2 Bush officials in running to be next head of FBI

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

People familiar with the search for a new FBI director say two officials who worked for President George W. Bush have a realistic chance of being asked to head the bureau.

James Comey and Kenneth Wainstein served in sensitive national security-related posts in the Bush administration. That could make for interesting Senate confirmation hearings if President Barack Obama selects one of them to succeed FBI Director Robert Mueller, whose 10-year term expires Sept. 4.

The people familiar with the selection process say the service of Comey and Wainstein as political appointees under a Republican is a key factor in their being considered.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/03/20/national/w063749D21.DTL&tsp=1

[SpiralHawk]

1. "Ptooooey" - Honorable American Citizens

[roguevalley]

29. he chooses one of them, he's a republican clear and simple for

me. letting this cartel get away was bad enough but hiring them? Criminal. Pure and simple. Hard to believe our pres is a lawyer. situational ethics thy name is obama

[mazzarro]

31. I'll bet that one of them will end up the director!

Most Dems in Washington have become so rethuglican leaning that it is so pathetic to call these people Dems anymore. I have given up on the Dems and Obama himself. Chess-game my a**!

[Zorra]

2. Weel, isn't that special.

:sarcasm:

[Wilms]

3. As if the BFEE doesn't already have enough embeds. n/t

[sarcasmo]

4. No surprise here, more of the change I voted for.

[iwishiwas]

5. Crap that they are even being considered.

[xchrom]

6. doesn't that just figure. nt

[defendandprotect]

7. Obviously, there's a lot that still needs to be covered up -- !! Disgraceful, Obama!!

[Autumn]

8. Rumsfeld looks a little bored, spewing his book on TV

maybe he's available. He would fit right in. Or Dick, he wouldn't have a heart attack from the stress, just a heartless dead bastard walking around.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[wordpix]

10. if this is a trial balloon to the base: NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

[Marblehead]

11. they already control the CIA

[elleng]

12. I sure hope that DUers remember James Comey!

'In early January 2006, the New York Times, as part of their investigation into alleged domestic surveillance by the National Security Agency, reported that Comey, who was Acting Attorney General during the March 2004 surgical hospitalization of John Ashcroft, refused to "certify" the legality of central aspects of the NSA program at that time. The certification was required under existing White House procedures to continue the program. After Comey's refusal, the newspaper reported, Andrew H. Card Jr., White House Chief of Staff, and Alberto R. Gonzales, then White House counsel and future Attorney General, made an emergency visit to the George Washington University Hospital <4>, to attempt to win approval directly from Ashcroft for the program.<4> Comey confirmed these events took place (but declined to confirm the specific program) in testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee on 16 May 2007.<5><6><7><8><9><10> FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III, like Comey, also supported Ashcroft's decision; both men were prepared to resign if the White House ignored the Department of Justice's legal conclusions on the wiretapping issue. FBI director Mueller's notes on the March 10, 2004 incident, which were released to a House Judiciary committee, confirms that he "Saw AG,....John Ashcroft in the room. AG is feeble, barely articulate, clearly stressed."<11> Comey withdrew his threat to resign after meeting directly with President Bush, who gave his support to making changes in the surveillance program.<12> . . .

In May 2007, Comey testified before both the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, and the House Judiciary subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law on the U.S. Attorney dismissal scandal. His testimony contradicted that of former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales that the firings had been due to poor performance on the part of some of the dismissed prosecutors. Comey stressed that the Justice Department had to be perceived as nonpartisan and nonpolitical in order to function.

“ The Department of Justice, in my view, is run by political appointees of the president. The U.S. attorneys are political appointees of the president. But once they take those jobs and run this institution, it's very important in my view for that institution to be another in American life, that -- because my people had to stand up before juries of all stripes, talk to sheriffs of all stripes, judges of all stripes. They had to be seen as the good guys, and not as either this administration or that administration.<13>'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_B._Comey

[PassingFair]

14. I support James Comey FULLY.

http://articles.cnn.com/2007-05-15/politics/ashcroft.nsa_1_comey-card-and-gonzales-attorneys-last-year?_s=PM:POLITICS

He was a hero when it counted. I would love to have him on our team.

snip>

Comey refused to say publicly that the White House officials came to the hospital to discuss the NSA program. However, government officials previously confirmed to CNN that Comey had "vigorously opposed" aspects of the surveillance program and refused to sign off on its continued use, prompting Card and Gonzales to make the hospital visit.

