’s, who told host Chris Wallace it would be “inappropriate” for the man who recused himself from the investigation into Russian government influence in the presidential election to be involved in the process.
“I completely disagree with the suggestion that he has to detach himself from the process of finding an FBI director,” Lee said. “As attorney general, he will be working with the FBI director in a whole lot of cases involving a whole lot of matters that have nothing to do with anything as to which Attorney General Sessions has recused himself. So I completely disagree. I couldn’t disagree more with that suggestion.”
President Donald Trump fired former FBI Director James Comey Tuesday on the recommendation of Sessions.
Lee suggested President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, as a potential candidate to replace Comey.
“The outcome of investigations ought not carry any taint or any potential for taint with respect to partisan affiliation,” he said. “And I think in this instance there are a whole lot of options available. I think Merrick Garland would be a particularly good option given that he would have so much support from both sides of the aisle.”
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