Brookings: Trump ‘Likely Obstructed Justice’ in Comey Firing
President Donald Trump “likely obstructed justice” when he fired FBI Director James Comey and could face impeachment, according to an analysis from the Brookings Institution.
The liberal-leaning think tank released a 108-page report on the issue Tuesday.
In the analysis, Brookings concludes that even though Trump had the authority to fire Comey, he could not do so if the intention was to get in the way of an ongoing investigation.
“Attempts to stop an investigation represent a common form of obstruction. Demanding the loyalty of an individual involved in an investigation, requesting that individual’s help to end the investigation, and then ultimately firing that person to accomplish that goal are the type of acts that have frequently resulted in obstruction convictions,” Brookings analysts Barry Berke, Noah Bookbinder and Norman Eisen wrote.
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