To Whom Will Wray Be Loyal? Trump or The Constitution?

President Trump announced his appointment of Christopher Wray to be the new FBI Director on Twitter.


People had been wondering what was keeping Trump in picking a successor. In hindsight, it would seem that Trump wanted to make the announcement as close to Comey's testimony on Capitol Hill as possible in an effort to minimize its impact. Of course, all of this will depend on what Comey has to say tomorrow.


It is worth noting that Wray worked under James Comey during the Bush 43 Administration from 2003 to 2005 when he worked at the DOJ as Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division. His most notable work was heading up the Enron Task Force. I am curious as to what kind of relationship Wray had with Comey.


Since leaving government, Wray has been in private practice at King & Spalding in Washington, D.C. Prior to his appointment, Newsweek noted that Trump has made several appointments from King & Spalding and that a partner in the firm is an ethics adviser to the trust that holds Trump's business assets. No doubt Democrats will try to make something of it, but King & Spalding is a huge international law firm. Unless Wray worked in a direct capacity for Trump I don't think there's even an appearance of a conflict.


Democrats will also try to make hay of the fact that Wray personally represented New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in the Bridgegate scandal. Well, even Chris Christie has the right to best legal representation.


With that said, there is this concern. When Trump interviewed did Wray give him the pledge of loyalty that Comey would not give? If I were serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee this would be the question I would ask Wray. My support for him would hinge on his reply. But, of course, I am not a U.S. Senator and realistically Wray will be confirmed and once confirmed will take the oath to uphold The Constitution of the United States. But will this public oath be superseded by any private oath he made to Trump


Let us assume for argument's sake that Wray turns out to be an outstanding FBI Director. That still doesn't justify Trump's decision to sack Comey much less the manner in which he did it.