Key FBI Attorneys James Baker, Lisa Page Resign From Agency

FBI attorney James Baker, one of fired FBI Director James Comey's closest confidantes, and fellow agent Lisa Page, whose name became tarnished with the revelations about the anti-Trump text messages she shared with a fellow agent, both resigned.

Both Baker and Page, who both stepped down Friday, often advised Comey, reports The New York Times. Baker, at one time the FBI's top attorney, was reassigned in December when new Director Christopher Wray assigned his own advisers.

The Department of Justice investigated Baker over suspicions that he leaked classified information to the media, but he hasn’t been charged with a crime. House Republicans claim Baker was behind leaks from a salacious dossier about Trump and Russia.

Meanwhile, Page served directly under fired Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, and came under fire because the texts she exchanged with a fellow agent, Peter Strzok, with whom she was romantically involved.

Strzok has been reassigned in the FBI, but he had been the agent in charge of overseeing the investigation concerning President Donald Trump's campaign and Russia.

An FBI spokesperson told Fox News that Page resigned Friday to "pursue other opportunities."

The Times reported that the resignation decisions weren’t related, and Comey referred to Baker's move in a tweet as a retirement rather than that he had quit.

"A great public servant retired from the FBI today," Comey wrote. "Jim Baker’s integrity and commitment to the rule of law have benefitted our country through 5 presidents, of both parties. We are fortunate he and so many others choose to devote their lives to justice."

Baker told The Times that he is joining the Brookings Institution, where he will write for its national security law blog Lawfare.

“I love the F.B.I.,” he said. “I have tremendous respect for the bureau — the F.B.I. was great, is great and will be great.”

Baker, as an adviser to Comey, warned him against saying publicly that Trump was not under investigation, at the time when the president was pushing him to make an announcement, the Times reports.

Page, meanwhile, advised FBI leaders during the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server, including when Comey announced the bureau would recommend no criminal charges against her.

However, Comey has commented that he would have removed Page from the investigations, if he had known about her opinions about Trump, notes Fox News.

Saturday, former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer weighed in about the resignations, telling "Fox and Friends" that it was a "good thing" the two are leaving.

"The men and women of the FBI work, you know, throughout this country to uphold the law, and I think they have a sterling reputation for the most part," said Spicer. "These bad eggs tarnish that reputation. It is not a good thing for the institution. I'm glad they are getting out of the way."

He said the news "further bolsters" Trump's point that there are "people out to get him" and "overall, it's a good thing that they're getting out of the way. I think that justice still needs to be served and we look forward to seeing what the Inspector General says."