FBI Director Christopher Wray to be held in contempt of Congress
A whistleblower told House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer earlier this year about an FBI document linking President Joe Biden to a $5 million criminal bribery scheme dating back to his time as vice president.
While Comer has demanded to see the document, FBI Director Christopher Wray is refusing to turn it over. According to The Federalist, Comer is now moving to bring charges of contempt.
"The American people need to know if President Biden sold out the United States"
Comer and Wray have been battling for some time over the unclassified document, identified as an FD-1023 form, dated June 30, 2020.
The House Oversight Committee chairman declared at a press conference last week that "[t]he American people need to know if President Biden sold out the United States of America to make money for himself."
"The information provided by a whistleblower raises concerns that then-Vice President Biden allegedly engaged in a bribery scheme with a foreign national," the Kentucky Republican added.
What's more, Comer pledged in a statement tweeted out on May 30 to hold Wray in contempt of Congress if his agency was not more forthcoming.
FBI refuses to surrender document
🚨🚨🚨
Today, the FBI informed @GOPoversight that it will not provide the unclassified documents subpoenaed by the Committee.
The Committee will now be taking steps to hold FBI Director Wray in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a lawful subpoena.
Statement.👇 pic.twitter.com/VY3WudlFkG
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) May 30, 2023
Fox News reported on Thursday that the FBI was preparing to deliver the document to Capitol Hill on Monday under an agreement reached with Wray.
Yet the deal apparently fell apart, as The Federalist reported that although Comer was permitted to view the document in a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) on Capitol Hill, the FBI did not surrender it to his committee.
"At the briefing, the FBI again refused to hand over the unclassified record to the custody of the House Oversight Committee. And we will now initiate contempt of Congress hearings this Thursday," Fox News quoted Comer as saying on Monday.
"Given the severity and complexity of the allegations contained within this record, Congress must investigate further. The investigation is not dead. This is only the beginning," he pledged.
FBI says contempt vote is "unwarranted"
"These are facts and no amount of spin and frankly, lies from the White House or congressional Democrats can change this information," Comer concluded.
🚨🚨BREAKING: House Oversight Chair James Comer says the FBI has once again refused "hand over the unclassified record" that links then-VP Joe Biden to a pay-for-play bribery scheme with a foreign national. Oversight "will now initiate contempt of Congress hearings this… pic.twitter.com/2qoas43Igm
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 5, 2023
Fox News noted that for its part, the FBI released a statement calling a contempt vote "unwarranted" and an "escalation."