Comey's revelations came before the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of its investigation into the firing of eight U.S. attorneys last year.

In his testimony Tuesday, Comey recounted Ashcroft's wife calling a Justice Department official that night informing her Card and Gonzales were on their way to see Ashcroft. She had banned all outside phone calls and visitors, Comey said.

He immediately headed to the hospital and soon after he got there, the White House officials entered. He said Ashcroft, who had been weak from gall bladder surgery, "very strongly expressed himself" regarding his objections to a classified program, but added that his views didn't matter because he was, temporarily, not the attorney general.

[elleng]

15. THANK YOU!

Gotta have sanity at DU!!!

[PassingFair]

17. Hey....

when you're right, you're right!

:thumbsup:

His testimony was explosive, he said that he
knew some day he would be required to set it
out for them, and he believed it would send
people to jail.

He was wrong about the last bit.

[Wilms]

16. OK. I remember that.

And I thank you for the reminder.

[Historic NY]

19. Well he certainly knows right from wrong & clearly defines abuses of power...

wouldn't that be refreshing.

[tomg]

34. Thanks for the post. It stopped my

knee from jerking. Sounds like one of the good guys.

[tpsbmam]

24. Many thanks for posting this. It's all too for people to react to seeing "Bush administration"

without knowing the facts associated with the individuals. Comey would also have my full support. In fact, I think it'd be a courageous appointment that would surprise the hell out of me if he was selected. Sorry, but my expectations are very low at this point.

[PassingFair]

27. Lest we forget, George Tenet was a Clinton appointee to the CIA...

and look where THAT got us!



I'll place my bets on Comey ANY DAY.

[tpsbmam]

25. Many thanks for posting this. It's all too for people to react to seeing "Bush administration"

without knowing the facts associated with the individuals. Comey would also have my full support. In fact, I think it'd be a courageous appointment that would surprise the hell out of me if he was selected. Sorry, but my expectations are very low at this point.

[elleng]

26. Thanks. IMO people 'react' too much, without bothering w facts.

MUCH TOO MUCH of this going on now, esp today. Really disappoints me about DU at the moment.

[mazzarro]

32. B***sh*t

So there are no good Democrats that can do the job that we must have to accept any somewhat "good" or "different from norm" B*sh operative/appointee?

[elleng]

33. ...

A highly articulate comment.

:thumbsdown:

[msongs]

13. Obama choose a republican for department head? No, he would never do that....would he? nt

[ElsewheresDaughter]

18. good god I hope not

[The Wizard]

20. Yet anoher opportunity for the President

to show Republicans how much he's like them excepting the main reason they'd never support him, skin tone.
Maybe he just doesn't get it that every time he kisses Republican ass he loses part of his base and gains noting in return.

[seafan]

21. In the running for new FBI head: Comey, perhaps. Wainstein is another matter.

2 Bush officials in running to be next head of FBI

By PETE YOST, Associated Press
March 20, 2011

Two officials who worked for President George W. Bush, including one who threatened to resign to block legally questionable anti-terror surveillance, have a realistic chance of being asked to head the FBI, according to people familiar with the search.

James Comey and Kenneth Wainstein served in sensitive national security-related posts at the Justice Department in the Bush administration. That could make for interesting confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee if President Barack Obama selects either to succeed FBI Director Robert Mueller. His 10-year, nonrenewable term expires Sept. 4.

.....

Very interesting.


For some backstory:


NYT: Justice Deputy James B. Comey Resisted Parts of Spy Program, December 31, 2005

Remember Ashcroft in hospital: Card & Gonzales pressuring re NSA spying?, January 29, 2006



Ken Wainstein would not be a good choice, imho.


I thought that name was familiar.....Ken Wainstein. Look at this:, December 14, 2007



The way things are going these days, look for Wainstein to be pumped up 24/7.

[somone]

22. Are there no qualified Democrats?

[blackspade]

23. What the hell!?

I swear Obama has lost his mind.

[Vattel]

28. Comey would be awesome!

[WhiteTara]

30. wasn't James Comey the one who saved

the republic? Or was that a sounds like name?

[Octafish]

35. Why not? Bush hold-overs and Cheney stay-behinds are doing a great job so far.

Why change?

Why hope?