Cornyn Drops Out Of Running For FBI Director Job; Merrick Garland To Remain A Judge

By Carrie Johnson

Published May 16, 2017 at 3:45 PM CDT

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas pulled himself out of contention for FBI director Tuesday.

Updated at 2:44 p.m. ET

Neither Merrick Garland nor Sen. John Cornyn of Texas will be the new FBI director.

Two friends of Judge Merrick Garland who asked not to be named say he loves being a judge, and he intends to remain on the bench.

Merrick Garland was all smiles when meeting with senators last year when he was a Supreme Court nominee. Despite bipartisan acclaim, he never even got a hearing.

This comes after word that Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell recommended Garland to President Trump as a candidate for FBI director.

Garland was nominated to the Supreme Court by former President Barack Obama after Justice Antonin Scalia's death, but never received even a hearing from the GOP Senate that McConnell runs.

Cornyn pulled himself out of the running Tuesday, saying he believes the best way to serve the country is as a senator.

"Now more than ever the country needs a well-credentialed, independent FBI Director," Cornyn said. I've informed the administration that I'm committed to helping them find such an individual, and that the best way I can serve is continuing to fight for a conservative agenda in the U.S. Senate."

NPR's Domenico Montanaro contributed to this report.