President Clinton fired FBI Director William S. Sessions yesterday, ending a six-month drama during which the former federal judge refused repeated requests from administration officials to resign.
Clinton telephoned Sessions yesterday afternoon to inform him that he had been fired and then called back several minutes later to remind him that the dismissal was “effective immediately.” The president told reporters afterwards that he acted after Attorney General Janet Reno “reported to me in no uncertain terms that he {Sessions} can no longer effectively lead the bureau and law enforcement community” and that he agreed with that assessment.
Clinton, who said it was time to end “the turmoil now in the bureau” and “give the crime fighters the leadership they deserve,” is expected to announce today that he has selected federal Judge Louis J. Freeh of Manhattan, a 43-year-old former FBI agent and federal prosecutor, to head the agency. Clinton interviewed Freeh at the White House for two hours on Friday night, press secretary Dee Dee Myers said.
oh wait…wrong POTUS!