FBI Director Christopher Wray preparing to resign
FBI Director Christopher A. Wray plans to resign on or before Inauguration Day, The Washington Times has learned.
Mr. Wray is calling it quits because he doesn’t want to get fired by President-elect Donald Trump, according to sources inside the bureau who are familiar with the director’s thinking.
“He’s going to be gone at the inauguration. On or before the inauguration,” a source said.
Following Mr. Wray’s departure, Deputy Director Paul Abbate will become acting director and appoint an acting deputy director. Mr. Abbate’s original plan was to stay until May or June so he could help with the transition to a new FBI director.
Kash Patel, Mr. Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, is meeting Republican senators on Capitol Hill this week. Mr. Patel, who has served as the defense secretary’s chief of staff and senior adviser to the National Security Council, was tapped by Mr. Trump to shake up the FBI management.
Mr. Wray knew his days were numbered at the FBI.
Sen. Charles E. Grassley, the Iowa Republican who will become chairman of the Judiciary Committee next month, sent a scathing letter Monday to Mr. Wray saying he should be ousted before his 10-year term as FBI director is up — and he said Mr. Abbate should go, too.
Mr. Grassley’s letter changed Mr. Abbate’s plans, and he is now looking for an alternate acting deputy director to appoint.
“For the good of the country, it’s time for you and your deputy to move on to the next chapter in your lives,” Mr. Grassley wrote in the letter to Mr. Wray. “I therefore must express my vote of no confidence in your continued leadership of the FBI.”
Mr. Grassley, who is a leading lawmaker advocating for the protection of whistleblowers, has repeatedly clashed with the FBI over whistleblower reports of abuse of power and other misconduct at the bureau.
The allegations included politically biased investigations and a bizarre chain of events in which the FBI appeared to try to discredit Mr. Grassley and GOP Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin as the two senators probed the Biden family.
The raid on Mr. Trump’s home, where agents sought classified documents, also loomed large in Mr. Grassley’s complaints.
“In that raid, roughly 30 armed agents entered the home of a former president of the United States, with full authorization to use lethal force if needed to execute its warrant, and even searched the former First Lady’s clothing drawers,” Mr. Grassley wrote.
The FBI responded with a statement to The Times.
“The FBI has repeatedly demonstrated our commitment to responding to Congressional oversight and being transparent with the American people. Director Wray and Deputy Director Abbate have taken strong actions toward achieving accountability in the areas mentioned in the letter and remain committed to sharing information about the continuously evolving threat environment facing our nation and the extraordinary work of the FBI,” the statement said.
