The White House has not tried to interfere in the ongoing probe of Russian meddling in last year’s presidential election, new FBI Director Christopher Wray said Thursday in his first public appearance since taking the job.

“I can say very confidently I have not detected any whiff of interference in that investigation,” Mr. Wray said.

The new director, speaking alongside intelligence community leaders at a security conference in Washington, D.C., also made a plea for Congress to renew the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s Section 702 snooping powers.

Section 702 allows warrantless surveillance of communications of foreigners located outside the U.S. Mr. Wray said those powers, which are due to expire at the end of this year unless Congress extends them, are critical to detecting lone wolf-style terrorist attacks.

“The place that 702 is most important is our ability to detect and prevent plots in that tiny window that’s getting smaller and smaller and smaller,” Mr. Wray said. “Our ability to pounce during the critical window depends on that tool in large part.”

Mr. Wray was sworn into office in August after his predecessor, James B. Comey, was abruptly fired by President Trump in May. Mr. Trump’s critics contend that Mr. Comey’s dismissal was an effort by the president to undermine the Russia probe, and they demanded Mr. Wray assure them of his independence during his confirmation process.

On Thursday Mr. Wray said he has “enormous respect” for Mr. Mueller and full confidence in others assigned to the probe.

Since being sworn in, Mr. Wray said he’s read the classified version of the intelligence community’s assessment that concluded Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a campaign to influence the election in favor of Mr. Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

“I have no reason to doubt the conclusions that the hard-working people who put that together came to,” he said.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/sep/7/fbi-director-no-sign...