美国国家公共电台 NPR FBI Fires Peter Strzok, Political Lightning Rod Who Criticized Trump

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The FBI has fired a veteran agent who investigated Russia's interference in the 2016 election and then became a target for President Trump¹. Special Agent Peter Strzok became a lightning rod because of text messages he sent that were critical of the president. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

SCOTT HORSLEY, BYLINE²: Strzok's dismissal marks the end of a long slide. He'd been taken off the Russia investigation³ last summer when supervisors⁴ became aware of his politically loaded text messages. Two months ago, he was escorted out of the FBI's headquarters. President Trump cheered Strzok's firing with a tweet this afternoon that said, finally. Trump had often criticized the special agent, as in this interview with CBS News last month.

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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: He was a disgrace to our country. He was a disgrace to the FBI. So when I look at things like that - and he led that investigation or whatever you call it.

HORSLEY: Trump has often called the investigation of Russia's interference in the 2016 election a witch hunt, and he points to Strzok's text messages as justification⁵ for that charge. Strzok has acknowledged sending messages critical of the president to a former FBI attorney, Lisa Page, with whom he was having an extramarital affair. But during a contentious⁶ congressional hearing last month, Strzok insisted that had no bearing on the investigation.

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PETER STRZOK: Let me be clear. Unequivocally and under oath, not once in my 26 years of defending our nation did my personal opinions impact any official action I took.

HORSLEY: Strzok says that goes for both the Russia probe and an earlier investigation of Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server, a case on which he also worked. Trump today called the FBI's Clinton email probe a sham⁷ and said it ought to be reopened.

According to Strzok's attorney, the disciplinary arm of the FBI had recommended only a demotion and a 60-day suspension for the special agent, but the bureau's deputy director decided⁸ to fire Strzok instead. His attorney calls the dismissal a response to political pressure and adds the FBI and the American people deserve better. The attorney echoed Strzok's own testimony⁹ to Congress last month when he said Russia's election interference had been wildly successful, shaking faith in America's institutions and sowing discord¹⁰ throughout the country.

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STRZOK: Today's hearing is just another victory notch¹¹ in Putin's belt and another milestone¹² in our enemies' campaign to tear America apart.

HORSLEY: Tonight the FBI issued a statement explaining the decision to fire Strzok as within the deputy director's authority and, quote, "in the best interest of the FBI." Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.