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Thursday 13 July 2023

FBI Director Wray defends the ‘real FBI’ against criticism

Continued from Front tually sad that the major- FBI stretch back years, but
ity is engaging conspiracy became more prominent
“The work the men and theories in an effort to dis- during the Trump-Russia in-
women of the FBI do to credit one of the premier vestigation, when the Jus-
protect the American law enforcement agencies tice Department probed
people goes way beyond in the United States.” interference in the 2016
one or two investigations Jordan has been laying the election.
that seem to capture all groundwork for Wray’s ap- One focus of Wednesday’s
the headlines,” said Wray, pearance since House Re- hearing was the Foreign In-
a registered Republican publicans took the majority telligence Surveillance Act,
whom Trump nominated in January. or FISA, that grants the FBI
to lead the FBI after firing Republicans have held and other agencies broad
James Comey in 2017. hearings with former FBI powers to surveil the com-
The director spelled out agents, Twitter executives munications of foreigners
the bureau’s crime-fight- and federal officials to outside the United States. A
ing work breaking up drug make the case that the FBI provision known as Section
cartels, taking some 60 sus- has been corruptly using 702 is set to expire unless
pected criminals off the its powers against Trump Congress agrees to renew
streets each day and pro- Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chair of the House Committee on the and the right. The GOP has it. Members of both parties
tecting Americans from Judiciary, speaks during an oversight hearing with FBI Director formed a special commit- are frustrated with the pro-
“a staggering array of Christopher Wray, Wednesday, July 12, 2023, on Capitol Hill in tee on “weaponization” of gram.
Washington.
threats.” Associated Press government, also led by Underscoring the extent to
He said, “That is the real Jordan, to investigate abu- which surveillance errors
FBI.” the committee, Rep. Jer- in Florida, the number of FBI see. Three panels opened during the Trump-Russia
It’s the latest display of the rold Nadler of New York, applicants is up by more a joint investigation into investigation continue to
new normal on Capitol Hill, said the hearing was “little than 100%. the Hunter Biden case, and shadow the FBI, Rep. Tom
where Republicans who more than performance “We’re deeply proud of one announced Wednes- Tiffany, R-Wis., said he will
have long billed them- art” by Republicans who them, and they deserve day that the two IRS whistle- be allowing FISA to “sunset”
selves as the champions of are undertaking what he better than you,” Gaetz blowers who claimed Jus- if there are no reforms.
police and “law and order” called baseless investiga- said. tice improperly interfered in Wray, meanwhile, ac-
are deeply at odds with tions too far-fetched to be Typically measured, Wray the case will appear before knowledged a difference
federal law enforcement true. became animated by the Congress next week. over Garland’s 2021 memo
and the FBI, accusing the Wray generally steered suggestion from Rep. Mike Hanging over the proceed- instructing the FBI to co-
bureau of bias dating to in- clear of answering ques- Johnson, R-La., that the FBI ings are GOP threats to im- ordinate with local law
vestigations of Trump when tions about the Justice would have been involved peach Attorney General enforcement over threats
he was president. Department’s prosecution in suppressing a theory that Merrick Garland and with- against school boards.
This new dynamic has of Trump. The former presi- the coronavirus pandemic hold money for federal law Republicans have com-
forced Democrats into a dent has pleaded not guilty originated via a leak from a enforcement as Congress plained that went too far in
position of defending law to 37 felony counts over his laboratory in China rather is in the midst of prepar- trying to police parents.
enforcement agencies mishandling of classified in- than a transfer from ani- ing annual spending bills. “I will say to you the same
they have long criticized. formation at his Mar-a-La- mals to humans. House Speaker Kevin Mc- thing that I said to all 56 of
Wray testified for nearly six go club and residence. “The idea that the FBI Carthy has signaled he is our field offices as soon as
hours. Wray did say that classified would somehow be in- open to impeachment and I read the memo, which
The committee chairman, documents are required to volved in suppressing refer- wants to rethink FBI spend- is that the FBI is not in the
Republican Rep. Jim Jor- be stored in what’s known ences to a lab leak theory ing on a new headquarters. business of investigating or
dan of Ohio, said he is trying as a “sensitive compart- is somewhat absurd when At one point, Rep. Thomas policing speech at school
to stop what Republicans mented information facil- you consider the fact that Massie showed a short board meetings or any-
call the “weaponization” ity,” or SCIF. the FBI was the only — the surveillance video of the where else for that matter,”
of the federal justice sys- “In my experience,” he only — agency in the entire moments before officials said Wray.
tem, which they say is tilted said, “ballrooms, bath- intelligence community to found a pipe bomb outside Some of the GOP’s most
against conservatives, in- rooms and bedrooms are reach the assessment that the Democratic National conservative members are
cluding Trump and his allies. not SCIFs.” it was more likely than not Committee’s Capitol Hill pushing to cut off some
Jordan opened the hearing A separate Justice Depart- that was the explanation headquarters on the day funding for the FBI. Mc-
reciting a federal judge’s ment investigation is prob- of the pandemic,” Wray of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack. Carthy, R-Calif., has ques-
recent ruling against the ing efforts by Trump and his said, pointing for emphasis. Massie, R-Ky., demanded tioned spending money to
government’s efforts to allies to undo Biden’s elec- He later noted the Energy answers about the investi- build a new FBI headquar-
halt misinformation on so- tion in the run-up to Jan. 6, Department’s intelligence gation, which is ongoing. ters out of downtown and
cial media and listed other 2021. arm reached a similar find- “We fund your department in a Washington suburb. He
grievances over the FBI’s During one tense ex- ing. so you need to provide has said Congress should
treatment of conservatives. change with Rep. Matt Ga- Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., that,” Massie said. focus on FBI offices in the
But the top Democrat on etz, R-Fla., Wray noted that said she thought it was “ac- Republican criticisms of the states.q