A day after the FBI blew off its deadline to turn over to Congress a subpoenaed FD-1023 document that alleges Joe Biden was involved in a $5 million criminal bribery scheme with a foreign national, FBI Director Christopher Wray admitted the document exists.
In a tweet, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee announced that Wray confirmed to them that the document was real and offered to let Rep. James Comer (R-KY) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) review it but again has refused to turn over the document.
The committee is still demanding the FBI turn over the document (and related documents).
In a joint statement with Sen. Grassley, Rep. Comer warned that if the FBI refuses to hand over the document, the committee would initiate contempt of Congress proceedings.
Joint statement by Comer and Grassley:
WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today issued the following statements after their discussion with FBI Director Christopher Wray about producing to Congress the unclassified, FBI-generated record alleging a criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national.
“Today, FBI Director Wray confirmed the existence of the FD-1023 form alleging then-Vice President Biden engaged in a criminal bribery scheme with a foreign national. However, Director Wray did not commit to producing the documents subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee. While Director Wray – after a month of refusing to even acknowledge that the form existed – has offered to allow us to see the documents in person at FBI headquarters, we have been clear that anything short of producing these documents to the House Oversight Committee is not in compliance with the subpoena. If the FBI fails to hand over the FD-1023 form as required by the subpoena, the House Oversight Committee will begin contempt of Congress proceedings,” said Chairman Comer.
“While the FBI has apparently leaked classified information to the news media in recent weeks, jeopardizing its own human sources, it continues to treat Congress like second class citizens by refusing to provide a specific unclassified record. Director Wray confirmed what my whistleblowers have told me pursuant to legally protected disclosures: the FBI-generated document is real, but the bureau has yet to provide it to Congress in defiance of a legitimate congressional subpoena. This failure comes with consequences,” Senator Grassley said.
Rep. Comer also expressed his frustrations with the FBI on his own Twitter account, stating, “Anything short of producing these documents to @GOPoversight is not in compliance with my subpoena.”
NBC News reported:
House Oversight Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said Tuesday that the committee is moving forward with a vote to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray in criminal contempt of Congress for failing to hand over a document in the panel’s investigation into the Biden family’s business dealings.
Comer subpoenaed the FBI this month for a FD-1023 form that he and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, claim “describes an alleged criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Biden and a foreign national relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions,” without providing further details. The FBI declined to provide the document, saying that it is bound by Justice Department policy, which “strictly limits when and how confidential human source information can be provided outside of the FBI.”
Wray spoke with Comer and Grassley by phone Wednesday, and following their call, the FBI said in a statement that Wray had offered to provide Comer “an opportunity to review information responsive to the subpoena in a secure manner to accommodate the committee, while protecting the confidentiality and safety of sources.”
“The FBI remains committed to cooperating with the Committee in good faith,” the agency said.
In a joint statement, Comer and Grassley said that the FBI director confirmed the existence of the FD-1023 form during the call. But he “did not commit to producing the documents,” Comer said.
