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Newsweek
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Maurene Comey's Head 'Just Rolled' Amid Epstein Backlash, Van Jones Says
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Maurene Comey, federal prosecutor in Manhattan who played a key role in the criminal cases against sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, marks "the head that just rolled" after being fired Wednesday, former Barack Obama adviser Van Jones said. Newsweek previously reached out to the White House and Department of Justice (DOJ) for comment. Why It Matters The decision to dismiss Comey—former FBI Director James Comey's daughter—was delivered as the DOJ faces renewed scrutiny over its handling of evidence and records in the case against Epstein, the disgraced financier who in 2019 died by suicide in jail before his trial on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell was convicted of the same charges and is serving a 20-year prison term. Comey was informed of her firing in a letter that noted Article II of the U.S. Constitution in the decision, according to The New York Times, citing three people familiar with the matter. The Times first reported the firing, which was later picked up by ABC News and the Associated Press. Comey played an integral role in prosecuting high-profile sex trafficking cases involving Epstein and Maxwell, proceedings that have cast a long shadow over U.S. and international legal and political arenas. Her dismissal comes during a period of heightened public suspicion and political controversy, particularly among President Donald Trump's MAGA-aligned supporters who have voiced concerns about government transparency in the Epstein investigation, with pointed backlash at U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. What To Know While speaking on CNN, Jones, former George W. Bush adviser Scott Jennings and CNN political commentator Ana Navarro were discussing Comey's firing and comparing it to the Signal chat scandal that plagued the Trump administration and included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Mike Waltz, then-national security adviser. Waltz was removed from the position and nominated by Trump to be his U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. "It's extremely disruptive, this would be true no matter who the president is, to go through getting rid of a Cabinet secretary of any kind, especially the attorney general. It is not worth it, and it's probably not warranted here," Jennings said while highlighting Trump's first six months in office. "When Signalgate wouldn't go away, he [Trump] got rid of Waltz," Navarro said. Jones later replied, "the head that just rolled is Comey's head. I mean, Comey's daughter, that's the head that just rolled." "That's a distraction," Navarro replied. "Exactly, it's a distraction, but I'm saying that's more likely," Jones said. Former federal prosecutor Jeffrey Toobin called Comey's dismissal "a disgrace to the Justice Department" while speaking on CNN Wednesday. Van Jones attends the 85th Annual Peabody Awards on June 1 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage) Van Jones attends the 85th Annual Peabody Awards on June 1 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage) What People Are Saying Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday: "The Radical Left Democrats have hit pay dirt, again! Just like with the FAKE and fully discredited Steele Dossier, the lying 51 'Intelligence' Agents, the Laptop from Hell, which the Dems swore had come from Russia (No, it came from Hunter Biden's bathroom!), and even the Russia, Russia, Russia Scam itself, a totally fake and made up story used in order to hide Crooked Hillary Clinton's big loss in the 2016 Presidential Election, these Scams and Hoaxes are all the Democrats are good at - It's all they have - They are no good at governing, no good at policy, and no good at picking winning candidates. "Also, unlike Republicans, they stick together like glue. Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this 'bull***,' hook, line, and sinker. They haven't learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years. I have had more success in 6 months than perhaps any President in our Country's history, and all these people want to talk about, with strong prodding by the Fake News and the success starved Dems, is the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax. "Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don't even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don't want their support anymore! Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" What Happens Next Members of Congress have said they will continue pressing for greater transparency regarding the DOJ's handling of the Epstein probe. Official comment from the Southern District of New York or the DOJ on Comey's replacement is still pending, and further inquiries into sealed case records remain likely as policymakers and the public seek additional answers.
