On Wednesday President Donald Trump announced his decision to nominate former deputy head of the US Justice Department Christopher Wray as the FBI head. Trump will propose this candidature to the Congress instead of James Comey, who was earlier dismissed. Experts and the media see the reason for such a decision in Wray's impressive track record, in loyalty to the Republicans, "hardening in political battles", and Trump's desire to relieve the political tension inside the country.
"I will be nominating Christopher A. Wray, a man of impeccable credentials, to be the new Director of the FBI," Trump wrote on his official Twitter page in the early Wednesday morning.Two representatives of the administration told the Washington Post that Wray was a compromise choice for Trump.
He is a successful lawyer in the field of criminal law, his skills were highly appreciated in the Ministry of Justice, with the protection of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
Wray's nomination as the FBI director is Trump's attempt to remove the tension associated with the resignation of the former head of the agency, in particular, CNBC adds that this candidate can "alleviate the fears of FBI agents, who worried that Trump would try to weaken or politicize the FBI."
The day before the D-Day
Trump made his choice on Tuesday, according to the sources of the channel. Wray won the nomination from John Pistole, who before becoming the Rector of the University of Anderson in Indiana, was the FBI deputy director, and was known for his tough leadership in the US Department of Transportation.
Such a decision Trump took the day before the retired Comey will speak in Congress on alleged Russian interference in the election campaign 2016. Earlier, the US Department of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence had accused Russia of purposeful attempts to influence the outcome of the elections in the US with the help of cyber attacks.
The US intelligence agencies repeatedly hinted that Russia supported the candidacy of Republican Donald Trump. Russian President Vladimir Putin also said that Moscow would work with any US President whom the American people choose.
Comey, whom Trump retired "for loss of confidence," previously accused the president through the media that he urged him to stop the investigation about ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn.
The opposition in the person of Democrats demanded that Trump was held accountable for obstructing justice. Some media, in particular, Hill magazine, referring to their sources, reported that the Democrats have already been preparing to launch impeachment procedures for the president because of this scandal.
It is likely that the testimony of the Comey will help. In particular, the CNN channel, citing its sources, said that the ex-FBI director intended to accuse Trump of lying in Congress on June 8. Komi stated that he had never told President Donald Trump about the absence of an investigation into the head of state. Trump, in turn, stated that there was no investigation into his account.
Impeccable candidate
American media and experts call the candidate for the post of the FBI head a prosecutor with a fine background, "tempered lawyer in political battles" (according to the Washington Post). Christopher Asher Wray was born in 1967. He received a law degree from Yale University, after that he worked as an assistant judge at the Appeals Court of the Fourth District of the United States. In 1993, Wray began to practice private law practice in Atlanta, Georgia. Since 1997 he had been working in the office of the US Federal Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.
Two cases are particularly noteworthy in his biography. One is connected with the biggest financial scandal in the world history - the so-called Enron business.
Prior to the start of a high-profile investigation of the US Justice Department, this company employed about 22,000 employees in 40 countries. It was one of the world's leading companies in such areas as electricity generation, gas transportation, gas supply, communications, and pulp and paper production.
In 2001, Wray entered the administration of President George W. Bush. He was first appointed Assistant Deputy Attorney General of the United States, in September 2001 - Chief Assistant Deputy Attorney General of the United States. Also, Wray was credited with the success of Enron's investigation, and in it, experts see the reason for the career rise.
Under his inauguration in 2001, Enron investigated numerous cases of falsification of reporting, misleading investors, revealed the use of various financial and offshore schemes with the creation of numerous legal entities that were located primarily in offshore zones.
In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed Christopher Wray as Deputy Attorney General of the United States.
Republic Brotherhood
Already after the resignation (in 2005 he returned to private law practice, becoming a partner in the firm King & Spalding), Wray represented the former presidential candidate from the Republican Party of the Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie.
Wray acted as a personal policy advocate during the Bridgegate scandal. The state authorities were accused of deliberately blocking several lanes on the George Washington Bridge near the city of Fort Lee, which led to a major congestion. According to the prosecution, it was done by the authorities in order to harm the mayor of the city and political opponent Christie.
And Ray became much stronger in these battles, CNBC believed. Christie and Wray have had friendly relations since working in the American Justice Ministry, according to the media. Christie is one of the few Republicans who refused the presidential race in favor of Donald Trump in February 2016, saying his chances of winning were the most impressive.
