House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer just can’t help himself. He uses his authority to push politically motivated investigations with no regard for the facts. After spending the last week attacking law enforcement only to have his entire charade collapse around him, Comer has now chosen to blow some more hot air about what is in the FBI 1023 form he so desperately wanted to xerox. Except, yet again, he’s said the quiet part out loud – he has no idea if the new part of his wild goose chase is legitimate or not, he just wants to lie to Americans about it.
That’s nothing new, last week, Senator Chuck Grassley admitted that Republicans did not care if the allegations in the FBI form were true or not, they just wanted to publish them. This is just another troubling instance in an “investigation” full of innuendo and conspiracy theories. Rep. James Comer admitted this is all about politics, then tried to claim he never said that. He has presented no evidence for his allegations about President Biden. He apparently “lost” his informant. He admitted he had already seen the 1023 form but went after law enforcement anyway. He complained that the FBI would redact the form even though he had earlier told a reporter that would be fine. He admitted he could have just subpoenaed the person who gave the information to the FBI, but he wouldn’t. He does this even though three different news organizations have reported that the FBI found the allegations in the form to be not substantiated.
Comer’s investigation is collapsing around him because the facts will always come first.
Rep. James Comer Admitted That He Doesn’t Know If Alleged Recordings He And Senator Chuck Grassley Have Been Pushing Are Legitimate Or Not
REP. JAMES COMER ADMITTED HE DOESN’T KNOW IF RECORDINGS DESCRIBED IN AN FBI 1023 FORM ARE LEGITIMATE OR NOT
HEADLINE: “The GOP ‘Bribery’ Allegations Against Biden Remain Transparently Thin” [Washington Post, Philip Bump, 6/13/23]
Rep. James Comer On Recordings Described In An FBI 1023 Form: “We Don’t Know If They’re Legit Or Not.” “NEWSMAX HOST: “When will you be able to confirm if these recordings are legit? How long is that going to take?” REP. JAMES COMER: “Well I can confirm that the recordings were in the 1023. Remember, I was with Senator Grassley when we saw the unredacted version from…” NEWSMAX HOST: “Okay, because Grassley was saying ‘alleged’ yesterday, so these recordings are legit, you can confirm they are legitimate?” COMER: “I can confirm they were listed in the 1023 that the FBI redacted. We don’t know if they’re legit or not. We know that the foreign national claims he has them.” [Newsmax, Wake up America, 6/13/23] (video)
HEADLINE: “Inside The GOP’s Latest Desperate Attempt To Smear Joe Biden” [New Republic, 6/12/23]
SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY ADMITTED REPUBLICANS DID NOT CARE IF ACCUSATIONS IN THE FBI 1023 FORM WERE TRUE OR NOT, THEY JUST WANTED TO PUBLISH THEM
HEADLINE: “Republicans ‘Not Interested’ In Whether Biden Bribe Allegation Is True, Chuck Grassley Says” [Huffington Post, 6/1/23]
Senator Chuck Grassley: “We Aren’t Interested In Whether Or Not The Accusations Against Vice President Biden Are Accurate Or Not.” FOX NEWS’ BILL HEMMER: “Next topic, you talked to the FBI director Christopher Wray on the phone yesterday, right? And you’re trying to get a look at this document. From what I understand he says you’re okay to come to the Bureau and look at it. Is that the case and is that good enough for you?” SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY: “I have read that document, if he would read it, and it’s an unclassified document, he admits it exits. And we aren’t interested in whether or not the accusations against Vice President Biden are accurate or not. We’re responsible for making sure the FBI does it’s job and that’s what we want to know.” [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 6/1/23] (video)
- Senator Chuck Grassley Admitted He Did Not Know If The Accusations In The FBI Document Were Accurate Or Not And He Was Not Interested In Figuring That Out. FOX NEWS’ BILL HEMMER: “Senator, how damning is this document to the sitting U.S. president?” GRASSLEY: “Well, its, I don’t know that, and that what we need…” FOX NEWS’ BILL HEMMER: “But you’ve read it.” GRASSLEY: “I read it. Let’s put it this way. There’s accusations in it, but it’s not for me to make a judgment about whether these accusations are accurate or not. It’s up to my job to make sure the FBI’s doing their job.” [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 6/1/23] (video)
HEADLINE: “‘Political Stunts’ To Get ‘Booked On Fox’: White House Slams GOP Effort To Demand FBI Document On Biden” [The Hill, 6/1/23]
HEADLINE: “GOP Senator Admits Republicans Don’t Care If Accusations Against Joe Biden Are ‘Accurate’” [New Republic, 6/1/23]
HEADLINE: “Republican Says It Doesn’t Matter If Joe Biden Accusations Are ‘Accurate'” [Newsweek, 6/1/23]
HEADLINE: “Grassley Admits He Doesn’t Care If GOP Accusations Against ‘Vice President Biden’ Are ‘Accurate Or Not'” [AlterNet, 6/1/23]
The FBI And Prosecutors Who Previously Reviewed The FD-1023 Form Reportedly Found The Allegations In It Were “Not Substantiated”
