FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, Oct. 31, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)2025-01-10T22:14:02Z WASHINGTON (AP) The FBI must remain independent, above the partisan fray and committed to upholding the rule of law, outgoing Director Christopher Wray said in a farewell address just days before his expected retirement at the conclusion of the Biden administration following more than seven years on the job.No matter whats happening out there, Wray said, in here, weve got to stay committed to doing our work the right way every time, with professionalism, with rigor, with integrity. That means following the facts wherever they lead, no matter who likes it or doesnt because trust me, if theres anything Ive learned in this job, theres always someone who doesnt like you.The remarks at the packed farewell ceremony at FBI headquarters steered clear of any direct political reference, with no overt mention of President-elect Donald Trumps scathing criticism of him or the turmoil the bureau has encountered amid a spate of highly charged investigations into both Trump and President Joe Biden. But the backdrop was unmistakable, coming amid concerns that Trump who last month forced Wrays departure by naming loyalist Kash Patel to the job could seek to use the FBIs law enforcement powers to exact retribution against adversaries. Adhering to the rule of law, Wray added, means conducting investigations without fear or favor and it means not pursuing investigations when the predications not there. Thats what the rule of law is all about. Weve got to maintain our independence and objectivity, staying above partisanship and politics because thats what the American people expect and I think thats what they deserve. Wray has announced his intent to resign ahead of Trumps inauguration on Jan. 20, roughly three years short of the 10-year tenure given to FBI directors. The move followed Trumps statement that he would install Patel, a former Justice Department prosecutor who has sharply criticized FBI investigations into Trump, called for major overhauls of the bureau and talked about going after members of the so-called deep state in Washington a pejorative term Trump and his allies used for entrenched civil servants. Wrays tenure saw the emergence of increasingly sophisticated Chinese cyberespionage campaigns, brazen assassination plots by Iran including one that targeted Trump and, most recently, a New Years Day attack in New Orleans that killed 14 revelers and that the FBI is investigating as an act of terror. But the FBI in recent years has found itself mired in politically explosive investigations that have dominated attention and affected public perception of the bureau. Those include investigations into Trumps hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate agents searched the Florida property in 2022 and his efforts to undo the 2020 presidential election, both of which resulted in indictments. The FBI also investigated Bidens handling of classified information and the presidents son, Hunter, on tax and gun violations. Biden was not charged but his son was convicted and was eventually pardoned. The specifics of those investigations went unmentioned during the packed farewell ceremony, attended by current and former FBI colleagues, Justice Department leaders, state law enforcement officers and intelligence officials like CIA Director William Burns. The speakers who paid tribute to Wray focused instead on his dedication to the job as well as to the workforce he has led.Going forward, as we continue to collaborate with our good friends at FBI, CIA officers will keep asking ourselves one thing: What would Chris want us to do? said Burns, who called the relationship between his agency and the bureau closer than its ever been.Wray was appointed by Trump in 2017 after the then-president fired his predecessor James Comey, giving up a successful law career in Atlanta and returning to Washington and to public service following an earlier stint as a senior Justice Department official.He had certainly enjoyed the right to stay there and never come back, said Attorney General Merrick Garland, drawing laughs from the audience. His life could have been a relaxing stream of practicing big law, tailgating at (Georgia) Bulldogs games, watching his beloved New York Giants on television and, most important, walking his dog without a protective detail. Chris Wray, Garland added, is public-spirited to the core. So no one was surprised in 2017 when he once again answered the call, this time to fill one of the most critical and difficult rules in all of government.Garland said his favorite part of the day is the morning briefing on threats to the homeland that he and Wray attend together, where no politics are discussed.If the American people could witness those meetings, they would be so proud, he said.___ ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department and the special counsel cases against former President Donald Trump. twitter mailto