Sen. John Cornyn Of Texas On FBI Director's Job Short List: Reports

AUSTIN, TX — U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is on the short list to succeed James Comey as FBI director, according to a published report.

The Texas Tribune cited a White House official as the basis of its report. According to Fox News, Cornyn is one of some 11 contenders for the post left vacated after Trump abruptly fired Comey earlier this week.

The Tribune notes that Cornyn has built strong relationships with members of his conference throughout his long career in politics and would "likely sail through confirmation." Prior to his election to the Senate in 2002, Cornyn served as Texas attorney general, a Texas Supreme Court justice and a local judge.

Cornyn hasn't publicly acknowledged being in consideration for the FBI post but cryptically told reporters off the Senate floor on Wednesday that "I'm happy serving my state and my country."

The Tribune noted that the appointment would place Cornyn in the midst of one of the most contentious positions in the federal government, particularly given the Twitter war Trump has virtually declared on Comey since the firing. On Friday, Trump suggested his meetings with Comey might have been secretly recorded — a thinly veiled Twitter threat to the lawman not to talk leak details of their encounters to the press in his post-FBI life.

The New York Times also reported Trump demanded unqualified loyalty of Comey on several occasions, according to people familiar with the conversations. Comey declined to make such a pledge of unquestioning loyalty, instead alerting Trump he would be fair and honest with him throughout his FBI tenure.

Comey was heading the investigation into possible ties between the Trump camp and Russian officials leading to collusion during the 2016 general election that clinched the Electoral College vote for the real estate magnate, and the president was said to be wary of the probe. If appointed, Cornyn would take the reins of that ongoing investigation.

But if Cornyn gets the job, the staunch conservative would likely offer a greater degree of loyalty to Trump than the president was able to coax from Comey. His ultra-conservative views have proved to be polarizing throughout his lengthy career.

Also on Friday, Texas Southern University officials announced they had canceled a planned commencement speech by Cornyn amid considerable outcry about his selection to give the keynote address at the historically black university.

In a statement, university officials offered an alternative for Cornyn "... to instead visit with our students again at a future date in order to keep the focus on graduates and their families," the Tribune reported. "We, along with Sen. Cornyn, agree that the primary focus of commencement should be a celebration of academic achievement."

A Cornyn spokesperson responded to the development in an e-mailed statement: "Sen. Cornyn was honored to be invited to address TSU’s graduates, but he respects the administration's decision and looks forward to continuing to engage with the university in the future.”

The cancelled commencement address averts a potentially embarrassing episode for Cornyn as endured by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos on Wednesday. DeVos struggled to speak during a graduation ceremony at historically black university Bethune-Cookman University in Florida amid a loud chorus of jeers and booing. Some students rose and gave DeVos their backs in protest.

DeVos' speech was part of the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to reach out to historically black colleges and universities. But Bethune-Cookman University students voiced their objections to DeVos' presence at the lectern, citing the empty gesture marking her appearance and offense taken over the education secretary's past remarks related to historically black schools, the Washington Post reported.

Should Cornyn be offered the FBI post and accept it, the Tribune noted, it would represent a considerable blow to the state's clout on Capitol Hill given Cornyn's status as the second-highest ranked Republican in the Senate after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

>>> Read the full story at Texas Tribune

Photo of John Cornyn via U.S. Senate