James B. Comey Sworn in as FBI Director

At 430pm on the dot, Attorney General Eric Holder, Deputy Attorney General James Cole, FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III and incoming FBI Director James B. Comey enter the Attorney General’s conference room on the Fifth Floor of the Justice Department in Washington DC.

Holder offers short remarks to a small group of DOJ, FBI staffers and longtime friends who stand alongside a long wooden table and chairs. The room also features paintings of former Attorneys General Janet Reno and Robert Kennedy.

Holder says: “I want to welcome everybody to the  Justice Department today as we celebrate the latest achievement in what has been a great legal career, a great career generally. Jim Comey will become the seventh director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and I can’t think of anybody more qualified to assume this position. He’s a person I’ve known for about 15, 20 years. He is a person whose passion for the law, whose passion for justice, his passion for the rule of law is something that I think distinguishes him.  He is a creative guy  who has come up with a really fascinating number of innovative solutions for the problems that have bedeviled our country for a great many years. He is going to be a worthy successor to a great FBI director, Bob Mueller, whom we have said goodbye to for the 10^th, 12^th time um in a ceremony over at the FBI(laughter from Mueller). It will be interesting to go to our 830 meeting tomorrow and look across the table and not see Bob there but it will be reassuring to see Jim’s face there. These are two great Americans, two great FBI directors and I’m glad that you all could be here for this historic occasion.”

At 432pm, Holder asks, “So Mr. Comey are you ready to become the FBI Director?”

“Yes sir,” Comey replies.

Comey’s chief of staff Chuck Rosenberg moves to the front of the room to hold the Bible on which Comey will swear his oath. “I James B Comey do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. And that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”

Holder congratulates Comey and a small group of staffers applauds. The group includes FBI officials Kevin Perkins, Sean Joyce, Kevin Gringas and Aaron Zebley, as well as DOJ officials David Margolis, Stuart Goldberg, David O’Neil and Mrs. Robert Mueller.

Comey shakes hands with Mueller, Cole, and Holder.

At that point, Holder presents Comey with his credentials, in the form of a billfold, which includes a photo ID with Comey’s picture on it. “Welcome back to the  Justice Department family,” Holder says.

Comey replies, “It’s great to be back sir.”

They pose for a few photos. The Attorney General wears a charcoal suit, white shirt and dark tie. Comey wears a navy blue suit, white shirt and a blue tie with lighter blue pattern on it.

Comey, asked if he has remarks, says, “just that it’s a thrill and an honor to be back at the Department of Justice and especially at the great institution that is the FBI. It’s daunting to follow Bob Mueller but it’s also a gift given the way he’s led this agency for 12 years. And I promise to do my best to uphold his legacy. And I’m so excited to be working again with the people of the FBI and serving the American people. So thank you sir.”

One more round of applause, then your pool is ushered out at 434pm EST.

Standing outside in the hallway on the fifth floor, at 442 pm, your pool observes Secretary of State John Kerry arriving. Kerry is a long time close friend of outgoing director Robert Mueller dating back to their days at the St. Paul prep school.