OPINION:
As the nation’s top law enforcement organization, the FBI boasts a motto composed of a trio of virtues: “Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity.”
Under its leadership in recent years, including that of current Director Christopher Wray, the agency has demonstrated an ethic describable in less laudable terms: denial and deflection.
Such a code of conduct dishonors the FBI’s storied history.
Mr. Wray’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday was a display of duplicity as Republican lawmakers called on him — fruitlessly — to account for his agency’s partisanship that, by all appearances, favors the Democratic Party and harbors bias against conservatives.
Among the top congressional concerns that placed the federal lawman before the committee and national news cameras was the FBI’s handling of its inquiry into the business dealings of President Biden’s son Hunter, which entwined with U.S. foreign policy ventures while his father was vice president.
Deceptively, the FBI in recent months initially denied the existence of a documented allegation from a whistleblower that the senior Biden accepted a $5 million bribe from a Ukrainian businessman.
The agency’s record of refusal to produce the document until Mr. Wray was threatened with contempt of Congress prompted Rep. Matt Gaetz, Florida Republican, to inquire of the director, “Are you protecting the Bidens?”
Mr. Wray’s response: “Absolutely not.” Perhaps he should have gone on to advise the lawmakers not to believe their lying eyes.
Evidence of FBI deception meant to stonewall a potentially historic case of political corruption itself has the look of partisan favoritism.
To be fair, politics is a team sport, and Americans have witnessed what appears to be an organized defense of the Biden family.
In a separate tax fraud case, former IRS investigator Gary Shapley has recently alleged that the FBI tipped off Hunter’s lawyers of plans to interview him and search a Biden property.
Further, Mr. Shapley has reportedly testified that witnesses heard U.S. Attorney David Weiss admit that Justice Department bosses were pulling the strings in the case against the president’s son.
Vehement denials notwithstanding, Hunter Biden is the recipient of a tentative, sweetheart deal — complete with a “get out of jail free” card — that few regular Americans could hope to cop.
Questioned by Rep. Darrell Issa, California Republican, over whether confidential FBI sources were present at the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, Mr. Wray simply deflected, answering, “I believe there is a filing in one of the January 6 cases that can provide a little more information about this.”
Almost anyne with a fair grasp of the English language and common sense would interpret his answer as yes. Americans look forward to full disclosure about the activities of bureau assets, including whether they were among sketchy characters provoking violence on that dark day.
“Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity” may describe the FBI as a whole, but not its leadership. By all appearances, the agency’s top brass have lost their way. Serving as a tool of the Democratic Party, they no longer seek justice on behalf of the people.
If Americans in 2024 award Republicans with an electoral majority, one measure would remedy Mr. Wray’s persistent practice of denial and deflection: defunding.
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