President Donald Trump, in a surprise Twitter message early on Wednesday, said he will nominate former assistant U.S. attorney general Christopher Wray to lead the FBI, whose former chief was fired by Trump less than a month ago.
James Comey, dismissed as Federal Bureau of Investigation director on May 9, is slated to testify before a Senate panel on Thursday about investigations of possible ties between Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections and the Trump campaign.
https://t.co/dINgqcACk3
The post has been empty for the past month after Mr Trump fired James Comey from the key law enforcement role.
"I will be nominating Christopher A. Wray, a man of impeccable credentials, to be the new Director of the FBI. Details to follow," Trump said in a Twitter message.
The U.S. Senate must evaluate and vote on any nomination by Trump of a new FBI leader.
His announcement comes as the Senate Intelligence Committee prepares to hear from top U.S. intelligence officials and Comey regarding the FBI's probe into Russian involvement in the election and fallout from Comey's firing.
On Wednesday, lawmakers will hear from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the No. 2 official at the Justice Department who signed a letter recommending Comey's dismissal.
U.S. Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the intelligence committee, said in a series of television interviews that Trump's announcement seemed timed to distract from the two days of potentially explosive hearings.
"It appears the president is trying to change the topic," Warner told MSNBC.
The president met last week with candidates for the FBI director post, including Wray, according to White House spokesman Sean Spicer.
Mr Wray served under George W Bush as an assistant attorney general from 2003 to 2005.
He was also a lawyer representing New Jersey Governor - and Trump ally - Chris Christie during the "Bridgegate" scandal.
The appointment will have to be approved by the Senate.
The Yale Law School graduate is currently a partner at King & Spalding law firm in its offices in Washington DC and Atlanta.
While at the Department of Justice (DOJ), he headed the criminal division, overseeing major corporate fraud scandals, including the crisis at energy giant Enron.
"Mr Wray was also integral to the DOJ's response to the 9/11 attacks and played a key role in the oversight of legal and operational actions in the continuing war on terrorism," says the King & Spalding website.
The New York Times described him as a "safe, mainstream pick", after the president had said he might have opted to appoint a politician for the role. The post has historically been non-political.
The announcement comes the day before Mr Comey is set to testify before the Senate intelligence committee.
He is expected to be asked about private discussions with Mr Trump regarding the investigation into alleged links between the president's administration and Russia.
Mr Comey will give a public testimony, which will be broadcast on TV and online, and he will also sensitive questions from senators in a private hearing.
The Brain Behind this Blog
