Many Democrats have been demanding James Comey’s head on a platter. Now that President Donald Trump has handed it to them, they are furious.

Hillary Clinton and some in her party believe Comey’s actions as FBI director cost her votes in last year’s presidential election. They point to his discussions in public of the FBI investigations of Clinton’s private email server and her careless handling of government secrets.

Regardless of how much effect Comey’s behavior had on the election, there is no doubt he erred severely and repeatedly in even mentioning the Clinton probe in public. It is standard practice for the FBI and others in the Justice Department to refuse to even confirm a specific person is being investigated.

Trump’s timing in firing Comey on Tuesday is being criticized. But, given the political climate in Washington, when would have been a better time to fire Comey?

For the good of the FBI, as well as Americans’ confidence in the agency as an apolitical arm of law enforcement, Comey had to go. Trump did the right thing in replacing him.