Republicans Introduce Contempt Resolution Against FBI Director Wray

FBI Director Christopher Wray listens at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 19, 2023. Markus Schreiber/AP Photo

House Republicans released a resolution to hold Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress on June 7.

The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability recommendation stems from Wray’s refusal to comply with a subpoena that was issued by the committee early last month that included a May 31 deadline.

The Full Committee business meeting is set to discuss and consider the resolution on June 8, at 9:00 am (EST).

“We have been clear that the FBI must produce the unclassified FD-1023 record to the custody of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability,” Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said, according to the Oversight Committee’s press release.

“To date, the FBI has refused to comply with our lawfully issued subpoena and even refused to admit the record’s existence up until a week ago. Once Director Wray confirmed the record’s existence, the FBI started their coverup by leaking a false narrative to the media.”

The resolution will now undergo deliberation and discussion during the Full Committee business meeting, where members will have the opportunity to voice their perspectives and engage in further examination of the situation.

“The case is not closed as the White House, Democrats, and the FBI would have the American people believe,” Comer went on in the announcement of the resolution.

“The FBI created this record based on information from a credible informant who has worked with the FBI for over a decade and paid six figures.

“The informant had first-hand conversations with the foreign national who claimed to have bribed then-Vice President [Joe] Biden. And now, Attorney General Barr has confirmed that the record was given to the U.S. Attorney in Delaware for the purpose of that investigation,” he said.

“Americans have lost trust in the FBI’s ability to enforce the law impartially and demand answers, transparency, and accountability. The Oversight Committee must follow the facts for the American people and ensure the federal government is held accountable.”

Reasons For Contempt Proceedings

The committee’s report says that Wray and his staff have refused to produce any documents responsive to the subpoena, which included FD-1023 forms and accompanying documents related to alleged criminal activities involving then-Vice President Biden and a foreign national.

This refusal to cooperate has hindered the committee’s investigation into the matter, the report says.

The report emphasizes the importance of Congress’s responsibility to perform rigorous oversight of the Executive Branch, citing the powers granted to Congress by the Constitution.

It highlights the Committee on Oversight and Accountability’s jurisdiction over federal government management and reform, as well as its authority to conduct investigations of any matter without limitations.

The report argues that Wray’s non-compliance with the subpoena has impeded the committee’s ability to assess allegations of public corruption and influence peddling, potentially posing a national security risk.

If the committee’s resolution is approved in the full committee business meeting the Speaker of the House of Representatives will be authorized to take appropriate action to enforce the subpoena and proceed against Wray in accordance with the law.

The committee’s investigation into public corruption, influence peddling, federal ethics, financial disclosure regulations, and national security matters remains ongoing.

According to the documents the goal is to strengthen government ethics and disclosure laws to protect the integrity of the nation’s highest offices.

Precedent for Contempt Charges

The lawmakers’ resolution to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings cited similar instances when Congress has moved to enforce their subpoena power taken place in the past.

The Republican lawmakers referenced charges brought in 1998 when Chairman Dan Burton recommended contempt charges against Attorney General Janet Reno due to her failure to comply with a subpoena during the committee’s investigation into campaign finance law violations.

The committee subsequently held a vote, resulting in a contempt citation by a margin of 24 to 18.

In 2012, the committee initiated contempt proceedings against former Attorney General Eric Holder, citing his refusal to comply with a subpoena for documents related to the Fast and Furious gun-walking program.

This led to Holder being held in contempt, with 17 House Democrats crossing party lines to express their dissatisfaction with President Barack Obama’s claim of executive privilege.

Additionally, in 2014, the committee and, subsequently, the House held Lois G. Lerner—an Internal Revenue Service official—in contempt for her refusal to comply with a testimonial subpoena related to the IRS’s targeting scandal involving tax-exempt applicants.

The FBI did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment.