FBI Agents Association: FBI Director Christopher Wray Should Complete Ten-Year Term

The FBI Agents Association (FBIAA), representing more than 14,000 active and retired FBI Special Agents, released letters today sent to President Donald Trump and to former Vice President Joe Biden in support of FBI Director Christopher Wray.  The letters urged both candidates to allow Director Wray to complete his statutorily-created, ten-year term for “the stability, credibility, and integrity of the Bureau.”

In the letters, FBIAA President Brian O’Hare emphasized that FBIAA represents more than 90 percent of active duty Special Agents and is the only organization that serves as the voice for these Agents.

“Collectively, our members strongly support Director Wray continuing his ten-year term,” writes O’Hare.  “FBI Special Agents respect Director Wray’s leadership and look forward to continuing to work with him to protect this great country from national security and criminal threats.”

O’Hare emphasized the importance of insulating the position of FBI Director from politics, writing, “Director Wray operates independently from partisan activities, and his nomination and acceptance of the position were predicated on that fact. He has not led the Bureau in a political manner, and politics should not determine his fate as Director. While the President can remove an FBI Director, doing so could lead to instability and damage to the Bureau’s operations, which is why Congress intended to insulate the position of Director from political whims.”

O’Hare also pointed to national security issues raised by the removal of an FBI Director after an election, “Unanticipated changes in Bureau leadership are challenging and can undermine stability, making it more difficult to effectively protect our country,” writes O’Hare. “Right now, the FBI is confronting an even more daunting threat environment than in 2011—with threats from both domestic and foreign terrorists, espionage, cyber-attacks, and traditional crimes. This country needs stability in leadership of the Bureau during these challenging times, and creating upheavals at the Bureau after the elections can only undermine the goal of protecting the safety and security of our country.”

The letter concludes, “Director Wray has led the FBI through a complex period, and is ensuring that FBI Special Agents remain focused on fighting the criminals and terrorists who threaten our safety. No matter the outcome of next week’s election, the men and women of the FBI are urging whomever becomes our next President to allow Director Wray to lead the Bureau and serve our country.”

Read the full text of both letters available at www.fbiaa.org.