The Hill
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Waltz leaves mostly unscathed from hearing
While some Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee promised a 'brutal' hearing for Waltz's nomination as ambassador for the United Nations, his confirmation is nearly guaranteed in the Republican-controlled Senate, and lawmakers generally focused their questions on substance rather than scrutiny. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) delivered one of the most scathing rebukes of Waltz and appeared to get under his skin. Booker criticized Waltz, a former Army colonel, Green Beret and three-term Republican congressman from Florida as showing 'profound cowardice.' 'At a moment where our national security was clearly compromised, you denied, you deflected, and then you demeaned and degraded those people who objectively told the truth and criticized your actions,' Booker said. 'I appreciate the men and women that I've had to lead in combat, and I think the last thing they would call me is a coward,' Waltz said, pushing back. Trump removed Waltz from his position as national security adviser in May in the wake of scrutiny and criticism over the sloppy handling of the Signal chat. The role was taken over by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. But Trump retained Waltz as an adviser, keeping in place his nearly $200,000 salary and nominating him for the United Nations post. The move served a number of functions. It offered Waltz a small rebuke for the fallout from the Signal chat but kept him at a senior-level position with the administration. The U.N. ambassador is traditionally a Cabinet position. Waltz replaced Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y), who was originally nominated as ambassador but whom Trump decided to keep in the House to protect the GOP's slim majority. Republicans lined up behind Waltz, calling him 'one of the most well qualified U.S. ambassador nominees to the United Nations ever' and describing him as a man of 'integrity, grit and principle.' Democratic fury over 'Signalgate' is centered on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for publishing the timing and sequencing of military attack plans in the Signal chat. They were slightly more forgiving to Waltz during the hearing.
The Hill
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump's UN nominee faces scrutiny over Signal chat, but emerges largely unscathed
President Trump's former national security advisor, Mike Waltz, emerged Tuesday from a Senate confirmation hearing largely unscathed over his role in mistakenly adding a journalist to a group chat discussing sensitive military attack plans against the Houthis in Yemen. While some Democrats on the Foreign Relations panel promised a 'brutal' hearing for Waltz's nomination as ambassador for the United Nations, his confirmation is nearly guaranteed in the Republican-controlled Senate and lawmakers generally focused their questions on substance rather than scrutiny. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) delivered one of the most scathing rebukes of Waltz, and appeared to get under his skin. Booker criticized Waltz, a former Army colonel, Green Beret and three-term Republican congressman from Florida as showing 'profound cowardice.' 'At a moment where our national security was clearly compromised, you denied, you deflected, and then you demeaned and degraded those people who objectively told the truth and criticized your actions,' Booker said. Waltz pushed back, referring to his time in the military. 'I appreciate the men and women that I've had to lead in combat, and I think the last thing they would call me is a coward,' he said. Trump removed Waltz from his position as National Security Advisor in May in the wake of scrutiny and criticism over the sloppy handling of the Signal chat. The role was taken over by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. But Trump retained Waltz as an advisor, keeping in place his nearly $200,000 salary and nominating him for the United Nations post. The move served a number of functions. It offered Waltz a small rebuke for the fallout from the Signal chat but kept him at a senior-level with the administration. The U.N. ambassador is traditionally a cabinet position. Waltz replaced Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y), who was originally nominated as ambassador, but who Trump decided to keep in the House to protect the GOP's slim majority. Republicans lined up behind Waltz, calling him 'one of the most well qualified U.S. ambassador nominees to the United Nations ever,' and described him as a man of 'integrity, grit and principle.' Democratic fury over Signal-gate is centered on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for publishing the timing and sequencing of military attack plans in the Signal chat. They were slightly more forgiving to Waltz during the hearing. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virg.) called Waltz's inclusion of the journalist 'an amateurish move' but said he saw nothing to suggest that Waltz had shared classified information. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said he was disappointed that Waltz did not demonstrate regret to the panel. 'That's not, as we both know, the appropriate way to share such critical information,' he said. Other questions focused on the urgency of confirming Waltz. There is bipartisan agreement that the U.N. needs reform, but Democrats are opposed to the administration's wide-ranging funding cuts that they say will abdicate U.S. leadership to China. Lawmakers in both parties also want a U.S. ambassador at the U.N. for the September gathering of 193 heads of state of member countries. Lawmakers said the U.S. should exercise influence over the campaign for the next U.N. secretary general, expected to start in the fall. And there is an October deadline for European partners to snap back Security Council sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. Under questioning from Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) about negotiations with Iran, Waltz laid out the Trump administration's offer for Tehran to have a civil nuclear program but without the ability to enrich uranium domestically. 