ANNAPOLIS, MD -- Amid President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to fire FBI Director James Comey, Maryland lawmakers in both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have spoken out. Overwhelmingly, Maryland's mostly Democratic congressional delegates made scathing remarks about the decision.

Most of the Maryland delegation called for an independent investigation into the ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Sen. Ben Cardin, D, the senior senator, was shocked at the decision to fire Comey, and admitted it's tough for Trump to shock him anymore. "There is little President Trump does anymore that surprises me, but that he would fire the lead investigator into collusion between Russia and Trump campaign officials is beyond the pale," he said in a statement.

"We also need a special prosecutor to complete the ongoing criminal probe, now that the president has undermined the integrity of the FBI's investigation," Cardin said. "The American people are entitled to answers."

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D, mentioned parallels between the firing of Comey and the Trump administration's efforts to "stymie the Russia investigation at every step." He continued, "Our democracy depends fundamentally on trust in our leaders, our laws, and our institutions. Today's developments will by their nature surely shake that trust."

While both of Maryland's U.S. Senators condemned the firing of Comey, not all of the state's Congressmen felt so strongly against it. Rep. Andy Harris, R-1, agreed with the decision in a statement made Wednesday. He noted that the recommendation to fire Comey came from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, complimenting his commitment to justice.

Comey's termination came amid the FBI's active investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Rep. Harris said Rosenstein, who just moved into the job after serving as the U.S. attorney for Maryland, is a man committed to justice and widely respected by his peers. "I trust the judgment of Mr. Rosenstein, and I believe the president and attorney general should choose a director in whom they and the American people have full confidence."

Rep. Harris, the only Republican from Maryland in Congress, is alone among his fellow representatives in his support for the decision. Rep. Anthony Brown, D-4, said Comey's firing "is highly troubling at best, or Nixonian at worst."

Rep. John Delaney, D-6, thinks it's necessary to appoint an independent special prosecutor. "Every member of Congress who cares about our democracy should support this," he said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-7, said "There is now a crisis of confidence at the Justice Department, and President Trump is not being held accountable because House Republicans refuse to work with us to do our job." He mentioned the fact that Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who claimed to have recused himself from the investigation, was directly involved in the firing of Comey according to the White House itself.

Rep. Jaime Raskin, D-8, likened Trump's decision to fire Comey to actions taken by President Nixon.


Article image via Eric Thayer/Getty Images News/Getty Images

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