​James Comey Writes Goodbye Note To Former FBI Colleagues

Outgoing FBI head James Comey has said farewell to his agents and staff in a letter seen by The New York Times.

Writing in a memo that was sent to all current FBI employees, Comey said that he had 'long believed that a President can fire an FBI Director for any reason, or for no reason at all' and that 'in times of turbulence, the American people should see the FBI as a rock of competence, honesty, and independence'.

Signed simply as Jim Comey, the letter wished his best to his erstwhile colleagues and advised them of how to ensure success in the future.

He wrote: "It is very hard to leave a group of people who are committed only to doing the right thing. My hope is that you will continue to live our values and the mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution. If you do that, you too will be sad when you leave, and the American people will be safer."

Comey was fired from his role by President Donald Trump. It is thought that Comey found out that he had been fired when he saw it reported on television.

Credit: PA Images

Comey was overseeing an investigation into the links between the Trump campaign and the Russian government in the 2016 US election.

This probe continued after Trump was elected and many have linked his firing with an attempt to disrupt any investigation into the president.

Comey also presided over an investigation into Hillary Clinton's conduct regarding her private email server when she was Secretary of State.

He announced the investigation, which had declared her free of wrongdoing, was being reopened a week before polling day.

Just two days before America voted, Comey revealed that the reinvestigation into Clinton would not result in any new charges being brought against her.

Earlier in May, Clinton expressed the opinion to CNN that, had Comey not reopened the FBI investigation into her email server, she would be President.

Comey later defended his actions and expressed the impartiality of the FBI before he was fired on 9 May.

In his final message to his former colleagues, he described working for the Bureau as 'one of the great joys of my life'.

It is as yet unclear who will replace him at the top of America's largest law enforcement agency.

Sources: The New York Times, LA Times & NPR

Featured Image Credit: PA Images

Topics: FBI

Mel Ramsay

Mel Ramsay has been a Senior Journalist for Tyla and LADbible since 2015. She started her career writing obituaries and funeral guides online. Since then, her work has been published in a wide variety of national and local news sites. She is part of the BBC's Generation project and has spoken about young people, politics and mental health on television, radio and online. Contact her - [email protected]

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