Senate confirms James Comey as FBI director

Former Deputy Attorney General James Comey, a Republican, won Senate confirmation Monday as President Obama's pick to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Comey, 52, will replace Robert Mueller, who will step down in September after heading the agency since shortly before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The vote was 93-1.

The vote took place after Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) ended delay tactics against the nomination because of concerns about the domestic use of drones, saying he'd received an FBI letter that answered his questions.

Paul was the only no vote.

Comey was the Justice Department's No. 2 official under President George W. Bush. He gained attention in 2004 when he defied top Bush White House officials who wanted the Justice Department to renew a program that allowed eavesdropping without warrants of domestic phone calls and emails.

Prior to his confirmation, senators grilled James Comey for condoning the indefinite detention and so-called enhanced interrogation of U.S. detainees.

Source: Al Jazeera and The Associated Press