WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI must remain independent, above partisan fray and “committed to upholding the rule of law,” outgoing director Christopher Wray said in a farewell address just days before his expected retirement at the end of the Biden administration. than seven years of service.
“No matter what happens here,” Wray said, “we must remain committed to doing our job the right way every time, with professionalism, accuracy and integrity. That means following the facts wherever they lead, regardless of who likes it or not. Because believe me, if I’ve learned anything in this job, there’s always someone you don’t like.”
The remarks at the packed farewell ceremony at FBI headquarters avoided any direct political reference, with no overt mention of newly elected President Donald Trump’s scathing criticism of him or the turmoil the bureau has faced amid a wave of highly charged investigations into both Trump and Trump. President Joe Biden. But the backdrop was unmistakable, given concerns that Trump — who forced Wray’s departure last month by appointing loyalist Kash Patel to the job — might try to use the FBI’s law enforcement powers to exact retaliation against opponents.
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Adhering to the rule of law, Wray added, “means conducting investigations without fear or favour, and it means not pursuing investigations when the forecast is not there. That is what the rule of law is all about. We must maintain our independence and objectivity. , staying above partisanship and politics because that’s what the American people expect and I think they deserve.”
Wray has announced that he plans to resign ahead of Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, about three years short of the 10-year term given to FBI directors. The move followed Trump’s declaration that he would install Patel, a former Justice Department prosecutor who has sharply criticized FBI investigations into Trump, called for major overhauls of the bureau and talked about pursuing members of the so-called “deep state” in Washington – a pejorative term Trump and his allies used for deeply entrenched officials.
Wray’s tenure saw the rise of increasingly sophisticated Chinese cyberespionage campaigns, brazen assassination plots by Iran — including one targeting Trump — and, most recently, a New Year’s Eve attack in New Orleans that killed fourteen revelers and which the FBI is investigating as an act of terror.
But the FBI has become embroiled in politically explosive investigations in recent years that have dominated attention and affected public perception of the bureau.
These include investigations into Trump’s hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate — agents searched the Florida property in 2022 — and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, both of which led to indictments. The FBI also investigated Biden’s handling of classified information and the president’s son, Hunter, over tax and gun violations. Biden was not charged, but his son was convicted and eventually pardoned.
The details of those investigations went unmentioned during the packed farewell ceremony, attended by current and former FBI colleagues, Justice Department leaders, state law enforcement officials and intelligence officials such as CIA Director William Burns. The speakers paying tribute to Wray focused instead on his dedication to the work and workforce he has led.
“Going forward, as we continue to work with our good friends at the FBI, CIA agents will continue to ask one thing: What would Chris want us to do?” said Burns, who called his office’s relationship with the agency closer than ever before.
Wray was appointed by Trump in 2017 after the then-president fired his predecessor James Comey, left a successful career as a lawyer in Atlanta and returned to Washington and public service after an earlier stint as a senior Justice Department official.
“He certainly would have enjoyed the right to stay there and never come back,” Attorney General Merrick Garland laughed at the crowd. “His life could have been a relaxing flow of practicing ‘big laws, tailgating at (Georgia) Bulldogs games, watching his beloved New York Giants on television and, most importantly, walking his dog without a protective detail .’
“Chris Wray,” Garland added, “is audience-oriented to the core. So no one was surprised when he answered the call again in 2017, this time to comply with one of the most critical and difficult regulations in all of government.”
Garland said his favorite part of the day is the morning briefing on threats to the homeland, which he and Wray attend together, where no politics are discussed.
“If the American people could witness these rallies, they would be so proud,” he said.
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