RUFUS – President Jay Laylin has confirmed that he fired Federal Crimes Investigation Service Director Barry Wilkenson, before Wilkenson was scheduled to resign as the agency’s director. As of now the Laylin Administration has not released the reason for his firing, but many speculate that it is related to the ongoing investigation into President Laylin’s former Senate Staffer.

Director Wilkenson was already planning on leaving the administration by January 2027, as he was facing a federal investigation into illegal kickbacks to government contracts. Wilkenson was heading the investigation into claims President Laylin sexually assaulted, drugged and then beat one of his former Senate Staffers in 2015.

“It has been the honor of my life to serve this agency and to serve all of the great people in this room,” said Barry Wilkenson on his last day in the FCIS headquarter building. “Together we kept the people of our country safe while working to investigate the crimes that took place throughout the United States Of Jesstopia. I am proud to say that I was a part of that work. Best of luck to my successor and to all of you wonderful people.”

President Laylin issued the following statement on his personal GovMedia account regarding Wilkenson’s premature departure from the administration. The cause of his firing was not released in that post or any subsequent statements.

“Today I am announcing that Federal Crimes Investigation Service Director has been effectively removed from his service as Director of the agency effective today,” wrote President Laylin. “I would like to thank him for his service to our nation and to the administration as a whole.”

Former New Shire State Police commissioner Lorenzo Marley was named as the nominee to replace Wilkenson in January 2027, but those plans seem unlikely as the Senate is now focused on ensuring that the investigation into President Laylin’s alleged misconduct may further delay Marley’s confirmation hearings and the final vote.

The President’s critics are claiming he is working to “hide evidence,” “throw the investigation,” and “stall legal proceedings,” viewing his firing the first step to clear efforts to investigate the assault. Supporters say that the investigation was pointed to target the President, and others claim Wilkenson likely worked to source people to make the false allegations against the President.

“The President is very much guilty, and he knows that and is likely tying up loose ends,” said Martin Dreyfuss, a professor of Criminal Justice in Alden University. “President Laylin’s accuser will take the stand and detail what the President did to her, when he was a Senator back in 2015. He is cutting ties with any he views as a threat.”

Other’s believe President Laylin is simply trying to free up the office to allow Lorenzo Marley to take office immediately upon his confirmation. Marley has not made any public comment on the ongoing criminal investigation into President Laylin’s sexual misconduct while in a public office.