This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/12/us/politics/christopher-wray-fbi-confirmation-hearing.html

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Christopher Wray, Trump’s Nominee to Lead the F.B.I., Is Testifying Before Congress Christopher Wray, Trump’s Nominee to Lead the F.B.I., Is Testifying Before Congress
(35 minutes later)
• Christopher A. Wray, President Trump’s nominee for F.B.I. director, is appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing.• Christopher A. Wray, President Trump’s nominee for F.B.I. director, is appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing.
• If confirmed, Mr. Wray will face many challenges, including low morale at the F.B.I., where many agents are still angry over the president’s firing in May of the F.B.I. director at the time, James B. Comey.
• Mr. Wray, a former federal prosecutor in President George W. Bush’s administration and a criminal defense lawyer, is facing questions about whether he will maintain the bureau’s independence and resist pressure from the White House.• Mr. Wray, a former federal prosecutor in President George W. Bush’s administration and a criminal defense lawyer, is facing questions about whether he will maintain the bureau’s independence and resist pressure from the White House.
• Mr. Wray said that the investigation into Russian election interference and possible links to Mr. Trump’s campaign was not a “witch hunt,” separating himself from Mr. Trump’s repeated assertion.
The top two members of the committee — Senators Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, its Republican chairman, and Dianne Feinstein of California, the ranking Democrat — said in their opening remarks that they wanted to ensure that Mr. Wray would maintain the F.B.I.’s independence in the face of possible political pressure.The top two members of the committee — Senators Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, its Republican chairman, and Dianne Feinstein of California, the ranking Democrat — said in their opening remarks that they wanted to ensure that Mr. Wray would maintain the F.B.I.’s independence in the face of possible political pressure.
Mr. Wray did not equivocate when he was given a chance to address the committee: “My loyalty is to the Constitution and to the rule of law,” he said in his opening statement. “Those have been my guideposts throughout my career, and I will continue to adhere to them no matter the test.”Mr. Wray did not equivocate when he was given a chance to address the committee: “My loyalty is to the Constitution and to the rule of law,” he said in his opening statement. “Those have been my guideposts throughout my career, and I will continue to adhere to them no matter the test.”
He added: “I will never allow the F.B.I.’s work to be driven by anything other than the facts, the law and the impartial pursuit of justice. Period.”He added: “I will never allow the F.B.I.’s work to be driven by anything other than the facts, the law and the impartial pursuit of justice. Period.”
The president had asked his predecessor, Mr. Comey for his loyalty and to end the investigation into Michael T. Flynn, Mr. Trump’s first national security adviser. Mr. Comey pledged only to be honest with the president, and demurred on ending the Flynn inquiry.The president had asked his predecessor, Mr. Comey for his loyalty and to end the investigation into Michael T. Flynn, Mr. Trump’s first national security adviser. Mr. Comey pledged only to be honest with the president, and demurred on ending the Flynn inquiry.
Mr. Wray said that no one at the White House asked him for a loyalty pledge. Mr. Comey had testified before Congress that Mr. Trump asked him for such an oath in a private dinner at the White House a week after he was inaugurated.Mr. Wray said that no one at the White House asked him for a loyalty pledge. Mr. Comey had testified before Congress that Mr. Trump asked him for such an oath in a private dinner at the White House a week after he was inaugurated.
“My loyalty is to the Constitution, the rule of law and to the mission of the F.B.I.,” Mr. Wray repeated. “No one asked me for any kind of loyalty oath at any point during this process. I sure as heck didn’t offer one.”“My loyalty is to the Constitution, the rule of law and to the mission of the F.B.I.,” Mr. Wray repeated. “No one asked me for any kind of loyalty oath at any point during this process. I sure as heck didn’t offer one.”
Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, asked Mr. Wray what he would do if the president asked him to take any steps that Mr. Wray believed were illegal.Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, asked Mr. Wray what he would do if the president asked him to take any steps that Mr. Wray believed were illegal.
“First, I would try to talk him out of it,” Mr. Wray said. “If that failed, I would resign.”“First, I would try to talk him out of it,” Mr. Wray said. “If that failed, I would resign.”
Mr. Wray tried to sidestep questions about the investigation into Russian election interference by a special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, who was director of the F.B.I. from 2001 to 2013.
But Mr. Wray acknowledged that he did not agree with Mr. Trump’s repeatedly assertion that the investigation was a “witch hunt.”
“I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt,” Mr. Wray said.
Asked whether he provided legal guidance to Bush administration lawyers who signed off on the C.I.A.’s torture of suspects in the hunt for the Sept. 11 attackers, Mr. Wray, who was a high-ranking Justice Department lawyer after the attacks, said he was uninvolved in reviewing legal memorandums that justified the torture.Asked whether he provided legal guidance to Bush administration lawyers who signed off on the C.I.A.’s torture of suspects in the hunt for the Sept. 11 attackers, Mr. Wray, who was a high-ranking Justice Department lawyer after the attacks, said he was uninvolved in reviewing legal memorandums that justified the torture.
