Sunday: Schiff, Gates and Sasse
President Trump's abrupt firing of FBI Director James Comey this week sent shockwaves through Washington. The surprise move raised several questions about the ongoing federal investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion between Russian leaders and Trump campaign officials. President Trump continued to downplay Russian interference calling it a democratic "excuse for losing the election." But the top leaders of intelligence agencies in Washington told Congress again this week that Russia hacked and spread misinformation to influence the outcome in the presidential race. House and Senate intelligence committees also made clear that they will move forward with their investigations into Russian meddling while the calls for an independent investigation grew in Congress.
The backlash kept White House officials and communications staff scrambling to explain the decision. In an interview with NBC News, President Trump called Mr. Comey a "showboat and grandstander." A source close to Comey told the New York Times that the FBI Director was fired, in part, for refusing to pledge loyalty to the President during a January dinner conversation.
The president suggested on Twitter that there could potentially be recordings of private conversations he had with Comey in the White House raising questions about whether his meetings are recorded in the White House.
Sunday on "Face the Nation," we'll talk to the Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee Rep. Adam Schiff, D- California, about Comey's firing. Friday, Schiff called on the president to provide any potential tapes of privately recorded conversations between the former FBI director and Mr. Trump to congress. What insight does Schiff have into the president's surprise decision and where will his committee's investigation go next?
We'll also hear from former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who we caught up with Friday in Williamsburg, Virginia at William & Mary's Commencement. He told Face the Nation host John Dickerson that the Comey firing was "not terribly well done." We'll hear from Gates on what he thinks is working well in the Trump administration, as well as his thoughts on the Michael Flynn investigation.
Plus, we'll hear from a Republican who said he has "concerns" over the timing of Comey's dismissal, Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse. A member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee investigating Russia's attempts to influence our election, we'll talk to Sasse about what he calls a "crisis of public trust in this country," and his new book, "The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis – and How to Rebuild."
Finally, we'll have analysis from our political panel. This week we're joined by Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan, The Atlantic's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, Washington Post columnist and associate editor David Ignatius and The Federalist publisher Ben Domenech.
A lot to cover this week. Check your local listings for times.
