‘Trump Hand-Picked You!’ Dem and GOP Reps Prod FBI Director Wray To Stress Republicans Picked And Voted Him In
Democratic and GOP members at an intense hearing prompted FBI Director Christopher Wray to stress that he was “hand-picked by Trump” and confirmed by all Republicans.
Wray testified Wednesday at a contentious hearing of the House Judiciary Committee, during which Republicans aggressively questioned him about a variety of issues, including the investigations into former President Donald Trump.
But two members — Georgia Democratic Congressman Hank Johnson and Republican Congressman Ken Buck of Colorado — took pains to point out that Wray was “hand-picked” by Trump and confirmed by every Republican in the Senate — twice.
Rep. Johnson quizzed Wray on his appointment by Trump, while taking shots at Republicans on the committee for anti-FBI rhetoric:
REP. HANK JOHNSON: Director Wray, I want to thank you for your service during a time of unprecedented travail. Director Wray, you were a partner at an international law firm before you took a drastic pay cut to accept the job of FBI director. Isn’t that correct?
DIRECTOR WRAY: Yes. That’s something my wife reminds me of from time to time.
REP. HANK JOHNSON: And but let me ask you this, sir. And you took this office after Trump fired the former FBI director, Jim Comey, correct?
DIRECTOR WRAY: Yes, sir.
REP. HANK JOHNSON: And did you contact the Trump administration to offer yourself for this job, or did the administration recruit you for the job?
DIRECTOR WRAY: They contacted me and asked me if I would be willing to consider taking on the role.
REP. HANK JOHNSON: So Trump handpicked you to be the FBI director!
DIRECTOR WRAY: Yes.
REP. HANK JOHNSON: And he expected you to do what he wanted you to do? Correct?
DIRECTOR WRAY: Well, that I can’t speak to. I can tell you the same thing I told him.
REP. HANK JOHNSON: I’ll put it like this…
DIRECTOR WRAY: I’m going to do this job by the book.
REP. HANK JOHNSON: He’s unhappy with you now, isn’t he?
DIRECTOR WRAY: I’ll let him speak for himself.
REP. HANK JOHNSON: Well, I think a lot of his acolytes here reflect his is intent at this particular time.
Rep. Buck then further quizzed Wray on his Republican bona fides, and even seemed to apologize for the tone of the hearing by saying he hoped Wray didn’t change his registration after the hearing:
REP. BUCK: You started out as an AUSA. You were nominated by Republican President Bush for the position of assistant attorney general in the criminal division at the Department of Justice. And you were confirmed by a Republican Senate, if I am correct in that.
DIRECTOR WRAY: Yes, by a unanimous voice vote.
REP. BUCK: And you were then nominated by Republican President Donald Trump to be the FBI director and again confirmed by the Republican Senate for that position.
DIRECTOR WRAY: Yes, I think there were only five votes against me and they were all from Democrats.
REP. BUCK: According to Wikipedia, you’re still a registered Republican, and I hope you don’t change your party affiliation after this hearing is over. But I want to thank you.
Watch above via C-SPAN.
