James Comey American statesman, former director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation Date of Birth: 14.12.1960 Country: USA

1. James B. Comey: Former FBI Director
2. Legal Career and Department of Justice
3. Lockheed Martin and Bridgewater Associates
4. Director of the FBI
5. Dismissal by President Trump
6. Attempted Apple Backdoor
7. Russia Investigation
8. Personal Life and Beliefs

James B. Comey: Former FBI Director

James Bryan "Jim" Comey, Jr. was born on December 14, 1960, in Yonkers, New York. After moving to Allendale, New Jersey, in the early 1970s, Comey graduated from the College of William & Mary in 1982, majoring in religion and interdisciplinary studies. He went on to earn a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago in 1985.

Legal Career and Department of Justice

Comey served as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2002 to 2003. He then became Deputy Attorney General, a position he held from 2003 to 2005. During his tenure, he approved a Justice Department memo authorizing the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, including waterboarding. However, he later opposed the use of a second memo that outlined more aggressive methods.

Lockheed Martin and Bridgewater Associates

After leaving the Department of Justice, Comey joined Lockheed Martin as its General Counsel and Senior Vice President. In 2010, he became General Counsel for Bridgewater Associates, a hedge fund firm. He left in early 2013 to become a Senior Research Scholar at the Columbia University Law School.

Director of the FBI

In September 2013, President Barack Obama appointed Comey as Director of the FBI. He oversaw the investigation into Hillary Clinton's email scandal, a highly controversial aspect of the 2016 presidential election.

Dismissal by President Trump

President Donald Trump fired Comey on May 9, 2017. The official explanation was that Comey had misrepresented details of the Clinton email investigation to Congress. However, other sources suggested that Trump was angered by Comey's request for more funding to investigate Russian interference in the election.

Attempted Apple Backdoor

Comey was criticized for seeking a "backdoor" into Apple devices to assist law enforcement investigations. Former NSA and CIA Director Michael Hayden argued that this would ultimately harm national security.

Russia Investigation

In 2017, Comey testified before the House Intelligence Committee, confirming that the FBI was investigating possible collusion between Trump's associates and Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign. He later testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, labeling Russia as "the single biggest threat to any nation on Earth."

Personal Life and Beliefs

Comey is married to Patrice Failor and has five children. He was raised as a Catholic but later joined the United Methodist Church. Politically, he registered as a Republican for most of his life but later stated that he was not affiliated with any party.