Senator Joni Ernst.
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst today said she’s confident the FBI will pursue all leads as it continues to investigate how Russia may have tried to influence the last U.S. election.
“Having grown up in the military, too, we know that if one leader is moving on, there’s always another leader coming in behind and your mission doesn’t stop,” said Ernst, who retired after a 24-year career in the Iowa National Guard. “…We may have director Comey gone, but there is obviously a structure in place and investigations will continue.”
Ernst said President Trump had the authority, as president, to fire FBI Director James Comey, but Ernst is not joining Trump in questioning why the Russia probe is taking so long.
“We can’t rush anything and make sure that it’s done correctly. I would leave that up to those experts and the folks that are actually involved in the investigation to determine what is the appropriate length of time,” Ernst said. “Are they finding any trails that might lead somewhere? I would leave that up to them, but we can’t just hurry through something just to have it done.”
Ernst announced yesterday that Vice President Mike Pence will be the keynote speaker at her third annual “Roast and Ride” fundraiser on June 3 in Boone.
“I’ve been able to work with Vice President Pence over the course of the last several months,” Ernst said. “He is an extraordinary individual and I’ve gotten to know him, gotten to know his wife, Karen. They are lovely people. They care about the direction of the country and he’s not afraid to engage people.”
Pence, who is 57 years old, resigned as Indiana’s governor last summer to become Donald Trump’s running mate. Ernst isn’t shy about saying she hopes Pence pursues the top job at some point.
“I hope so,” Ernst said. “…I think he would be a great president.”
Trump said during a rally in Sioux City last November that Ernst had been on “a very short list” of potential running mates, but Trump said Ernst told him she needed “more seasoning” before stepping up as a national candidate.