WATCH LIVE: FBI Director Wray faces grilling on Capitol Hill over allegations of politicization
FBI Director Christopher Wray is expected to address questions over the handling of the Hunter Biden probe.
FBI Director Christopher Wray insisted Wednesday that the bureau is "absolutely not" protecting the Biden family amid allegations the Hunter Biden probe was influenced by politics.
But Wray also refused to answer questions from House Judiciary Committee lawmakers on whether President Biden is under federal investigation for an alleged criminal bribery scheme.
Wray told the committee about the good work of the FBI, denied any alleged politicization within the bureau and blasted claims he is biased against conservatives as "somewhat insane."
Despite those denials, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, maintained his commitment to stopping the "weaponization of the government against the American people" and slammed the "double standard that exists now in our justice system."
Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, is sworn in during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The sentiment of a "double standard" of justice was prominent throughout the hearing, as GOP members pointed to the FBI’s handling of investigations related to the Bidens compared to the probe into former President Donald Trump.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., pointed to allegations leveled against the Justice Department by IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley, who said steps were taken throughout the years-long Hunter Biden probe to protect him and limit any questioning related to President Biden.
Gaetz referred to a specific WhatsApp message to a Chinese energy executive in which Hunter Biden seems to indicate he is "sitting here with" his father, Joe Biden, threatening the executive that he and his father would "forever hold a grudge" if a deal was not complete and warning that the executive would "regret not following" his "direction."
"You seem deeply uncurious about it, don’t you?" Gaetz said. "Almost suspiciously uncurious. Are you protecting the Bidens?"
"Absolutely not," Wray replied. "The FBI has no interest…in protecting anyone politically."
Rep. Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, speaks during a hearing in Washington, D.C., Wednesday. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
IRS whistleblowers have alleged federal prosecutors blocked lines of questioning related to President Biden despite having evidence that could point to the president's knowledge or involvement in his son's business dealings.
Whistleblowers said the FBI had the laptop in its possession in December 2019 and knew ahead of the 2020 presidential election that it contained "credible" evidence as part of the Hunter Biden probe. Despite that, the FBI still allegedly worked with social media companies to suppress stories about the laptop.
Lawmakers have also been demanding answers from the FBI on what it did with information contained in a key FD-1023 form, alleging a criminal bribery scheme between then-Vice President Biden and a foreign national.
The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed the FBI to turn over the document for Congress to review, but the FBI did not comply. Instead, the FBI made accommodations to bring a redacted version of the document to a secure setting on Capitol Hill for lawmakers on that committee to review. Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., threatened to hold Wray in contempt of Congress for not complying with the subpoena.
The document in question details allegations made by a top executive of Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings to a "highly-credible" FBI confidential human source. The executive alleged that he paid $5 million to Joe Biden and $5 million to Hunter Biden in exchange for influence over policy decisions.
FBI WHISTLEBLOWERS SAY PRO-LIFE GROUPS, CATHOLICS WERE 'TARGET OF THE GOVERNMENT': JORDAN
Hunter Biden arrives at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, D.C., on July 4, 2023. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Federal prosecutors and agents on the team investigating Hunter Biden were briefed on that FBI form, but lawmakers in both the House and Senate are questioning if the FBI ever investigated the claims.
Wray was pressed on the allegations contained in that form during Wednesday's hearing by Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wisc. — specifically whether the president took any payments from foreign nationals or companies while serving as vice president.
Wray pointed to the "ongoing investigation" led by U.S. attorney for Delaware David Weiss and referred all questions related to the matter to his office.
"So the president is under investigation?" Tiffany asked.
"I'm not going to confirm or speak to who is or isn't under investigation for what," Wray replied.
"So he's not under investigation?" Tiffany asked.
"I didn't say that either," Wray said.
JORDAN SAYS FBI SHOULD BE KICKED OUT OF PROBES INTO US CITIZENS FLAGGED IN FISA INVESTIGATIONS
Pointing to FBI and Justice Department practice, Wray said he is "not going to be confirming or denying" if President Biden "is or isn't under investigation."
Ahead of Wray’s testimony, an FBI official told Fox News Digital lawmakers on the committee are taking issue with "prosecutorial decisions," but stressed that those decisions are "not made by the FBI, but, rather, the Department of Justice." That official stressed that the FBI is focused on gathering facts and not involved in charging decisions.
President Biden leaves following services at St. Edmond Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on April 15, 2023. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
The Justice Department last month announced that the president’s son had entered a plea agreement that will likely keep him out of jail. Hunter Biden is set to plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax and to one charge of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.
Whistleblowers and those familiar with the investigation say more charges were warranted. Hunter Biden is set to make his first court appearance July 26.
HERE ARE THE WHISTLEBLOWERS SCORCHING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ON HUNTER PROBE, IRS, FBI
Meanwhile, Jordan has called on key FBI and DOJ officials involved in the Hunter Biden investigation to appear before the committee for transcribed interviews related to that probe. Those interviews have yet to be scheduled.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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