Rep. Doug Collins, Georgia Republican, wrote a terse letter telling FBI Director Christopher A. Wray to resign Wednesday over developments some Democrats have rejected as Russian disinformation.
Mr. Collins told Mr. Wray he has proven to “unwilling or unable to bring accountability to the upper echelon of the FBI” and should accordingly “do the right thing for this country and resign.”
The congressman cited details that emerged the day before due to Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, releasing newly declassified information he received from the administration.
Mr. Graham published a letter Tuesday he received from John Ratcliffe, a former Republican congressman serving as President Trump’s director of national intelligence since earlier this year.
In the letter, Mr. Ratcliffe revealed U.S. intelligence agencies “obtained insight into Russian intelligence analysis” involving the 2016 race White House race ultimately won by President Trump.
Russian hackers stole and leaked data taken from Democratic targets during the 2016 race as part of a state-sponsored operation to help Mr. Trump, the U.S. intelligence community has long assessed.
Mr. Ratcliffe told Mr. Graham the Russian intelligence alleged that Hillary Clinton, Mr. Trump’s rival in the race, might have approved a plan to “stir up a scandal” by tying Mr. Trump to the hacks.
Democrats on both the House and Senate Intelligence Committee subsequently condemned Mr. Ratcliffe and Mr. Graham for releasing information both Republicans acknowledged was unverified and might be bogus.
Mr. Collins said the newly declassified intelligence shows the FBI was aware of these allegations but failed to act on them under Mr. Wray’s leadership after he became its director in August 2017.
The FBI declined to comment with respect to Mr. Collins urging Mr. Wray to resign.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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