07.11.17

Durbin Meets With FBI Director Nominee Christopher Wray

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met with Christopher Wray about his nomination to serve as Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director.  Durbin discussed an array of key issues with Mr. Wray, including his thoughts on Russia’s involvement in the 2016 U.S. election, Department of Justice (DOJ) funding for Chicago, criminal justice reform, Mr. Wray’s role in the George W. Bush era “torture memos”, and the relationship between the FBI and the American-Muslim community.  On Wednesday, July 12, Mr. Wray will go before the entire Senate Judiciary Committee to answer questions, under oath, on his record and nomination.

“My responsibility as a member of the Judiciary Committee is to fairly consider nominations to positions in the Department of Justice,” said Durbin.  “Our nation needs a FBI Director who will be independent, thorough, and principled.  Our exchange was frank and constructive.  I told Mr. Wray that he would be hearing about these issues again at his hearing tomorrow.”

Photos of Durbin’s meeting with Mr. Wray are available here.

Christopher Wray was born in New York City and earned his B.A. and J.D. from Yale.  He clerked for Fourth Circuit Judge J. Michael Luttig in Richmond, Virginia, and then began his career as an associate at King & Spalding LLP in Atlanta before becoming an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Georgia from 1997-2001.  He next served as an Associate Deputy Attorney General and as the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General in the Justice Department.  He became the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in 2003.  He headed the Criminal Division until 2005, and then returned to private practice at King & Spalding where he has remained since.