These 4 People Are Being Interviewed for FBI Director

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Attorney Alice Fisher arrives at the US Department of Justice on Saturday, May 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

(NEWSER) – President Trump has stepped up his search for an FBI director to replace James Comey and he says he might name his choice by the end of next week.

Insiders say Trump is looking at around a dozen candidates, four of which will be interviewed at the Justice Department Saturday. Officials tell the New York Times that the White House wants to pick a candidate without close ties to Trump to avoid accusations it he is trying to derail the Russia probe.

His choice will need to be confirmed by the Senate. A look at the four being interviewed Saturday:

Alice Fisher. Fisher, a white-collar defense lawyer who would be the first female FBI director, was the first to meet with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and deputy Rod Rosenstein on Saturday the AP reports. She ran the Justice Department’s criminal division during George W. Bush’s second term.

Sen John Cornyn. The Senate majority whip and former Texas attorney general has been a prominent Trump defender in recent weeks, though it’s not clear whether he would be willing to give up his position as the Senate’s No. 2 Republican, the Washington Post reports. “I’m happy serving my state and my country in my present position,” he said when asked about becoming FBI director.
Michael Garcia. Garcia, currently a New York state judge, served as assistant secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the early years of the George W. Bush administration and became the Manhattan US attorney in 2005, Politico reports.
Andrew McCabe. McCabe, a career FBI agent who has been involved in major counterterrorism investigations, became acting director after Comey’s firing. The Times notes that he would be the first serving senior FBI official nominated to become director, a move that Trump might be considering as an “olive branch” to the agency.

Trump is spending his Saturday delivering the commencement address at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Asked on his way to the Christian college whether he would name his choice for FBI director before he leaves for his first foreign trip Friday, he said ” even that is possible,” the AP reports.