By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
WASHINGTON — Timothy Murphy, the FBI’s number three person, seems to be a name circulating in the agency’s rumor mill as a strong prospect to replace deputy director John Pistole, the number two man at the FBI, sources say.
The rumor mill kicked into gear on Tuesday, one day after President Obama nominated Pistole to head the Transportation Security Administration. Pistole is expected to remain at the FBI until the confirmation process is completed.
In 2008, Murphy rose to the number three spot — Associate Deputy Director in charge of FBI personnel, budget, administration and infrastructure. He was previously assistant Director of the FBI’s Finance Division.
He began his FBI career in 1988 Murphy. He served in four field offices, including Newark, Tampa, Washington and Cincinnati , where he worked cases in a variety of areas including counterterrorism, organized crime and drugs and as a pilot in the aviation program.
In the Washington field office, he worked an assistant special agent in charge and he served as a special agent in charge in Cincinnati.
At headquarters, some of his posts included supervisory special agent in the Executive Development and Selection Program, unit chief of the Senior Executive Service Unit, unit chief of the Director’s Research Group and special assistant to FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III, according to an FBI bio.
