House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) decided to temporarily halt his effort to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress. This decision came after the FBI agreed to grant access to a document containing an unverified tip about potential wrongdoing by President Biden to all committee members.
Originally, the House Oversight Committee planned to vote on holding Wray in contempt during a business meeting on Thursday. Comer and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the panel, had the opportunity to view the document on Monday.
However, Comer intended to proceed with the contempt vote, claiming that Wray failed to physically hand over the document in response to a subpoena.
On Wednesday, Comer announced that the FBI had agreed to allow all committee members to review the document in person and receive a briefing. Additionally, Comer and Raskin would have the chance to examine two additional documents referenced in the initial tip.
Comer stated that the public’s trust in the FBI’s impartial enforcement of the law has diminished, and the document review is a vital step towards holding the FBI accountable.
Wray, who was appointed by former President Trump, has become a focal point in the Republican lawmakers’ conflict with the FBI, which they have accused of unfairly targeting conservatives.
Raskin commented that the FBI had made additional accommodations for committee Republicans in good faith. However, he accused Republicans of distorting the document’s contents.
Comer and Raskin arrived at different conclusions after reviewing the document. Comer claimed that the document, part of an ongoing investigation, suggests that Biden may have accepted a bribe while serving as vice president. Conversely, Raskin stated that the FBI concluded that the investigation did not warrant further action.
Raskin reiterated that the claim originated from former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, who alleged a corruption scheme involving Biden and his son in Ukraine.
The document contains second-hand allegations from a confidential source, and the investigation reportedly closed in August 2020.
Raskin criticized Committee Republicans for disregarding facts that undermine their false narratives and attempting to discredit the FBI to support Donald Trump’s popularity, as their investigation into President Biden has not uncovered any evidence of wrongdoing.