House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) announced on Monday that he is proceeding with the Contempt of Congress hearings for FBI officials.
This comes after the FBI once again refused to turn over a requested document related to alleged Biden family criminal activity to the House Oversight Committee.
During his announcement of the contempt of Congress hearings, Comer told reporters, “The investigation is not dead. This is only the beginning.”
The document was presented, but the FBI refused to turn the document over to the committee during a briefing.
The document that was subpoenaed from the FBI was for a whistleblower form that allegedly describes then Vice President Joe Biden’s involvement in a $5 million pay-to-play criminal scheme with a foreign national.
The FBI had allowed Comer to review the document at its headquarters and later said that he could physically view it at Capitol Hill, but today would not turn it over to the committee. Comer maintains that the FBI’s failure to turn over the document is in violation of the subpoena sent by the House Oversight Committee.
Comer then took questions and one reporter asked, “Why do you need the document at hand? You just got a chance to view it … Why move forward with contempt when the FBI says they’re cooperating in good faith?”
Comer elaborated that The White House is already minimizing the document and has claimed there is ‘no merit’ to the document also calling it ‘crazy’ and a ‘conspiracy theory’. “I’m supposed to take the FBI’s word that they’re investigating this?” Comer added.
Reporter: “Why do you need the document at hand? You just got a chance to view it … Why move forward with contempt when the FBI says they’re cooperating in good faith?”
House Oversight Chair James Comer: “I’m supposed to take the FBI’s word that they’re investigating this?” pic.twitter.com/sgPhRaobwL
— The Recount (@therecount) June 5, 2023
Comer along with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) had been pressing the FBI for the document for over a month. The original deadline for the delivery of the document was May 30th. The FBI appeared to ignore the subpoena and only responded when threats of Contempt of Congress were made.
FBI Director Christopher Wray agreed last week to provide the document. It appears it was presented at a briefing today, however, the FBI refused to leave the document at Capitol Hill.
With that, the hearings for Contempt of Congress will now proceed this Thursday.
