Former FBI Director Robert Mueller is not assigned for a "witch-hunt," as President Donald Trump may have suggested this week, and Mueller will stick to his mandate to investigate thoroughly, devoid of political sway, Mueller's former deputy director said Sunday.
"The focus is on the Russian influence with the Trump campaign and the administration, if it's there," Tim Murphy, Mueller's No. 2 during his term with the investigative organization, told the "The Cats Roundtable" on 970 AM-N.Y. "Now, that's his mandate. I think Bob Mueller will stick to his mandate. He's not going to run down paths.
"It's not going to be – there's words being used it could be a 'witch-hunt' – that's not the Bob Mueller I know."
Murphy appeared with host John Catsimatidis to stress the independent authority and "brilliant" appointing of Mueller.
"This is a great thing for America," Murphy told the N.Y. radio host. "I know we're in New York and a line in New York would be 'Batman is back to save Gotham,' but I think in this case Batman is back to save America."
Murphy praised the move to allow Mueller direct the investigation on Russian influence, so the rest of the FBI can focus on its work on many other levels, adding a call for a "nonpartisan" next FBI director.
"We have a lot of issues, domestically and internationally, so we shouldn't get lost in everybody just focusing on this Russian influence," Murphy told Catsimatidis. "Bob Mueller is back. Bob Mueller has this investigation. We need a great FBI director to continue to drive that organization forward and protect this country."
The next FBI director needs to be like Mueller, Murphy said, someone who has experience in law enforcement and knowledge of the workings in Washington, but who is not swayed by politics.
"There isn't a doubt in my mind that you were not going to influence him on an investigation or anything," Murphy said of his former boss. "He knows what he feels is right, based on his experiences in law enforcement and the private sector and the Department of Justice. He's been in law enforcement for a long time. You aren't going to sway him."
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