James Comey

James Comey

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Prior offices

U.S. District Attorney

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Deputy Attorney General

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Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

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Education

High school

Northern Highlands Regional High School

Bachelor's

College of William and Mary

Law

University of Chicago Law School

Personal

Profession

Attorney

James Brien Comey Jr. was the seventh director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He was nominated by President Barack Obama (D) and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 29, 2013, by a vote of 93-1.

On May 9, 2017, President Donald Trump (R) fired Comey. Trump wrote in a letter to Comey, “While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the bureau. It is essential that we find new leadership for the F.B.I. that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission."

At the time of his dismissal, Comey was investigating potential ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

Before serving as FBI director, Comey was a professor of law at Columbia University, and he served as United States deputy attorney general under John Ashcroft in the George W. Bush (R) administration.

Biography

Comey was born in Yonkers, New York, and he attended Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale, New Jersey. He graduated from the College of William and Mary and earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Comey's academic, professional, and political career:

• 2013-2017: Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
• 2010-2013: Senior Research Scholar and Hertog Fellow at Columbia University
• 2005-2010: General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Lockheed Martin
• 2003-2005: U.S. Deputy Attorney General under the George W. Bush administration
• 2001-2003: U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• 1996-2001: Managing Assistant for U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia
• 1993-1996: Partner at McGuireWoods, LLP
• 1987-1993: Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division for U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• 1985-1987: Law Clerk for U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York
• 1985: Earned J.D. from University of Chicago Law School
• 1982: Graduated from College of William and Mary

Confirmation vote

On July 29, 2013, Comey was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 93-1. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was the only vote against Comey's confirmation, which made Comey the only FBI director since J. Edgar Hoover's death to receive a vote against confirmation.

James Comey confirmation vote, July 29, 2013
Party	Votes for a	Votes against d	Total votes
Democrats	49	0	49
Republicans	42	1	43
Independents	2	0	2
Total Votes	93	1	94

Paul threatened filibuster

Sen. Rand Paul threatened to filibuster Senate discussion on Comey's confirmation in order to pressure Robert Mueller, the previous FBI director, to release information about domestic drone inventory and usage. Paul led a filibuster over similar issues during confirmation hearings for CIA Director John Brennan in March 2013. While Paul did not filibuster, he placed a hold on the nomination of Comey until the FBI responded to his questions concerning the FBI's use of drones in the U.S. on July 29, 2013.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Comey and his wife, Patrice, have five children.

See also

• Senate confirms James Comey as next FBI director
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Hillary Clinton email investigation

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Robert Mueller	FBI Director 2013 - 2017	Succeeded by Christopher Wray