Judge Andrew Napolitano said the choice of Christopher Wray to be the next FBI director exposes a little bit of a rift between the Department of Justice and the White House.
Judge Andrew Napolitano said the choice of Christopher Wray to be the next FBI director exposes a “little bit of a rift” between the Department of Justice and the White House.
The Fox News analyst said Wray, a former DOJ official in the George W. Bush administration, brings “impeccable credentials.”
However, Judge Napolitano told “Fox & Friends” that the choice also surfaces some discord between President Donald Trump and his attorney general.
“This also indicates to me a little bit of a rift between the Justice Department and the White House because this is not somebody that was interviewed by Jeff Sessions or Rod Rosenstein, ” Napolitano said.
“Meaning all the people that the attorney general and the deputy attorney general interviewed on a Saturday and a Sunday at the president’s instructions, (Wray) was not on that list.
“The president decided to make the decision on his own, irrespective of what his team at the Justice Department advised, ” Napolitano told Fox News.
Napolitano also called “irrelevant” the fact that Wray defended New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie over the Bridge-gate incident that ended in conviction for two of Christie’s top aides.
“There’s a drawback here that I’m sure Democrats will exploit, that is Bridge-gate, ” Napolitano said.
“A lot of people felt he did a great job there. But that is going to open up. That in my view is irrelevant to his qualifications to be director of the FBI. But you can certainly expect it.”
Other early reactions to the nomination of Wray on social media have been mostly positive:
“I don’ t know Christopher Wray. I hear he has a good reputation.” — Va. Vice Chairman of Intel Committee @MarkWarner. pic.twitter.com/WACIgeLoIU
Christopher Wray, Trump’s pick to lead FBI, was respected by career DOJ prosecutors when he led criminal division. Solid, not flashy, guy.
Wray probably the best choice from the WH short list. His record in the Bush DOJ deserves scrutiny, but he’s a serious, respectable pick.
So will Christopher Wray, who of late has been very active in private practice, have to issue a big batch of recusals? pic.twitter.com/FbbjM0lVnG