'If they want to buy material, if they want to have a civil program, I think that's again, until directed otherwise, that is absolutely on the table,' Waltz said. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), while expressing concern over Trump's staffing and foreign aid cuts, said she wants to work with Waltz and brought up sanctions relief for Syria. While the hearing largely focused on Waltz, Trump's nominees for Ambassador to Portugal, John Arrigo, and nominee for Ambassador to Sweden, Christine Toretti were also questioned. Democrats pushed back on what they viewed as the Trump administration's egregious hypocrisy. Sen. Kaine questioned all three nominees about reporting in The Atlantic that the Trump administration is planning to incinerate 500 tons of emergency food meant for starving children. The food was on the verge of spoiling because it was not distributed in the chaos of the cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development. 'If the United States has purchased specialty foods designed to help kids from starving, we should deliver that food to kids rather than allow it to spoil and incinerate it. That's my view. Do you agree with me or not?' Kaine asked. While Waltz and Arrigo said they were not aware of the exact circumstances, Kaine thanked Toretti for answering in the affirmative. 'I'm glad that you answered unequivocally,' Kaien told Toretti. 'This is such a simple question.'
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOD is investigating Hegseth's staffers over Houthi-strikes chats
June 7 (UPI) -- The Defense Department's Inspector General is investigating Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's March 13 Signal chat ahead of the U.S. military's extended aerial strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. The IG's office initiated the investigation weeks ago and has interviewed current and former Hegseth staffers to learn how the chat and one other that occurred on the Signal encrypted mobile messaging app included civilians, ABC News reported. A DOD IG spokesperson declined to comment on the investigation because it is ongoing. Signal supports encrypted group messaging chats, but at least two chats discussed the onset of U.S. military action against the Houthis that started on March 15. The first erroneously included The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, while a second Signal chat included Hegseth's wife and brother. Hegseth in April blamed "disgruntled" former employees and media for the controversy over the Signalchat mishaps that many have dubbed "Signalgate." "This is what media does," Hegseth told media during the annual Easter Egg Roll event at the White House on April 21. "They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees and they try to slash and burn people and ruin their reputations," he said. "We're changing the Defense Department and putting the Pentagon back in the hands of warfighters," Hegseth said. "Anonymous smears from disgruntled former employees on old news don't matter." The aerial attacks continued from March 15 until May 6, when President Donald Trump announced the Houthis agreed to stop attacking U.S.-flagged vessels. The Houthis did not stop attacking Israel or commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
UPI
07-06-2025
- Politics
- UPI
DOD is investigating Hegseth's staffers over Houthi-strikes chats
The Defense Department Inspector General is investigating two instances when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in March discussed military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen while using Signal group chats that included civilians. Photo by Chris Kleponis/UPI | License Photo June 7 (UPI) -- The Defense Department's Inspector General is investigating Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's March 13 Signal chat ahead of the U.S. military's extended aerial strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. The IG's office initiated the investigation weeks ago and has interviewed current and former Hegseth staffers to learn how the chat and one other that occurred on the Signal encrypted mobile messaging app included civilians, ABC News reported. A DOD IG spokesperson declined to comment on the investigation because it is ongoing. Signal supports encrypted group messaging chats, but at least two chats discussed the onset of U.S. military action against the Houthis that started on March 15. The first erroneously included The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, while a second Signal chat included Hegseth's wife and brother. Hegseth in April blamed "disgruntled" former employees and media for the controversy over the Signalchat mishaps that many have dubbed "Signalgate." "This is what media does," Hegseth told media during the annual Easter Egg Roll event at the White House on April 21. "They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees and they try to slash and burn people and ruin their reputations," he said. "We're changing the Defense Department and putting the Pentagon back in the hands of warfighters," Hegseth said. "Anonymous smears from disgruntled former employees on old news don't matter." The aerial attacks continued from March 15 until May 6, when President Donald Trump announced the Houthis agreed to stop attacking U.S.-flagged vessels. The Houthis did not stop attacking Israel or commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
