Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin arranged his own phone call with FBI Director Christopher Wray to obtain information that his fellow members on the Committee on Oversight and Accountability prevented him from acquiring, he says.
Raskin, the Ranking Member on the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, relayed in a statement that Oversight Committee chairperson Jim Comer “refused to allow the Ranking Member to participate in the Committee’s call with Director Wray.”
NEW: @OversightDems RM @RepRaskin issued a statement following his call with FBI Director Christopher Wray:https://t.co/aFtVou2Mhy
— Oversight Committee Democrats (@OversightDems) May 31, 2023
[Comer and the Committee have complained about a lack of FBI cooperation after requesting a document allegedly referred to by a whistle blower. The document in question allegedly pertains to actions taken by President Joe Biden during his time as Vice President.]
Raskin reported on his personal call with Wray, who accommodated Raskin’s request for information after Comer failed to include the Ranking Member on the Committee call:
“Director Wray informed me that the FBI has agreed to accommodate the Committee’s request by making the document sought by Chairman Comer available for in person review. The FBI will also provide context on the Trump Justice Department’s steps to follow up on the unsubstantiated, second-hand claims contained in this tip.”
Raskin asserts that Comer’s document demands and his subsequent accusations of FBI intransigence are critical elements of a MAGA plot to help former President Donald Trump in his 2024 election campaign. Addressing the threat Comer has made about holding Director Wray in contempt of Congress, Raskin says it is all part of this MAGA-Trump reelection plot:
“It is increasingly clear that Committee Republicans have always planned to hold Director Wray in contempt of Congress to distract from the obvious fact that they do not have evidence to support their unfounded accusations against President Biden,” Raskin writes.
“This latest political maneuver underscores Chairman Comer’s determination to use the Committee to help former President Trump’s reelection efforts and pander to extreme MAGA Republicans,” Raskin asserts.
At a Fox News story about the Comer-Wray conflict posted at Yahoo, the comments are largely supportive of Raskin’s portrayal of Comer’s efforts as disingenuous.
“Comer is looking for headlines,” writes one commenter with a sense of procedural protocol. “You don’t subpoena documents of an ongoing active investigation without tainting it.”
Others wonder whether the Republican response when confronted with subpoenas during the Jan 6 hearings didn’t devalue the process, asking: “Comer wants to hold the FBI in contempt of Congress. What about all those that didn’t respond to the subpoenas from the Jan 6th committee? Where was the outrage then?”
Of the few objectors, one writes: “Why is FBI so afraid to stand in front of the American Congress, are they hiding something or they just don’t believe in American Constitution. God help us.”
Another writes, with sense of protocol, of how Comer may be trying to tarnish the FBI: “Oldest trick in the book, subpoena information that people can’t turn over. That might not even be legal for them to turn over. Then accuse them of a cover up, of trying to hide something when they refuse.”
Raskin also reported: “Although Chairman Comer has publicly claimed the FBI’s follow-up is central to his inquiry, he failed to include it in his request, which is mysterious to me. In any case, the FBI has made clear in conversations with the Committee leading up to today’s call, it continues to work in good faith to accommodate Committee Republicans’ request in a manner that will not jeopardize its law enforcement mission, its confidential human source program, or the safety of its informants.”
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