Mueller should resign

Robert Mueller, the appointed special counsel to investigate Russian collusion and other matters, should resign the position. Mueller is a former Marine Corps officer as I am. When he was a lieutenant in Vietnam, I was a major on my second one-year tour. Any former Marine who served in combat has my utmost respect.

When he left the Marine Corps and ultimately was appointed the director of the FBI, I was elated. He had a reputation as a straight shooter and a hard-nosed investigator — a perfect fit for the FBI.

My reasons for calling for his resignation are twofold. James Comey was his deputy and succeeded him when he left the bureau in 2010. They had formed a close personal relationship. Now that Comey has been relieved, his actions as the director before and since has called into question his truthfulness and competence. If the special counsel investigation leads to some implications against Comey, is Mueller going to turn against his friend and protege?

Secondly, Mueller has selected at least five attorneys on his team who were donors to the Democratic campaign of Hillary Clinton. Any implication of collusion by the attorneys immediately calls into question their impartially.

This whole thing is fraught with the potential to further complicate and confuse the situation. Mueller should resign so the investigation can proceed without any chance of partiality.

This story was originally published August 10, 2017 at 3:58 PM with the headline "Mueller should resign."