Washington, DC – Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations, released the following statement about President Trump’s dismissal of FBI Director James Comey:

“President Trump’s sudden dismissal of FBI Director James Comey raises deep constitutional concerns and questions about the integrity of our Government. His actions are not politics as usual. At best, they represent an egregious overreach of his authority. At worst, they are a blatant attempt to derail the investigation into the collusion of Trump campaign officials with Russia’s interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election.

“Comey’s dismissal follows his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee where he was asked about collusion between Russian agents and Trump campaign officials. Comey stated in response: “I’ve been authorized by the Department of Justice to confirm that the FBI, as part of our counterintelligence mission, is investigating the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. That includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government, and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia’s efforts.”

“It is shocking to me that within less than a week from that testimony, Comey has been terminated. The President’s sudden dismissal of FBI Director James Comey is deeply troubling and bear upon the future ability of the American people to trust him and his administration. His actions warrant due diligence by the House and Senate Judiciary Committees immediately.”