Obama’s likely choice for FBI praised

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Republicans said Thursday they see no major obstacles to Senate confirmation of James Comey, the former deputy attorney general in the Bush administration who is expected to be nominated by President Barack Obama as the next FBI director.

Comey, who would replace Robert Mueller as head of the national security organization, is certain to face tough questions about his work as a counsel for a major hedge fund and his ties to Wall Street as well as how he would handle current, high-profile FBI investigations.

But Republicans and Democrats said the former prosecutor’s strong credentials and sterling reputation suggest his path to confirmation should be relatively smooth.

“I think he’ll be confirmed” by the Senate, said former Attorney General John Ashcroft, a Missouri Republican who served in the Senate from 1994 to 2000.