In Today’s Times
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President Obama plans to nominate James B. Comey, a former Justice Department aide to President George W. Bush, to become his next director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Michael S. Schmidt reports. He adds that the pick makes a strong statement about bipartisanship as the president faces criticism from Republicans, but it is also palatable for Democrats because Mr. Comey is known for putting the law above politics.
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As Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. meets with the news media on Thursday to address concerns about how the Justice Department investigates leaks of classified information, he faces accusations from Republicans that he misled them about whether his agency has considered prosecuting journalists as spies for publishing government secrets, Charlie Savage and Jonathan Weisman write.
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Mark Landler names politics as one of the factors influencing the disparate impact that the furor over last September’s deadly attacks on the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, has had on the State Department careers of Susan E. Rice and Victoria Nuland.
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The president’s trips â€" official, political and personal â€" are drawing heightened scrutiny as automatic budget cuts force federal workers to take furloughs and shutter popular programs like White House tours, Michael D. Shear and Peter Baker write.
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Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, the Tea Party Republican firebrand, has decided not to seek re-election next year, cutting off her tough bid for a fifth term as she faces a widening federal inquiry of her campaign spending, Jeremy W. Peters reports.
Happenings in Washington
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Economic reports expected Thursday include first-quarter gross domestic product and weekly jobless claims at 8:30 a.m., followed at 10 a.m. by the pending home sales index for April and weekly mortgage rates.
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Mr. Obama will return from Chicago in the afternoon.
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At noon, Quinnipiac University’s polling institute will release the results of a national survey involving the Benghazi attacks, the Internal Revenue Service and The Associated Press.
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The winner of the National Spelling Bee will be crowned Thursday night as the competition comes to a c-l-o-s-e. The finals begin at 8 p.m.
