Bridgewater Associates’ top lawyer doesn’t want the top job at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
President Barack Obama last week asked Congress to grant FBI Director Robert Mueller a two-year extension. Mueller, appointed by former President George W. Bush in 2001, is set to leave the job in September; under law, FBI directors are limited to a 10-year term.
Until recently, Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder have been looking for a successor. But two top candidates, James Comey and U.S. Circuit Judge Merrick Garland, turned them down. For Comey, taking the FBI job would have meant giving up the fat paycheck he receives from Bridgewater, where he is general counsel.
In any event, administration officials have said that they were essentially seeking a clone of Mueller; they’ve now settled on the genuine article, pending Congressional approval.
“In his 10 years at the F.B.I., Bob Mueller has set the gold standard for leading the bureau,” Mr. Obama said. “Given the ongoing threats facing the United States, as well as the leadership transitions at other agencies like the Defense Department and Central Intelligence Agency, I believe continuity and stability at the F.B.I. is critical at this time.”