Obama to Nominate Comey to Head FBI Friday

He'll have a lively confirmation process

President Barack Obama plans to announce on Friday his nomination of former Bush administration official James Comey to run the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The nomination of Mr. Comey comes as Congress is wrestling with questions over far-reaching electronic surveillance programs designed to root out terror suspects. A senior Justice Department official during the administration of George W. Bush, Mr. Comey is best known for his forceful objection in 2004 to an electronic eavesdropping program.

Mr. Comey has also served as a U.S. attorney in New York and a federal prosecutor in Virginia.