FBI

He should have done better

7/12/23
from The Gray Area:
7/12/23:
The Wall Street Journal described Christopher Wray's testimony before Congress today very well. “ The appearance was Wray’s first before the House Judiciary Committee since Republicans took control and the panel’s chairman, Jim Jordan (R., Ohio), launched an investigation of what he decried on Wednesday as the “weaponization of the government against the American people.” "The work the men and women of the FBI do to protect the American people goes way beyond the one or two investigations that seem to capture all the headlines,” Wray said. The hearing reflected an unusual political moment in which Republicans, who once supported the bureau as the party of law-and-order, are now among its harshest critics, while Democrats, historically more skeptical of law enforcement, have come to the FBI’s defense. Trump appointed Wray, a registered Republican, in 2017 after firing former Director James Comey. “The idea that I’m biased against conservatives seems somewhat insane to me considering my own personal background,” Wray said. Some of the Republicans’ main points:
  • Investigations of Trump
  • Hunter Biden’s Plea Deal
  • Surveillance
  • The FBI and Social Media
  • Discrimination Against Catholics
  • The Jan. 6, 2021, Attack on the U.S. Capitol
  • School Board Threats
All topics which are on point to the current criticism of the FBI. He should have done better.
  • There is clearly a 'weaponization of the government' in progress. It predates Wray, but it continues apparently unabated. Failing to identify where that exists just continues to cast doubt on the FBI and Christopher Wray.
  • Stating that he is a Republican so its insane he would target conservatives is a good point. However, if the actions of the FBI are not ideologically coming from him, then he is inept at correcting the problem or explaining it away, which may be worse than ideological extremism.
  • Wray answered the question about FBI targeting of Catholics well. But, he fell short by not describing how such a thing could happen in the first place!
  • On the school board question, he defended the FBI, but left hanging the DOJ involvement.  How can the FBI & DOJ be so inconsistent in their approach to the law?
  • Wray's inability to answer direct questions about J6 and Hunter Biden are major failures. He should have expected these questions and had an honest and concise answer for each. Especially if he is a conservative Republican. Instead of just defending the bureau, he could have given a good answer on at least one of the more recurring accusation of the FBI on that day. He did not. He should have wanted to clear things up and separate the FBI good from the FBI bad.
If a Republican administration comes to office in 2025, Wray will be gone. Even if Democrats retain the presidency, he will be gone. There is no way for Wray to retain his job, that assumes he wants to. He could have done himself, and the country, some good if he had been better prepared for what he had to know was coming. More From The Wall Street Journal (subscription required):


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