Jim Jordan Threatens FBI Director Christopher Wray with Contempt
House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R – OH) has threatened to hold FBI director Christopher Wray in contempt for the Congress due to his bureau’s “wholly inappropriate” compliance with subpoenas that were issued earlier this year.
Jordan wrote Wray a letter Monday.
The Committee subpoenaed you on February 3, 2023 for documents and other information related to the FBI’s targeting parents who spoke out during school board meetings. On April 10, 2023 the Committee also issued a subpoena for documents and other information relating to the FBI’s classification of traditional Catholics in the United States as domestic extremists. The FBI has not complied with the subpoenas issued to date. This has hindered the Committee in its oversight efforts.
In February, Jordan issued an order to Wray following a memo from Attorney General Merrick G. Garland that noted “a disturbing spike in harassment and intimidation of school administrators, board and teachers and staff.”
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In April, Jordan issued a subpoena for Wray, after the FBI had been accused of developing a bias against Catholics when an FBI field office in Richmond, Virginia called pro-lifers “Radical Traditionalist Catholics.”
Jordan stated that the committee had made “several accommodation” to the FBI but none of them worked.
Jordan wrote: “After months of outreach and negotiations with the FBI, the Committee has written to inform you that, if they do not substantially improve their compliance, they will take action, such as initiating contempt proceedings of Congress, to obtain compliance with these Subpoenas.”
Jordan’s threat that Wray be held in contempt of Congress follows months after House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY), successfully used the threat contempt to pressurize Wray to produce documents about allegations President Joe Biden received a bribe while vice president.
This comes just days after House Republicans interrogated Wray in his testimony to the Judiciary Committee.
“This is what’s really unbelievable.” Jordan stated during the hearing, “Here’s what is amazing.” The Justice Department and FBI want taxpayers who were censored to pay for the new FBI headquarters. They also want parents and Catholics that they called radicals to pay. You can’t believe this stuff.
Jordan’s letter of Monday gave the FBI until July 25 to produce documents or it would initiate contempt proceedings.
Jordan wrote: “The FBI has not produced any material that the Committee is aware of, or believes may be in the FBI’s custody, and which is responsive to subpoena.”
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