During Wednesday’s still-ongoing and highly-contentious House Judiciary Committee hearing on FBI oversight, U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) grilled Director Chris Wray after Republicans claimed there is a “two-tiered” system of justice.
“Republicans accused Wray of undermining public trust in the law enforcement agency, including the handling of the investigations into former President Donald Trump and the son of President Joe Biden, Hunter Biden,” CNN reports.
“Are you protecting the Bidens?” Rep. Matt Gaetz asked the FBI Director at one point, “after pressing Wray over allegations from an IRS whistleblower related to the Hunter Biden investigation.”
“Absolutely not,” Wray said. “The FBI does not, has no interest in protecting anyone politically.”
The New Republic notes Congressman Lieu “thoroughly debunked the Republican talking point that the FBI has been weaponized against them.”
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“Now, Director Wray,” Lieu said, “thank you for your public service and for the service of the brave FBI agents. I’m going to ask you a series of basic questions to get facts out to American people about our system of justice.”
LIEU: “Trump adviser Roger Stone was convicted in a federal court, correct?”
WRAY: “That’s my recollection.”
LIEU: “Trump donor Elliott Broidy was convicted in a federal court, correct?”
WRAY: “Also my recollection.”
LIEU: “The attorney general at the time for those two convictions was Bill Barr. Which President nominated Barr for attorney general?”
WRAY: “President Trump.”
LIEU: “Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen was convicted on two separate occasions in a federal court, correct?”
WRAY: “I believe that’s correct.”
LIEU: “The attorney general at the time for Cohen’s second conviction was Matthew Whitaker. Which President appointed Matthew Whitaker as acting Attorney General?”
WRAY: “President Trump.”
LIEU: “Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was convicted in federal court, correct?”
WRAY: “Yes.”
LIEU: “Trump’s former deputy campaign manager, Mr. Gates, was convicted in a federal court, correct?”
WRAY: “That’s my recollection.”
LIEU: “Trump’s campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos was convicted in a federal court, correct?”
WRAY: “Yes. He pled guilty.”
LIEU: “The attorney general during the time of those three cases was Jeff Sessions. Which president nominated Jeff Sessions for attorney general?”
WRAY: “President Trump.”
LIEU: “You were the FBI director for all of those cases at the time. Which President nominated you?”
WRAY: “President Trump.”
LIEU: “What these facts show is we don’t have a two-tiered system of justice. We have one Department Of Justice that goes after criminals regardless of party ideology. All of these folks were convicted under the administration’s of three separate Republican attorneys general. It is not the fault of FBI that Donald Trump surrounded himself with criminals. Donald Trump brought that upon himself. Thank you to the FBI for exposing the cesspool of corruption of these Trump associates.”
Watch below or at this link.