WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement on former FBI Director Comey’s hearing with the Senate Intelligence Committee:

“Former FBI Director Comey is right – Russian interference of our democracy isn’t a Republican issue or Democratic issue, it’s an American issue. He was straightforward in discussing Russia’s malicious attempts to ‘shape the way we think, we vote, we act’– and that is terrifying. We must follow the facts and get to the bottom of this.

“Unfortunately, that’s not the only concerning revelation. Director Comey testified under oath that the Administration misled the American public about the characterization of his firing and confirmed unequivocally that he was directed to drop a case involving the National Security Advisor. He also confirmed that for the first time in his tenure, after serving three Presidents, he felt the need to take detailed notes following a private meeting because of possible – and now, we know, actual – misrepresentation. All of these individually are troubling – together they are mindboggling.

“President Trump says he feels ‘completely and totally vindicated’ by Director Comey’s testimony and, after watching the hearing, I feel ‘completely and totally vindicated’ on our constant calls for an independent investigation.”

In January, Norcross called for an independent investigation into Russian hacking of the 2016 election in a statement and continued this call throughout the early months of 2017 on Twitter. In May, Norcross again emphasized the need for an independent investigation after attending a classified bipartisan briefing with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein regarding the firing of FBI Director Comey.

###

Contact: Ally Kehoe, Communications Director
ally.kehoe@mail.house.gov