FBI Front-Runner Was on Democratic Ticket in 2000

The emerging front-runner to replace James Comey as FBI director was the Democratic candidate for vice president in 2000—but Joe Lieberman may now get more support from Republicans than his former Democratic colleagues in the Senate. President Trump confirmed Thursday that Lieberman was one of his top picks, despite the fact that he has no federal law enforcement experience, reports the Wall Street Journal. Lieberman—who, if named and confirmed, would be starting a 10-year term at the age of 75—retired from the Senate in 2013 and now works at a law firm that has represented Trump and his company.

Several Republican senators have signaled that they will support the choice of Lieberman, who endorsed John McCain for president in 2008 and Hillary Clinton in 2016, Politico reports. But while Trump may try to portray Lieberman as a bipartisan pick, he is not popular among Democratic senators, some of whom say this is not the time for a politician of any affiliation to be leading the FBI, CNN reports. "This is a moment where we need a law enforcement professional that's ... never campaigned for office, never worn a party label to head the FBI," Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill said Thursday. (Mitch McConnell has made a surprising suggestion for FBI chief.)