Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) said the FBI has failed to produce an unclassified document alleging that President Joe Biden engaged in a criminal bribery scheme and that Republicans in turn will move to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings.
In a May 3 letter, Comer, chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, joined by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) revealed that they received “highly credible unclassified whistleblower disclosures” that the FBI possessed an unclassified record that “describes an alleged criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national relating to the exchange of money-for-policy decisions.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray has since confirmed that the document exists but, in an escalating showdown with House Republicans over the document, has refused to release it to the panel.
Oversight Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and the White House have disputed the credibility of the document.
Raskin said it was based on previous “allegations that went nowhere.” The White House has described Comer’s investigation as a “silly charade” intended to tarnish the president’s reputation and boost Republicans’ poll numbers.
After a June 5 meeting with Wray to view the document, Comer claimed that Wray confirmed that this is not the case. Wray allegedly acknowledged that the document is credible, comes from a long-trusted FBI source, and is currently the subject of an active FBI investigation.
“Today, FBI officials confirmed that the unclassified FBI-generated record has not been disproven and is currently being used in an ongoing investigation,” Comer said. “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 10 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 the FBI “refused to hand over the unclassified record” to the Oversight panel and that Republicans will follow through on initiating contempt of Congress proceedings against Wray.
By Joseph Lord
