Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll Schumer, Sanders call for Senate panel to address election security MORE (I-Vt.) slammed President Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE Tuesday for firing FBI Director James Comey, calling his decision “deeply troubling” and suggesting that the president is attempting to sway the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election.

“Donald Trump’s decision to fire FBI Director James Comey raises serious questions about what his administration is hiding,” Sanders said in a statement. “Why did President Trump fire the person leading the investigation into possible collusion between his campaign and the Russian government?”

The Vermont senator questioned the timing of Comey’s dismissal, pointing to Comey’s scheduled appearance in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

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“I find it deeply troubling that this decision comes a day after damning testimony by former acting Attorney General Sally Yates on Russia’s ties to the Trump campaign and just days before Comey was scheduled to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee,” Sanders said.

“President Trump has repeatedly taken steps to kill inquiries into Russia’s involvement in the U.S. election. It is clear that whomever President Trump handpicks to lead the FBI will not be able to objectively carry out this investigation," he added. "We need an independent investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.

Sanders’s comments come after other Democrats have criticized the decision and alleged that the president is using "Nixonian" tactics to stand in the way of the investigation.