Americans need answers to the questions swirling around Russian interference in the U.S. elections last November, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell said Tuesday in response to President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey.

Trump’s unexpected dismissal of the man in charge of the agency that’s probing Russian meddling — as well as potential contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian agents — sent shock waves through Washington, D.C. and the country Tuesday.

Cantwell (D-WA) issued the following statement late Tuesday in response to Comey’s firing:

“People are sitting at home, knowing that the Russians have interfered with our elections and now they see that this is the third person that’s been fired by this administration.

“People want to know, was this because someone was closing in on information about that investigation that might have incriminated people within the administration? My constituents want answers about who knew about the Russian interference.

“My colleagues in the Senate and House Judiciary Committees are going to continue to investigate, but we need a special independent prosecutor to get the answers for the American people and demand accountability,” Cantwell said.