Our most recent editorial calls on Republican senators to demand an independent FBI director.
“Trump must resist the urge to nominate a friend, a proven ally, or an old hand from his business days or his campaign,” we write.
Here’s a list of people Trump should avoid picking:
- Rudy Giuliani
- Chris Christie
- Anyone who has ever run for office as a Republican (Trey Gowdy, Lindsey Graham, Jason Chaffetz, etc.)
- Anyone who endorsed his presidential campaign
- Sheriff David Clarke
- Sheriff Joe Arpaio
And of course, anyone more ridiculous a choice than these.
Who would be good? Without naming names, here are some guidelines we gave Trump in the editorial: “There are plenty of places to look for a qualified FBI director. The ranks of career FBI officials would be one place to start. If Trump wants to shake up the agency with an outsider, he could do a lot worse than picking a judge.”
Basically, Trump needs to find the Neil Gorsuch of law enforcement: Someone well-respected by both sides (even though Democrats will likely oppose whoever Trump picks), someone apolitical, someone with legitimacy and candor.
Jason Russell is the contributors editor for the Washington Examiner.
