Almost a dozen other names have been floated for Comey's replacement, including 9/11-era NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly, FBI Richmond, Va. chief Adam Lee, former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), and interim FBI Director Andrew McCabe.
Garland, the chief judge on the D.C. Court of Appeals, was nominated by former President Barack Obama to fill a vacant seat on the Supreme Court a year ago.
President Donald Trump and his White House have been adamant: There's absolutely no need for a special prosecutor to investigate the ties between his 2016 campaign and Russian intelligence operatives.
Mitch McConnellMitch McConnellMitch McConnell must recuse - it's Ethics 101 McConnell "not optimistic" Dodd-Frank overhaul will happen Merrick Garland not interested in becoming Federal Bureau of Investigation chief: reports MORE, the hard-line Republican leader of the U.S. Senate, is in a suddenly familiar Trump-era position. On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), said he could support the idea.
Last week, Donald Trump fired James Comey as director of the FBI in the middle of the Russian Federation investigation, sparking outrage and accusations of obstruction of justice.
Garland is now serving in a lifetime appointment as chief judge of the D.C. Circuit Court, so many observers consider the choice to be a longshot because it would leave a vacancy for such a high profile position. Surely whoever he nominates will have to promise to do just that, and I doubt Garland would be willing to make that kind of promise. After his nomination died with the end of the former Congress, Trump selected his own nominee, Neil Gorsuch, who was confirmed in April.
Why Was James Comey Fired? President Trump Contradicts His Team
A source said they expect that at some point Comey will respond to Trump - but it is uncertain when that would be. Spicer also said the tweets were "not a threat".
In the 1990s, as a senior Justice Department official under former Democratic President Bill Clinton, Garland oversaw the prosecution in the Oklahoma City bombing case in which 168 people were killed.
McConnell added that a pick with a law enforcement background without a history of political involvement will "serve [Trump] well, serve the country well and lead to a more bipartisan approach".
Included in those pushing for Garland are two Utah Republican lawmakers, Sen.
Another prominent Republican, Sen. Senate Democrats like Amy Klobuchar swiftly voiced support.
Whether he would want to work for Trump is another question, as is the very real matter of a Republican Trump appointee replacing him on the Court of Appeals. And if you're an accomplished, self-confident person who has a good repuation and has made friends, job security means only so much to you.
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