Comer: FBI director Wray to face contempt-of-congress vote

The Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee said he will seek to hold FBI Director Christopher A. Wray in contempt of Congress, rejecting Wray’s offer to allow lawmakers to view an internal bureau document in a secure location instead of handing the document to the committee in response to a subpoena.

Wray spoke by phone

Wednesday with the panel’s chairman, Rep. James Comer (R-KY.), about the committee’s demand for a form submitted by a confidential informant containing unsubstantiated allegations about President Biden and his family. Wray also spoke in a separate call with the committee’s ranking Democrat, Rep. Jamie B. Raskin of Maryland.

FBI officials told Comer this week that Justice Department policy prevents them from giving the document to the committee because it could compromise a confidential source and dissuade others from bringing sensitive information to law enforcement agencies in the future. Wray said he could make a redacted version of the form available for review, but the lawmaker was not satisfied.

“We have been clear that anything short of producing these documents to the House Oversight Committee is not in compliance with the subpoena,” Comer said in a statement. “If the FBI fails to hand over the

FD-1023 form as required by the subpoena, the House Oversight Committee will begin contempt of Congress proceedings.”

The FBI issued a statement as well, saying that Wray gave Comer “an opportunity to review information responsive to the subpoena in a secure manner to accommodate the committee, while protecting the confidentiality and safety of sources and important investigative sensitivities . . . The FBI remains committed to cooperating with the Committee in good faith.”