Sen. Mark Warner warns of ramifications for Trump’s FBI and Justice Department firings

By Amanda Friedman

In POLITICO

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said on Sunday that the Trump administration’s recent firings and probes into the Department of Justice and the FBI could have serious consequences.

“Well, if you were suddenly taking out the most experienced folks at Justice or at the FBI, how does that make us stronger?” Warner said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

Over the last week, the Trump administration has launched probes into the FBI and the Department of Justice — which President Donald Trump pledged to do if elected. The targeting has resulted in the ousting of dozens of officials.

The Justice Department fired more than a dozen prosecutors last week who worked on special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecutions of Trump. On Friday, the Justice Department fired dozens of prosecutors who worked on cases related to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

Also on Friday, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered the dismissal of eight senior FBI executives and directed the FBI to provide a list of all current and former FBI employees who worked Jan. 6 cases by noon Tuesday.

Warner said he’s been told that “almost half of all the FBI agents” had some involvement in the cases. He expressed concern about implications the major shake-ups could have on the country’s cybersecurity, the fentanyl crisis and crime investigations with the loss of long-standing officials within both agencies.

“This would be devastating,” he said.