Live coverage of Christopher Wray, Trump' s FBI Director nominee, as he gives testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of his confirmation hearing
Christopher Wray is testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday as part of his confirmation hearing to be the next FBI director, two months after President Trump abruptly fired predecessor James Comey.
Wray, nominated by Mr. Trump in a surprising June tweet, called the potential new bureau chief a “man of impeccable credentials.”
Wray was not part of the original short list as potential FBI directors being considered by the White House. According to a source, Wray was interviewed by Mr. Trump and his name began to emerge as strong possibility amid a series of interviews for other possible candidates.
Wray, a graduate of Yale University and Yale Law School, was nominated by President George W. Bush as Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Criminal Division and served in that position until 2005.
After serving in the Department of Justice, Wray returned to private practice, specializing in white collar and internal investigations.
Wray helped lead the department’s efforts to address corporate fraud scandals, overseeing the Enron Task Force as part of his role. He was also integral in the DOJ’s response to the attacks on September 11th, 2001, playing a role in the oversight and legal operational actions in the war on terrorism.
In a statement released after Wray was formally nominated, he said he was “honored and humbled” by Mr. Trump’s decision.
“From my earliest days working with agents as a line prosecutor to my time working with them at the Department of Justice in the aftermath of 9/11, I have been inspired by the men and women of the FBI – inspired by their professionalism, integrity, courage, and sacrifice for the public. If confirmed, it will be a privilege and honor to once again work with them, ” Wray said.
He added that he looks forward to the confirmation process and pledged his “complete commitment to fairly and honorably protecting our country and upholding our Constitution and laws.”
See live updates of the confirmation hearing below:
