(JustPatriots.com)- Following a congressional hearing, it is typical for certain politicians to ask supplementary questions of the witnesses. The technique, known as “questions for the record,” generally concerns arcane or technical issues and is rarely reported in the media. However, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, appears to have included a bombshell claim in a recent QFR he gave FBI Director Christopher Wray following a tense Senate hearing last month.
Reports show that Grassley stated that his office had received claims that a special advisory group of FBI field agents shared concerns with Wray about politics infiltrating the bureau’s investigative decision-making, but those concerns were removed from the final report. It’s an issue Grassley wanted to bring up during the hearing but was turned down.
Grassley told Wray in a letter that FBI agents gave him materials describing worries that the FBI’s decision-making has become too political. According to reports, the issues were eliminated from this year’s final report.
Reports show Grassley did not name the source of the claims, but the letter came after his office verified receiving complaints from more than a dozen FBI whistleblowers regarding political manipulation of cases. Grassley asked Director Wray how he would handle the issues highlighted by these FBI agents.
When questioned about Grassley’s letter, the FBI’s national press office declined to comment.
According to reports, the flawed Russian collusion case, the raid on Donald Trump’s estate, and the treatment of most Jan. 6 defendants have all contributed to the increasing sense that the FBI is tainted with political prejudice.
Republicans think that if they win control of Congress in the November midterm elections, they must utilize the appropriations power to push the FBI to take more active action to address concerns.
In recent months, at least three Republican congressmen have reported getting communications from 20 FBI whistleblowers, all of whom have accused the bureau of political influence, bias, and data manipulation.
Former FBI intelligence head Kevin Brock said Grassley’s accusation regarding the special agent advisory committee’s concerns was important and indicated rank-and-file agents are concerned about the bureau’s future.
The FBI cannot be fixed if it refuses to be fixed.
