Warner: Trump firing Comey has 'appearance' of quashing FBI's Russia probe

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Sen. Mark Warner on Comey's firing, Russia investigation

Top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee weighs in on 'Fox News Sunday'

Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner said Sunday that President Trump firing the director of the FBI appears as an attempt to squash the agency’s investigation into whether his presidential campaign team colluded with Russia during the 2016 elections.

”The president’s actions and his statement lends to that appearance,” Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, told “Fox News Sunday.”

Trump on Tuesday fired FBI Director James Comey, based on Attorney General Office recommendations and the president’s view that Comey “wasn’t doing a good job.”

COMEY FIRING: TRUMP TEAM REFUTES MEDIA CLAIMS:

Warner is among the most outspoken Senate Democrats on Trump, particularly regarding the Russia issue.

He also said Sunday that Trump firing Comey was “very disturbing” and “unacceptable,” while acknowledging he doesn’t know exactly what the president was thinking.

In an interview broadcast Saturday on Fox News’ “Justice with Judge Jeanine” the president said he decided to fire Comey before the Attorney General reviews, which essentially concluded the FBI director mishandled the agency’s Hillary Clinton email investigation during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump has said that Comey made clear that the president wasn’t under investigation in the Russia probe.

However, Warner on Sunday declined to say whether Comey had told him or others on the Senate intelligence committee whether Trump is being investigated.

“What I will say is there are clearly ongoing investigations on a number of individuals that are affiliated with the Trump campaign and the Trump operation,” Warner said. “We’ve going to get to the bottom of it.”