Contempt of Congress proceedings against FBI Director Christopher Wray will begin on Thursday, House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer (R-KY) announced Monday, after the FBI again refused to hand over subpoenaed documents alleging President Joe Biden took part in an illegal bribery scheme.
On Monday, Comer was allowed to view - but not take possession of - the unclassified subpoenaed document quoting an informant, the Oversight Chair told reporters:
“The confidential human source who provided information about then-Vice President Biden being involved in a criminal bribery scheme is a trusted, highly-credible informant who has been used by the FBI for over ten years and has been paid over six-figures.”
“These are facts and no amount of spin and, frankly, lies from the White House or Congressional Democrats can change this information,” Comer said.
“Mr. Chair, why do you need the document in hand?” one reporter asked Comer, questioning the need to “move forward with contempt when the FBI says they are cooperating in good faith.”
Without the physical document to show to the public, media will continue to parrot the Biden Administration’s “conspiracy theory” claims and dismiss the source as unverified, Comer explained:“Well, let’s just look at what I’ve read in a lot of the media accounts and the statements Ian Sams has made from the White House: ‘There is no merit for this,’ ‘This is crazy,’ ‘This is a conspiracy theory.’
“And, you’re just supposed to take my word? Or the FBI’s word? I’m supposed to take the FBI’s word they’re investigating this? You’re going to write the source is unverified.”
What’s more, media aren’t reporting that Biden’s accuser is a “highly-credible source that’s been with the Bureau since the Obama Administration,” Comer said.
“The ball’s in the FBI’s court,” Comer concluded.
The House Oversight Committee’s press release regarding the justification for the contempt proceedings is presented below:
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) issued the following statement after receiving a briefing from the FBI about the unclassified record alleging then-Vice President Joe Biden engaged in a $5 million bribery scheme with a foreign national in exchange for certain actions:
“Today, FBI officials confirmed that the unclassified, FBI-generated record has not been disproven and stated several times the information contained within it is currently being used in an ongoing investigation. The confidential human source who provided information about then-Vice President Biden being involved in a criminal bribery scheme is a trusted, highly credible informant who has been used by the FBI for years. These are facts and no amount of spin, and frankly lies, from the White House or Congressional Democrats can change this information.
“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 proceedings. Given the severity and complexity of the allegations contained within this record, Congress must investigate further. Americans have lost trust in the FBI’s ability to enforce the law impartially and demand answers, transparency, and accountability. The Oversight Committee must follow the facts for the American people and ensure the federal government is held accountable.”