Mr. Wray said he did not condone the use of torture when he ran the Justice Department’s criminal division. He said he was proud of prosecuting a former C.I.A. contractor, David Passaro, implicated in the beating of an Afghan detainee in 2003 at a remote base in Afghanistan. The detainee later died, and Mr. Passaro was found guilty of assault and sentenced in 2007 to more than eight years in prison.Mr. Wray said he did not condone the use of torture when he ran the Justice Department’s criminal division. He said he was proud of prosecuting a former C.I.A. contractor, David Passaro, implicated in the beating of an Afghan detainee in 2003 at a remote base in Afghanistan. The detainee later died, and Mr. Passaro was found guilty of assault and sentenced in 2007 to more than eight years in prison.
Mr. Wray was pressed by Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, on how he would have handled the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s handling of sensitive information. Mr. Comey announced last summer that he would not recommend charges in the case, a move he made partly in an effort to keep the F.B.I. out of politics but one that was widely criticized.Mr. Wray was pressed by Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, on how he would have handled the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s handling of sensitive information. Mr. Comey announced last summer that he would not recommend charges in the case, a move he made partly in an effort to keep the F.B.I. out of politics but one that was widely criticized.
Mr. Wray sought to separate himself from Mr. Comey’s actions, saying that he would not have held a news conference.Mr. Wray sought to separate himself from Mr. Comey’s actions, saying that he would not have held a news conference.
“In my experience as a prosecutor and as head of the criminal division, I understand there to be department policies that govern public comments about uncharged individuals,” Mr. Wray said of the Justice Department. “I think those policies are there for a reason and I would follow those policies.”“In my experience as a prosecutor and as head of the criminal division, I understand there to be department policies that govern public comments about uncharged individuals,” Mr. Wray said of the Justice Department. “I think those policies are there for a reason and I would follow those policies.”
Mr. Wray added: “I can’t imagine a situation where I would given a press conference on an uncharged individual, much less talking in detail about it.”Mr. Wray added: “I can’t imagine a situation where I would given a press conference on an uncharged individual, much less talking in detail about it.”
Don’t be surprised if senators want to get Mr. Wray’s legal take on the F.B.I.’s investigation into Russian meddling in the election and the most recent development on that matter. The New York Times revealed that the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., received an email last summer from an intermediary promising damaging information about Hillary Clinton and furnished by the Russian government. That revelation has dominated the news over the past few days and could come up at the hearing.
Mr. Wray’s views on the F.B.I.’s use of surveillance tools and encryption could be examined, too. Republicans are likely to ask whether he will ensure that the F.B.I. vigorously investigates a spate of recent leaks of classified information to the news media, many of which have been embarrassing to the president and that Republicans have condemned.
Former colleagues and friends describe Mr. Wray as a low-key straight shooter who is unafraid to take on tough cases. Mr. Wray, 50, spent years as a high-powered defense lawyer. According to financial disclosures, Mr. Wray has made $9.2 million since the beginning of 2016 as a partner with the law firm King & Spalding, where he has spent almost 12 years, representing major corporations and also New Jersey’s governor, Chris Christie.Former colleagues and friends describe Mr. Wray as a low-key straight shooter who is unafraid to take on tough cases. Mr. Wray, 50, spent years as a high-powered defense lawyer. According to financial disclosures, Mr. Wray has made $9.2 million since the beginning of 2016 as a partner with the law firm King & Spalding, where he has spent almost 12 years, representing major corporations and also New Jersey’s governor, Chris Christie.
Before joining the private sector, Mr. Wray worked in the Justice Department. He started as a prosecutor in Atlanta and became associate deputy attorney general in Washington in May 2001, putting him at the center of the country’s response to the Sept. 11 attacks. As the head of the department’s criminal division from 2003 to 2005, Mr. Wray was responsible for investigating C.I.A. abuses of detainees, including the deaths of two men in Afghanistan and Iraq.Before joining the private sector, Mr. Wray worked in the Justice Department. He started as a prosecutor in Atlanta and became associate deputy attorney general in Washington in May 2001, putting him at the center of the country’s response to the Sept. 11 attacks. As the head of the department’s criminal division from 2003 to 2005, Mr. Wray was responsible for investigating C.I.A. abuses of detainees, including the deaths of two men in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Mr. Wray graduated in 1989 from Yale University and received his law degree in 1992 from Yale Law School.Mr. Wray graduated in 1989 from Yale University and received his law degree in 1992 from Yale Law School.