Rand Paul: Comey Firing Was Right, Congressman Justin Amash: Comey Firing Was Wrong

Rand Paul and Justin Amash

Two Libertarian Republicans' differing views are sure to have Libertarian's scratching their heads.   Rand Paul and Justin Amash have been the favorite sons of the Libertarians who have been trying but failing miserably to get Libertarian candidates in national office. Both though have different views on the firing of former FBI director James Comey.

Senator Rand Paul

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told FOX & Friends Wednesday morning that he lost confidence in fired FBI Director James Comey a long time ago. He said any accusation of Russian collusion in the election is a "huge myth" and a product of sour grapes.

"It's sour grapes over the election," Paul said. "The whole Russian thing has been propagated by people who are upset that they lost the election. They've sunk their teeth into something, they think they'll eventually find something. But everything is sort built upon a huge myth as far as I'm concerned. I don't think there has been any facts presented that anybody broke the low and yet this goes on and on."

Paul said Comey's firing couldn't have happened soon enough:

SEN. PAUL: I think it couldn't have happened soon enough. I lost confidence in Comey a long time ago. In fact, I never even voted for his confirmation because I doubted his ability to run the FBI. But I would say that most of America thought that he botched the Clinton email scandal. All the Democrats thought he said too much and all the Republicans thought he didn't do enough. So he had all the confidence of almost no one. Chuck Schumer said six months ago that he lost confidence in him. 

But I thought it was especially telling in the letter that the [Deputy] Attorney General sent, he said Eric Holder said that Comey had violated long-standing Department of Justice procedures. And I think without question that's true. And I think he politicized something by making way too many statements to the press. So I think it is time for new leadership at the FBI.

Republican Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.) has signed onto legislation from Democrats to create an independent commission to investigate Russian election interference, becoming the second GOP lawmaker to do so.

Amash became a cosponsor of the Protecting Our Democracy Act this week after President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, his spokeswoman confirmed Thursday following a BuzzFeed report.

Amash had indicated on Tuesday in the hours after Comey’s bombshell firing that he was inclined to back the legislation.


“My staff and I are reviewing legislation to establish an independent commission on Russia. The second paragraph of this letter is bizarre,” Amash tweeted, referring to the paragraph in Trump’s letter to Comey that states “I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation.”

The bill, authored by Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), has been endorsed by all 193 House Democrats, along with four delegates who caucus with them.

Before Amash, Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) was the only Republican co-sponsor.