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Ryan Fields Questions On Comey During Wisconsin Visit To Tout Tax Reform

Ryan: Russia Investigation Should Stay At FBI, Not Be Moved To Special Prosecutor

By
Paul Ryan
Evan Vucci/AP Photo

House Speaker Paul Ryan told a Wisconsin audience Thursday that he hopes to get Congress to pass a tax overhaul and other policy issues soon. But he admits there are other debates going on in Washington.


House Speaker Paul Ryan (center) poses for a photo with executives of the Emerson Corporation on Thursday in Racine. Chuck Quirmbach/WPR

Ryan joined officials of the Emerson Corporation at their announcement that their subsidiary — InSinkErator, a maker of garbage disposal units — will build a new corporate headquarters and laboratory in Racine County.

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Ryan said a proposed change in tax laws would let companies write off more investments in their factories.

The Janesville Republican said the key thing is to get tax reform on Congress’ plate.

“There’s so many issues, there’s a lot of headlines out there these days. The headline we want most is, ‘America is confident,’ ‘America is growing,’ ‘America is creating jobs,’” Ryan said.

At the stop, Ryan met with the news media, minus television cameras, which were banned from the question and answer session.

He answered several queries about a main headline this week — President Donald Trump firing FBI Director James Comey. Ryan said a probe into possible Russian interference with last fall’s U.S. election should stay with the FBI, and not move to a special prosecutor.

Ryan said even though acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe on Thursday morning told a Senate committee that fired Comey enjoyed broad support at the agency, the Speaker maintains Comey had lost the confidence of Republicans and Democrats.

“And, senior leadership at Justice Department. And so, I think the president looked at the situation and made a decision that a president can make, which is to remove the FBI director, ” Ryan said.

He added that “the professionals at the FBI” should keep pursuing their investigation of possible Russian interference in the election. Plus, Ryan said, there are two Congressional probes of the issue.