From The Nation: 'There's No Good Reason FBI Director Chris Wray Still Has a Job'

[sprinkleeninow]

Last edited Wed May 11, 2022, 03:38 AM - Edit history (1)

I hesitated posting this from The Nation. Couldn't remember if this publication was out of bounds.

https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/wray-fbi-nassar

Edit: From influencewatch.org--
"The Nation’s modern day Russia coverage has been criticized as too pro-Putin. Stephen F. Cohen, who is the husband of editor and publisher Katrina vanden Heuvel, has been characterized as a Putin apologist. Cohen has been a supporter of closer relations between the U.S. and Russia and at times has defended Russian actions in Ukraine, at one point denying the nation of Ukraine exists."

Sheesh.

[Trueblue1968]

1. BIDEN, PLEASE FIRE WRAY NOW.

FROM THE ARTICLE

Wray has straight-up refused to answer Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s written questions asking him to explain the shoddiness of his investigation into alleged attempted rapist Brett Kavanaugh. Information surfaced in March that the FBI received some 4,500 tips about Kavanaugh’s alleged misconduct and, as far as we know, the agency has followed up on only 10 of them. Wray, a Republican who is a member of the Federalist Society, was acquainted with Kavanaugh back when they were both in law school. The only people less interested in investigating Kavanaugh’s conduct than Wray were PJ, Tobin, and Squee.

Can anybody explain to me why Wray still has his job? The FBI director is appointed to a 10-year term—a practice that was put in place to avoid the appearance of political patronage in federal law enforcement—but the director still serves at the pleasure of the president. That Trump had the authority to fire Comey was never in question; the issue was that Trump chose to fire him for a corrupt reason (notwithstanding a report drafted by Trump enabler Rod Rosenstein to justify Comey’s dismissal). If Trump can fire the FBI director for disloyalty, then surely President Joe Biden can fire Trump’s handpicked replacement for repeated incompetence. Indeed, Trump likely planned to fire Wray had he won reelection (which, for the trillionth time, he did not).

Biden decided to keep Wray for reasons that have yet to be fully explained or interrogated. I can appreciate that Biden wanted to avoid the appearance of Trumpism, which the both-sides media would clearly have tagged him with if he had fired the FBI director. I can appreciate that, in a functional republic, the director of the chief federal law enforcement agency should not be a political appointee who changes with each new administration. But, at some point, such optical and institutional concerns must give way to basic governmental accountability.

Like Comey, Wray simply does not appear to be good at his job. Like Comey, Wray appears to have clear political motivations when it comes to whom he investigates and how much investigation he’s willing to do. Unlike Comey, Wray does a pretty good job of acting like every failure of his agency is somebody else’s fault, and like his hands are perpetually tied, preventing him from doing more. There are very good, nonpolitical reasons for thanking Wray for his service and then hiring somebody who is going to go to the FBI and clean house—something Wray is unable or unwilling to do.

[sprinkleeninow]

3. 1) Wray appears to have clear political motivations. Yes.

2)Thank you, Director, for your service. Now take a hike...

[2naSalit]

2. He should be replaced immediately.

[in2herbs]

4. Not only should Wray be fired and replaced but he should be replaced with a D

director. In the FBI history no D has ever been in charge. What is Biden's issue with keeping him on?