House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) announced on Monday that Contempt of Congress hearings would be initiated against FBI Director Christopher Wray. This decision came after the FBI refused to hand over an unclassified record alleging a $5 million bribery scheme involving Joe Biden and a foreign national to the House Oversight Committee.
The FBI has made extraordinary accommodations to cooperate with Chmn. Comer’s aimless fishing expedition into the Biden administration, so why is Comer trying to hold the FBI director in contempt of Congress?
He’s already given up the game: to boost Trump’s poll numbers. pic.twitter.com/lcerF1LKMU
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) June 5, 2023
Comer, along with Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), had the opportunity to view the FBI-generated file on Monday morning. However, Comer expressed dissatisfaction, stating that further investigation was necessary due to the erosion of public trust of the FBI.
The subpoena for the FD-1023 form, which contained the whistleblower’s allegations, was issued on May 3 following legally protected disclosures made to Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) office. The FBI initially resisted sharing the form but eventually relented after the threat of a “Contempt of Congress” vote.
Comer and Raskin reviewed the FD-1023 form in a secure facility on Capitol Hill and received a briefing from the FBI. Comer confirmed the allegations made by the whistleblower had not been disproven, and the form was currently being used in an ongoing investigation.
While notes were permitted on the unclassified portion of the document, the classified section remained off-limits. Highlighting the credibility of the confidential human source, Comer stated the informant had a long-standing relationship with the FBI and had been compensated handsomely over the years.
However, since the FBI again refused to hand over the unclassified record, Contempt of Congress hearings will commence on Thursday. Responding to Comer’s actions, Rep. Raskin accused the chairman of engaging in a fishing expedition (the legal demand of too much information based on hunches) in support of former President Donald Trump.
Raskin defended the FBI’s cooperation and questioned the motive behind holding the FBI director in contempt of Congress. Amidst these developments, U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss in Delaware is close to concluding the Hunter Biden investigation.
Reports suggest federal prosecutors are considering charges related to tax evasion and falsifying a form linked to a gun permit. Last month, Comer released a report on the committee’s ongoing investigation into the Biden family’s criminal operation.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) revealed the FBI expressed concerns about the safety of their informant if their identity were exposed.
These latest developments indicate a contentious situation between the House Oversight Committee, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and the ongoing investigation into the unlawful behavior of the Biden family.
