On Wednesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer will discuss an informant file that allegedly accuses President Biden of participating in a $5 million bribery scheme as vice president.
Comer (R-Kentucky) issued a subpoena for the document almost a month ago and set a final deadline of Tuesday for Wray before the committee takes action to hold him in contempt.
Biden Bribery Scheme Probe: Wray Agrees to Speak to Comer
The FBI has thus far refused to provide the file, citing concerns about informant confidentiality and the fact that reports are unverified. It is unclear what the phone call scheduling portends for Wray's compliance.
On May 3, Comer issued a subpoena for the informant file after a whistleblower contacted Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) about the document, which was said to have been "created or modified" on June 30, 2020.
The FBI stated last week that disclosing confidential source information could compromise investigations and place lives in danger. As always, the FBI remains committed to complying with congressional oversight requests regarding this and other matters.
In a call to Wray on May 19, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) attempted to mediate the dispute and stated afterward that he believed the FBI would comply. Comer and Grassley have not publicly discussed key aspects of the bribery allegation, such as which country or US policy decisions are implicated.
Congress has numerous tools to compel executive branch agencies to comply with subpoenas, such as litigation and funding withholding. In addition to contempt ballots, which are typically used to humiliate subjects, legislators may also impeach officials.
During and immediately after his tenure as vice president, Joe Biden interacted with his son Hunter Biden and his brother James Biden's associates from China, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine, according to files from Hunter's abandoned laptop, photographs, and witness accounts.
He even appeared to be slated for a 10 percent share of a 2017 energy transaction involving the Chinese government. Delaware US Attorney David Weiss is investigating Hunter Biden for tax fraud, money laundering, unlawful foreign lobbying, and lying about his drug use on a firearms purchase form.
Biden's Business Deals, Tax Records
Per NY Sun, nothing will likely result if Wray is found guilty of contempt of Congress. The Department of Justice is authorized to pursue criminal proceedings against such individuals following such resolutions.
Steve Bannon, the former chief strategist for President Trump, has been convicted of contempt for defying a subpoena. Grassley has previously investigated the nature of Hunter Biden's allegedly James Biden-related foreign business transactions.
In October 2022, Grassley's Senate office requested information regarding the Biden family's involvement with Chinese Communist Party-affiliated businesses. Grassley wrote at the time, "The Justice Department and FBI's persistent reticence on these matters is deafening and further undermines their credibility."
While serving as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Grassley conducted his own investigation into Hunter Biden, though it was not an official committee investigation. Prior to the 2020 presidential election, the office of Grassley sent a number of financial documents to the United States attorney for the District of Delaware, David Weiss, who is still investigating the younger Biden's business and tax records.
Comer informed Wray last week that he was also narrowing the scope of the document subpoena by providing two additional terms that may be referenced in the record: "June 30, 2020" and "five million."
Staff for Comer, who is overseeing the investigation into 'influence peddling' by the first family, met with bureau officials who refused to give over the file one week ago. The meeting occurred a day after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he spoke with Wray and believed Republicans would 'get this document' after their conversation.
A spokesperson for committee Democrats stated last week to DailyMail.com that Comer's claims are based on an "unsubstantiated report" and accused the chairman of using "political theater" to boost former President Donald Trump's primary poll numbers.
The White House has also responded, labeling the investigation led by Republicans "unfounded" and "politically motivated."
The FBI's latest obstruction comes after a second IRS whistleblower claimed he was dismissed from the Hunter Biden investigation after speaking out against the president's son receiving preferential treatment.
According to documents sent to congressional leaders and obtained by DailyMail.com, the unidentified case agent claims he was recently terminated without explanation after working on the Hunter Biden investigation since 2018.
This is the second whistleblower in recent days to come forward regarding this issue. According to the documents, he informed Congress last week about the retaliation he endured for acting as a whistleblower, alleging unjust retaliation.
He emailed senior IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel and several other officials on Thursday, claiming he was fired for raising concerns that the Department of Justice was 'acting inappropriately' in its management of the investigation into the president's son.
His complaint comes days after the Department of Justice disbanded the entire team investigating Hunter Biden's tax returns, according to lawyers representing Gary Shapley, the initial supervisory whistleblower. Shapley testified before the Republican-led Ways and Means Committee for six hours on Friday and answered all queries from both Republicans and Democrats.
Related Article: Joe Biden Criminal Bribery Claims: FBI Refuses To Share Documents That Will Prove Republicans' Accusations
