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A28 u.s. news
Diahuebs 22 OctOber 2020

Job on the line, Wray threads needle on controversial issues

sition in a non-flashy manner,
preaching what one former
senior FBI official described
as a “head down, tackle hard”
ethic. He has maintained the
support of the rank and file,
said Brian O’Hare, president
of the FBI Agents Associa-
tion. “The director has con-
sistently stressed the need
to do the right thing in the
right way across the entire
bureau. I see the director do-
ing just that. He’s doing the
right things in the right way,”
O’Hare said.

There’s no question Wray has
broken with the president,
including in 2018 over the
declassification of informa-
tion related to the surveil-
lance of former campaign
aide Carter Page. He more
recently drew Trump’s ire
over congressional testimony
that stressed the election in-
terference threat from Rus-
sia at a time when Trump is
focusing on China. He also
described antifa, an umbrella
term for leftist militants, as
(AP) — Less than four bulence in the last four years on others critical for Repub- fire Wray after the election. If an ideology rather than an
years into his 10-year term, and is determined to avoid licans. he wins, he could seek an FBI organization, contradicting
FBI Director Christopher becoming entangled in presi- director more willing to back Trump, who wants to desig-
Wray’s future in the job is dential politics as it did in This included pointing out his political agenda. If he nate it as a terror group.
decidedly uncertain head- 2016. his compliance with docu- loses, Republican lawmakers
ing into the presidential ment demands from congres- may encourage him to keep In public comments, though,
election. Oddly, he may be “My assumption is the way sional Republicans looking to Wray on board rather than Wray readily acknowledges
more likely to stay in of- he has tried to thread the discredit the Trump-Russia leave Biden with a vacancy to the “unacceptable” mistakes
fice if the president who needle over the last several investigation and the FBI’s fill himself. he says the FBI has made,
appointed him loses than months is to not do anything cooperation with a prosecu- noting that officials respon-
if he wins. to get himself fired while at tor whose investigation led to Biden has not said if he would sible have been fired or have
the same time being as hon- charges against a former FBI replace Wray. But presidents retired, and points to the
President Donald Trump has est as he can possibly be with lawyer accused of altering an have generally respected the more than 40 corrective ac-
been escalating his rhetoric Congress and the American email as part of that probe. 10-year terms of FBI direc- tions he has instituted to pre-
against Wray, angry over his people,” said Gregory Brow- tors, a tenure designed to vent surveillance problems
public statements on issues er, a former FBI official who FBI spokesman Brian Hale ensure the bureau’s political from recurring. Even when
like antifa, voting fraud and served as the bureau’s direc- said in a statement that it’s independence. discussing antifa, he has ac-
Russian election interference. tor of congressional affairs important for Americans knowledged that the FBI has
He has declined to give Wray until 2018. “to know that we have been It’s hardly unusual for ten- investigations into violent in-
a public vote of confidence. transparent and cooperative sion to exist between a presi- dividuals who identify with
His eldest son tweeted last The latest example came with congressional oversight dent and FBI director. But the ideology.
week that Wray is working to Tuesday on a matter that inquiries and Department Wray’s job is all the more
“protect corrupt Democrats.” Trump has made a top talking of Justice reviews,” includ- difficult given Trump’s very Wray has presided over a
point in the final weeks of the ing those of the probe into public expectations of loy- leadership shakeup at the
With Washington abuzz campaign: the publication of whether Trump’s campaign alty and that the levers of law bureau, though whether that
about his possible dismissal, emails purportedly from Joe coordinated with Russia in enforcement be used against turnover has happened fast
Wray and the FBI have en- Biden’s son, Hunter. Asked the 2016 election. He said the political enemies. enough for Republicans is
gaged in a delicate balancing by a Trump ally in the Senate FBI is committed to provid- unclear, especially given ac-
act as they address hot-button to weigh in on their authen- ing information about the Then-FBI Director James celerating demands for the
issues. He has sought to de- ticity, the FBI replied with “important work being per- Comey found himself in a declassification of documents
fend the FBI’s independence an understated letter that did formed by our 37,000 em- precarious position as Trump that GOP lawmakers want to
and its integrity even as it not dispute the national intel- ployees” across the country. took office with his campaign release in hopes of discredit-
puts him at odds with Trump ligence director's conclusion Wray's future is seen as un- under investigation for its ing the Russia probe.
and his allies. Yet the bureau that the laptop on which they certain because Trump has ties to Russia. Comey pla-
has also tried to avoid con- were found was not related to already fired one FBI direc- cated Trump to a degree by “There’s always been a una-
frontations where possible, Russian disinformation, but tor and repeatedly lashed out privately reassuring him that nimity of position between
making clear that it is striving did not address broader is- at Wray. He said last week he was not under investiga- the FBI director, the attorney
to be responsive to Republi- sues about its authenticity. It that Wray is “not doing a very tion, but balked at requests general and the White House,
can lawmakers on politically cited Justice Department pol- good job” if he won’t ac- to state that publicly. He was and they’ve always been able
charged investigations. icy in declining to confirm or knowledge the possibility of fired in 2017, an action that to jointly push back on Con-
deny investigations. rampant voter fraud, which became central to the special gress,” Brower said. “If the
The actions appear crafted Wray and other officials and counsel’s investigation into White House isn’t willing to
with an eye toward helping Even as Wray has angered experts have disputed as be- whether Trump sought to push back on the Congress
Wray retain his job and pre- Trump by contradicting him ing a widespread problem. obstruct the Russia probe. when it needs to push back,
serving stability at an agency on some issues, the FBI has then Congress holds all the
that has been riven by tur- highlighted his cooperation It’s unclear if Trump would Wray has approached his po- cards.”