- The Washington Times - Friday, May 8, 2020

An association of retired and active FBI agents on Friday offered support for embattled FBI Director Christopher Wray, who has come under fire for his agency’s handling of the Michael Flynn investigation.

Mr. Wray was not at the FBI when it investigated Flynn, President Trump’s first national security adviser, but he has taken heat from the president and his allies in Congress for what they say is a lack of action since the damning allegations became public.

The president turned up the heat on Mr. Wray Friday in a Fox News interview, saying “the jury is still out” on the FBI director.

But the FBI Agents Association, which represents 14,000 active and retired agents, said the criticism is out of bounds.

“Director Wray assumed office nearly three years ago during a particularly challenging time at the Bureau - and continues to lead through unprecedented challenges with a steady hand,” the organization said in a statement.

“Under Director Wray, the FBI kept working through Congressional investigations. We kept working through a government shutdown. We kept working through media scrutiny and social media attacks. We kept working and we thwarted numerous domestic and foreign terrorist plots, stopped illegal foreign technology transfers and boosted efforts to strengthen the bureau’s cybersecurity capabilities,” the statement continued.

The FBI Agents Association did not specifically address the Flynn case or Republicans’ criticism of Mr. Wray.

On Monday two top Republicans sent Mr. Wray a letter demanding an investigation into the bureau’s handling of the case against Flynn.

Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Mike Johnson of Louisiana, assailed Mr. Wray in a blistering letter accusing the FBI of ignoring protocol and digging up “obscure” crimes in the Flynn case.

The lawmakers also said they were “troubled” that the FBI’s wrongdoing in the Flynn case was disclosed through court filings and not released by the bureau.

“It is well past time that you show the leadership necessary to bring the FBI past the abuses of the Obama-Biden era,” they wrote, adding the FBI’s “wrongdoing is worse than previously known.”

Court documents released last week suggested that anti-Trump former FBI agent Peter Strzok and others in FBI leadership stopped the bureau from closing the Flynn investigation after the bureau had uncovered “no derogatory information.”

A separate court document revealed that the FBI officials questioned whether the purpose of the Flynn meeting was to get him to lie so he could be prosecuted or fired.

But the FBI Agents Association said Mr. Wray is making decisions to help the bureau achieve its mission.

“Director Wray has made it clear that he wants to hear from Special Agents in the field, as well as from others in and outside the Bureau. This has allowed him to make informed decisions and make the changes needed to ensure that the FBI is best positioned to deal with threats to the American people,” they said.

• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.

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