Three Key Questions FBI Director Wray Refused to Answer Under Oath

Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during a House Ju
Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Wendell Husebø

FBI Director Christopher Wray refused to answer three questions under oath during Wednesday’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.

Wray, who appeared voluntarily before the committee, appeared at times annoyed by the questions asked by Republicans, who were charged with conducting oversight of the “politicization of the nation’s preeminent law enforcement agency,” according to the scheduled hearing.

In his opening statement, Wray promised to discuss “what the FBI is doing to address … threats and what the FBI is doing to ensure that our people adhere to the highest of standards while it conducts its mission.” Despite his claims of transparency, Wray refused to answer three key questions from House members:

1) Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY): How Was the Second Bomb Found at the Democrat National Committee Headquarters?

“Regarding an interview with the Assistant Director Stephen D’Antuono, Chairman Jordan and I sent you a letter a month ago. Some of the information that we found in that interview was that phone data that could have helped to identify the pipe bomber was corrupted, was unusable. He also wasn’t sure who found or how the second bomb was found at the DNC,” Rep. Thomas Massie prefaced the question to Wray.

“Do you know how the second bomb was found at the DNC?” he asked. “And when do you plan on answering our letter?”

“Well, as to the letter, I will work with the department to make sure we can figure out what information we can provide. As you know, this is a very active ongoing investigation. And there are some restrictions on that,” Wray said.

“Can you can you tell us how the second pipe bomb was found at the DNC?” Massie asked again.

“I’m not going to get into that here,” Wray responded.

“Nine hundred days ago this happened and you said you had total confidence we’d apprehend the subject,” Massie stated:

2) Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL): Was Hunter Biden Shaking Down CEFC China Energy Co. for Money?

Gaetz asked if Hunter Biden tried to shakedown CEFC China Energy Co. business partners for millions of dollars while “sitting” next to his father via a WhatsApp text from 2017:

I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight.

And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father.

“Sounds like a shakedown, doesn’t director?” Gaetz asked after reading the message to Wray.

“I’m not going to get into commenting on that,” Wray responded.

“You seem deeply uncurious about it, don’t you? Almost suspiciously uncurious,” Gaetz said. “Are you protecting the Bidens?”

“Absolutely not,” said. “The FBI does not, has no interest in protecting anyone politically.”

“You won’t answer the question about whether or not that’s a shakedown?,” Gaetz rhetorically asked. “And everybody knows why you won’t answer it. Because to the millions of people who will see this, they know it is and your inability to acknowledge that is deeply revealing about you”:

3) Rep. Andy Bigg’s (R-AZ): Whether Undercover Assets or Confidential Human Sources Were at January 6: 

“How many agents were actually – agents or human resources – were present at the Capitol complex in vicinity on January 6?,” Rep. Andy Biggs asked Wray.

“Well, again, it’s gonna get confusing, because it depends on when we were deployed and responded to the breach that occurred,” Wray said.

“You and I both know that we are talking different things here. And please don’t distract because we’re focusing on those who were there in an undercover capacity on January 6. How many were there?” Biggs asked.

“Again, I’m not sure that I can give you that number. As I sit here. I’m not sure there were undercover agents on scene,” Wray said.

“I find that kind of a remarkable statement, director. At this point, you don’t know whether there were undercover federal agents, FBI agents in the crowd or in the Capitol on January 6?” Biggs continued to press Wray.

“I say that because I want to be very careful. There have been a number of court filings related to some of these topics,” Wray said.

“I thought I heard you say you didn’t know whether there were FBI agents or informants or human sources in the Capitol or in the vicinity on January 6,” Biggs said. “Did I misunderstand you?”

“So are you acknowledging that there were undercover agents?” Biggs asked.

“As I sit here, right now, I do not believe there were undercover agents,” Wray responded.

“Did you have any assets present that day? In the crowd when it comes to what you’re calling assets or what we would call confidential human sources?” Biggs asked again.

“I want to be careful as much as I said in response to an earlier question,” Wray responded. “There are court filings that I think speak to this that I’m happy to make sure we get to you assuming they’re not under seal. And that can better answer the question than I can as I sit here right now”:

Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.

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