Oversight Chair Comer to meet with FBI Director Wray over reported Biden bribery doc
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a staunch conservative, made an announcement on Wednesday regarding his plans to meet with FBI Director Christopher Wray. The purpose of this meeting is to resolve a dispute that has arisen between House Republicans and the bureau. The bone of contention is the FBI's refusal to hand over a document containing details of an alleged bribery scheme involving then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national.
Comer hinted that he might resort to seeking a House vote to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress if he continues to withhold the desired document from House investigators. The Kentucky lawmaker revealed that Wray had reached out to him prior to his appearance on Fox News's "Hannity," but he remained steadfast in his demand for the document.
Comer firmly stated, "Nothing will change in terms of holding him in contempt of Congress if he fails to turn over the document." His unwavering stance suggests that he is prepared to take strong action if necessary.
During an interview with host Sean Hannity, Comer was questioned about the FBI's use of multiple sources to corroborate the allegations. In response, he highlighted the possibility of multiple informants by stating, "With respect to the FBI, they could have had many meetings with this informant, but the way that my staff and I interpreted it... there were multiple 1023s." However, he admitted that the issue of whether there were indeed multiple informants remained undecided.
The crux of the matter lies in the Republican Party's demand for an FD-1023 form, which provides a description of the alleged scheme involving Biden. Comer first became aware of the existence of this document in early May, stating at the time, "The information provided by a whistleblower raises concerns that then-Vice President Biden allegedly engaged in a bribery scheme with a foreign national. The American people need to know if President Biden sold out the United States of America to make money for himself."
To bolster his case, Comer has issued a subpoena requesting all FD-1023 forms that mention the name "Biden." However, the FBI has thus far failed to comply with the subpoena and has instead expressed a willingness to cooperate with congressional leaders. Acting Assistant Director of the bureau's Office of Congressional Affairs, Christopher Dunham, conveyed this sentiment in a letter to the Kentucky Republican. Dunham wrote, "The FBI appreciates this opportunity to inform you of our confidentiality interests so that we can 'seek optimal accommodation through a realistic evaluation of' each other’s needs and 'avoid the polarization of disputes.' We are committed to working together through this process."
Comer found the contents of the letter infuriating, interpreting it as a deliberate refusal by the FBI to comply with the congressional subpoena. He expressed his frustration, asserting, "It is evident from the FBI's response that the Oversight Committee subpoenaed unclassified records do exist, but they are intentionally withholding them from the Committee."
