Obama nominates a Republican to head FBI
President Obama's nominee for the head of the FBI served as acting attorney general under George W. Bush.
President Obama last week nominated former senior Justice Department official James Comey to be the next director of the FBI. Comey, a Republican who served as acting attorney general under George W. Bush, will take over from Robert Mueller, who has headed the FBI for 12 years. While serving in the Bush Justice Department, Comey won plaudits from Democrats—and criticism from Republicans—for helping to block reauthorization of a warrantless surveillance program he considered illegal. Obama said Comey was “the perfect person” for the post, which requires Senate confirmation. “He doesn’t care about politics,” said Obama. “He only cares about getting the job done.”
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