Following recent confirmation by former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Director Andrew McCabe that the agency opened a counterintelligence investigation against the President of the United States, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri sent a second letter to FBI Director Chris Wray demanding more answers regarding the agency’s tactics.
Senator Hawley is the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, which has oversight over the FBI.
Today’s letter follows a January inquiry from Senator Hawley to Director Wray about a New York Times report that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation against President Trump. Senator Hawley was recently named Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, which oversees the FBI.
In his letter, Senator Hawley explains that he is “disturbed” by accounts of “blatant political bias within the FBI” and by the fact that Mr. McCabe had “actively explored ways to force the President from office” due to “on disagreements over the President’s foreign policy positions and removal of agency officials.”
Senator Hawley writes that “It is critical that the American people be able to trust the FBI. Following Mr. McCabe’s latest comments, prompt answers from the FBI are necessary to quell concerns that this agency—at its highest levels—has become infected with political bias.”
He submitted a list of new questions, in addition to those from his January letter, with a deadline of March 6, 2019.
View the first letter here.
View the follow up letter here.
Full text of the letter can be found below.
February 20, 2019
The Honorable Christopher A. Wray
Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20535
Dear Director Wray:
Last month, I asked you to respond to questions regarding the FBI’s role in opening a counterintelligence investigation against the President that, according to media reports, was based largely on disagreements over the President’s foreign policy positions and removal of agency officials. You have not answered those questions. Since that time, more disturbing information has come to light.
Former Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe has recently confirmed publicly that he ordered the FBI to open a counterintelligence investigation against the President. He has also admitted that he had conversations with other officials about forcibly removing the President from office.
As Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, which maintains oversight of your agency, I am disturbed by these accounts of blatant political bias within the FBI. Mr. McCabe launched an investigation to gather information that he intended to block the President from accessing and actively explored ways to force the President from office. These actions directly threaten the constitutional structure of the executive branch and place the political accountability of executive branch agencies in serious question.
It is critical that the American people be able to trust the FBI. Following Mr. McCabe’s latest comments, prompt answers from the FBI are necessary to quell concerns that this agency—at its highest levels—has become infected with political bias.
By March 6, 2019, please provide my office with responses to the questions in my initial letter, dated January 17, 2019. Please also answer the following:
- Besides this investigation, has the FBI ever opened a counterintelligence investigation with the intent that the information not be made available to the President?
- Who within the FBI objected to the decision to open a counterintelligence investigation with the intent of hiding the information from the President?
- With whom did Mr. McCabe or others speak about attempts to forcibly remove the President from office under the 25th Amendment or through any other means?
- What were the reasons the FBI identified for opening a counterintelligence investigation against the President?
I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Josh Hawley
U.S. Senator