One person who could replace James Comey

Why Trump fired Comey -- and who might replace him

Acting Assistant Attorney General Dana Boente of the Justice Department's national security division could be one possible candidate to replace James Comey as FBI director. 

He also simultaneously serves as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Before being named to his current position in late April, he served as acting deputy attorney general between February and late April and previously served briefly as acting attorney general after Sally Yates was fired from that role.

In this Jan. 26, 2012 file photo Dana Boente, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia leaves federal court in Alexandria, Va. Boente, the man appointed to serve as acting attorney general after his predecessor refused to defend President Trump's travel ban, has a reputation for providing steady leadership in difficult situations and was described by then-Attorney general Loretta Lynch as one of the Justice Department's "consummate utility players." AP

Boente, 63, is consider a trusted, experienced prosecutor who Attorney General Jeff Sessions might want to keep around. He is a 32-year veteran of the Justice Department who spent his entire professional career in public service, his biography says.

He was nominated by President Obama in October 2015 and confirmed by the Senate that December as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. He had previously been appointed by Obama's first attorney general, Eric Holder, to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

President Trump fires FBI Director James Comey

"As the chief federal law enforcement for the District, which includes offices in Alexandria, Richmond, Norfolk and Newport News, Boente supervised the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in which the federal government has an interest," his bio says on DOJ's website.

This comes after President Trump fired Comey as FBI director Tuesday, writing in a letter that he accepted the recommendation from the attorney general and deputy attorney general that he be "terminated and removed from office."

"While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau," he wrote. 

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