Comey to kick off speakers series

Steinem, Leno also in lineup

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

James Comey, the former FBI director whose name remains a near daily presence in the news, will kick off the 2018-19 Pittsburgh Speakers Series Oct. 3.

Gloria Steinem, Jeb Bush and Jay Leno are among the other speakers in the season, announced Thursday by presenters Robert Morris University and UPMC.

Mr. Comey, who was appointed deputy U.S. attorney general by President George W. Bush and FBI director in 2013 by President Barack Obama, was fired last year by President Donald Trump as investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016election heated up.

Following Mr. Comey’s appearence, the 2018 schedule for the Speakers Series at Heinz Hall, Downtown, is: neuroscientist Lisa Genova, author of “Still Alice” (Oct. 24), and women’s lib activist Gloria Steinem (Nov. 14).

In 2019, speakers are Jeb Bush, Florida’s only two-term Republican governor and a 2016 candidate for the GOP presidential nomination (Jan. 30); Ian Bremmer, founder of Eurasia Group (March 6); Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative (March 27); and comedian and former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno (April 24).

The series is sold by subscription ($325$465) at www.PittsburghSpeakers.org or 412-392-4900. Series events begin at 8 p.m., and each includes an audience Q&A.