
The new acting director of the FBI Andrew McCabe will inherit more from predecessor James Comey than an investigation into Russian ties to the campaign of President Donald Trump, who fired Comey Tuesday. Depending on how long he runs the agency before a Trump successor is approved — something Senate Democrats upset over Comey’s firing will likely draw out — McCabe may have to take up Comey’s other political battles, including encryption.
Almost since the beginning of his tenure as head of the FBI in 2013, Comey engaged in a crusade against criminals and terrorists evading law enforcement and intelligence surveillance online, or “going dark,” via default encryption platforms like Apple’s iPhone and Android OS.