Robert S. Mueller III is the current director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the United States of America. He was confirmed by the Senate on August 2, 2001, and sworn into office on September 4, 2001. His predecessor in office was Louis Freeh. Mueller is an experience attorney, decorated military veteran, and public servant. His experience includes private sector work in trial and corporate law, service as a U.S. Attorney, and management and prosecutorial positions in the Department of Justice.

Curriculum Vitae:

  1. 1966 -- B.A., Princeton University
  2. 1970 -- M.A., International Studies, New York University
  3. 1973 -- J.D., University of Virginia School of Law
  4. 1970-1973 -- Officer, United States Marine Corps
  5. 1973-1976 -- Litigation Associate, Pillsbury, Madison, and Sutro; Private Sector Firm
  6. 1976-1988 -- United States Attorney, Various Districts
  7. 1988-1989 -- Partner, Hill and Barlow; Private Sector Firm
  8. 1989-1990 -- Attorney General's Assistant, Department of Justice
  9. 1990-1993 -- Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, Department of Justice
  10. 1993-1995 -- Partner, Hale and Dorr; Private Sector Firm
  11. 1995-2000 -- United States Attorney, Various Districts
  12. 2001 -- Acting Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice
  13. 2002 -- Director, Federal Bureau of Investigations

Military Decorations: Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Navy Commnedation Medal (2), Vietnam Cross of Gallantry

Robert Mueller took office seven days before the deadly terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. As such, his tenure thus far has been wracked by public scrutiny and Congressional oversight. In December of 2001, Mueller announced sweeping structural changes to the FBI designed to improve efficiency and communication. Mueller also has said that communication between the FBI and CIA is now better than ever, citing his frustrations from time as a U.S. Attorney in attempting to get the two agencies to communicate.

Mueller seems to have a solid future in the FBI despite recent events. In a recent interview, Mueller made an unusually forthcoming statement, saying that "nearly 100 terrorist attacks have been thwarted in the past 15 months." Mueller opposes the creation of a new agency to oversee U.S. intelligence efforts. In his opinion, the FBI is uniquely suited to handle just this task, due to their combined intelligence and law enforcement abilities. Under his leadership and management, the FBI may be up to the task. Time will tell.

Sources

Federal Bureau of Investigation Profile. http://www.fbi.gov/libref/directors/mueller.htm. Public Domain. Accessed: 12/15/02.

News reports via the Drudge Report. www.drudgereport.com.

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