FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday would not confirm the presence of confidential human sources at the Capitol riot when he testified before the House Judiciary Committee.
Rep. Darrell Issa asked if there were one or more individuals who could be described as confidential human sources, otherwise known as informants, at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Mr. Wray said: “So I really need to be careful here talking about where we have or have not used confidential human sources.”
He added: “I believe there is a filing in one of the January 6 cases that can provide a little more information about this. And I’m happy to see if we can follow back up.”
Mr. Issa responded, “I just want you to answer was there one or more? I mean, you wouldn’t you know if there was at least one individual who worked for the FBI who went to the Capitol on that day?”
Mr. Wray said he could get the committee the court filing.
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The FBI director insisted that nobody associated with the bureau instigated any of the violence that happened when a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol and disrupted Congress’ certification of President Biden’s election win.
“I will say this notion that somehow the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6 was part of some operation orchestrated by FBI sources and agents is ludicrous and is a disservice to our brave, hardworking, dedicated men and women,” Mr. Wray said.
Mr. Issa, California Republican, continued to press Mr. Wray on the presence of informants in the mob.
“I asked you simply if there one or more [informants], you won’t answer that,” he said. “So I’m going to make the assumption that there was more … than ten and that you’re ducking the question because you don’t want to answer for the fact that you had at least one. And somehow [you] missed understanding that some of the individuals were very dangerous and that there were others inciting individuals to enter the capital after others broke windows.”
The Washington Times exclusively reported Wednesday that an FBI whistleblower disclosure sent to the Judiciary Committee revealed that Deputy Director Paul Abbate told subordinates that at least 25 informants were at the Jan. 6 capitol riot but were too problematic or embarrassing for the FBI to have their existence public.
George Hill, a whistleblower from the FBI’s Boston field office, testified in May before the Judiciary’s Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government that agents in Washington refused to share hours of video from the Capitol riot because there “may be” undercover officers or confidential human sources on the footage whose identities could be compromised.
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• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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