Trump picks lawyer to be FBI’s leader
Print Edition
UNITED States President Donald Trump yesterday announced his choice for FBI director — a former Justice Department official who served as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s lawyer during the George Washington Bridge lane-closing investigation.
Trump’s early morning two-sentence tweet that he intended to nominate Christopher Wray came one day before the FBI director that Trump fired last month, James Comey, was to testify in public on Capitol Hill for the first time since his dismissal.
Trump called Wray “a man of impeccable credentials” and offered no more information about the selection, ending the tweet by saying, “Details to follow.”
Wray served in a leadership role in the justice department when George W. Bush was president, rising to head the criminal division and overseeing investigations into corporate fraud, during the time when Comey was deputy attorney general.
With a strong law enforcement background, Wray is a traditional choice for the job. Trump had entertained current and former politicians for the role, including Joe Lieberman, a former Connecticut senator. Though favored by Trump, Lieberman would have faced a challenging confirmation process; he pulled his name from consideration.
Comey, during his appearance before the Senate intelligence committee, is expected to describe his encounters with Trump in the weeks before his firing on May 9. Comey could offer new details regarding discussions with Trump about the federal investigation into Russia’s election meddling and possible coordination with the Trump campaign.
The White House and its allies have been looking for ways to offset that potentially damaging testimony and have been working on strategies aimed at undermining Comey’s credibility.
Wray works in private practice for the King & Spalding law firm. He represented Christie in the lane-closing investigation, in which two former Christie aides were convicted of plotting to close bridge lanes to punish a Democratic mayor who wouldn’t endorse Christie.
Christie was not charged in the case.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
