Washington all out to find quick Comey replacement
WASHINGTON: Eight candidates for FBI director were interviewed at Justice Department headquarters as President Donald Trump suggested a decision on a nominee to replace ousted director James Comey could be announced within days.
Trump was scheduled to leave for his first overseas trip as president. But he told reporters it was possible he could make public his selection before he departs for the Middle East and Europe.
“I think the process is going to go quickly. Almost all of them are very well known,” Trump said aboard the plane that took him to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he gave the commencement address at Liberty University.
“They’ve been vetted over their lifetime essentially, but very wellknown, highly respected, really talented people. That’s what we want.”
Trump abruptly fired Comey and said he was a “showboat” and “grandstander” who was not doing a good job.
Comey’s replacement requires Senate confirmation. The FBI director serves a 10year term but can be replaced by the president.
So far 14 people – lawmakers, attorneys and law enforcement officials among them – have emerged as candidates. The eight met with attorney general Jeff Sessions and his deputy Rod Rosenstein on Saturday.
The first candidate to arrive for interviews was Alice Fisher, a highranking Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration.
The others included Adam Lee, a special agent in charge of the FBI’s office in Richmond, Virginia.
> Acting FBI director Andrew McCabe and also Michael J. Garcia, a former prosecutor and associate judge in New York’s appeals court.
> Sen John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate leader and a former Texas attorney general.
> US District Judge Henry E. Hudson, a Bush appointee who struck down the centrepiece of the Obama administration’s health care law in 2010.
> Frances Townsend, former Bush homeland security and counterterrorism adviser.
> Former Rep Mike Rogers of Michigan, who was chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
An exFBI agent, Rogers drew the backing of the FBI Agents Association, which said his diverse background makes him the best choice. — AP