CNN: “While The Document Contains The Allegations Made By An Unnamed Whistleblower, It Doesn’t Provide Proof That They Are True, People Briefed On The Matter Said. The FBI And Prosecutors Who Previously Reviewed The Information Couldn’t Corroborate The Claims.” “The FBI is scheduled to bring an internal law enforcement document that some Republicans claim will shed light on an allegation that then-Vice President Joe Biden was involved in a criminal scheme with a foreign national to Capitol Hill on Monday for House Oversight Chair James Comer and ranking Democratic member Rep. Jamie Raskin to review, spokespeople for the two lawmakers told CNN. While the document contains the allegations made by an unnamed whistleblower, it doesn’t provide proof that they are true, people briefed on the matter said. The FBI and prosecutors who previously reviewed the information couldn’t corroborate the claims. The top two members will receive a briefing from the FBI and review the FD-1023 form behind closed doors in a secure SCIF, a sensitive compartmented information facility at the Capitol rather than going to FBI headquarters, as the bureau had initially offered.” [CNN, 6/2/23]
A Senior Law Enforcement Official Said The Bribery Allegation In The FBI Document Rep. James Comer Sought “Wasn’t Substantiated.” “The FBI and Brady reviewed the allegation when it was made in 2020, as well as other information about Hunter Biden’s dealings in Ukraine, a senior law enforcement official said Friday. The bribery allegation, however, wasn’t substantiated, the official said.” [NBC News, 6/5/23]
Washington Post: “The Allegation In The Document Was Reviewed By The FBI At The Time And Was Found To Not Be Supported By Fact.” “According to people familiar with the investigation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to detail sensitive information, the allegation in the document came to the FBI through the Pittsburgh field office, where Barr had created a channel for allegations involving Ukraine. That included materials that Rudolph Giuliani — who was Trump’s personal attorney — had gathered from Ukrainian sources claiming to have damaging information about Biden and his family. The allegation in the document was reviewed by the FBI at the time and was found to not be supported by fact. The investigation was dropped with the Trump Justice Department’s sign-off, according to the people familiar with the investigation.” [Washington Post, 6/7/23]
This Is Another Piece Of A Troubling Pattern From Rep. James Comer
JAMES COMER ADMITTED HIS INVESTIGATION IS ALL ABOUT POLITICS…
HEADLINE: “House GOP Chairman Links His Investigation To Biden’s Poll Numbers” [Washington Post, 5/22/23]
- James Comer Suggested That His Investigations Were Responsible For Former President Trump Being Ahead Of President Biden In Some Polls. FOX NEWS ANCHOR: “So do you think that because of your investigation, that is what’s moved this needle with the media?” REP. JAMES COMER: “Absolutely. Absolutely. There’s no question. You look at the polling, and right now Donald Trump is seven points ahead of Joe Biden and trending upward; Joe Biden’s trending downward. And I believe that the media is looking around, scratching their head, and they’re realizing the American people are keeping up with our investigation.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends First, 5/22/23] (video)
HEADLINE: “GOP Rep. James Comer Implies Biden Family Probe Is Really About Helping Trump In 2024” [Huffington Post, 5/23/23]
HEADLINE: “”Look At The Polling”: James Comer Brags That GOP’s Biden Crusade Is Boosting Trump’s Numbers” [Salon, 5/22/23]
HEADLINE: “White House Memo Says GOP Was Caught ‘Telling The Truth’ On Motive For Hunter Biden Probe” [NBC News, 5/24/23]
HEADLINE: “House Oversight Chair Links Biden Investigation To Trump Polling, Drawing Outrage From Top Democrat” [TIME Magazine, 5/22/23]
HEADLINE: “GOP’s Comer Says A Bit Too Much About The Point Of Anti-Biden Probe” [MSNBC, 5/23/23]
…THEN HE LIED AND CLAIMED HE’D NEVER SAID HIS INVESTIGATION WAS ABOUT HURTING PRESIDENT BIDEN POLITICALLY
HEADLINE: “James Comer Now Falsely Claims He Didn’t Link Biden Probe To Trump Poll Numbers” [Daily Beast, 5/24/23]
- James Comer Claimed When He Said His Investigations Were Being Reflected In Polling It Had Nothing To Do With Donald Trump. REP. JAMES COMER: “So he’s not credible in this investigation, he’s just an unnecessary obstacle along the way. Look, when I was referencing poll numbers, it had nothing to do with Donald Trump. It had to do with the fact that the American people overwhelmingly believe that public corruption is a problem, and they’re concerned about how Joe Biden’s family got this money from foreign nationals, that’s what I was referencing in the polling, the polling shows the American people are keeping up with our investigation, it has nothing to do with Donald Trump.” [Fox Business, The Bottom Line, 5/23/23] (video)
JAMES COMER HAS PRESENTED NO EVIDENCE FOR HIS ALLEGATIONS ABOUT PRESIDENT BIDEN
HEADLINE: “Republicans Offer No Evidence Of Crimes At Press Conference On Alleged ‘Biden Family Corruption’” [The Independent, 5/11/23]
HEADLINE: “Comer Investigation Of Biden Relatives Swings And Misses On Allegations Of Influence Peddling” [TIME Magazine, 5/10/23]
HEADLINE: “Republicans Finally Admit They Have No Incriminating Evidence On Joe Biden “ [New Republic, 5/10/23]
HEADLINE: “Comer Releases Biden Family Probe Update Without Showing Link To President” [Politico, 5/10/23]
HEADLINE: “House GOP Digs In On Biden Family Dealings Without Directly Connecting President” [The Hill, 5/10/23]
HEADLINE: “House Republican Report Finds No Evidence Of Wrongdoing By President Biden” [New York Times, 5/10/23]
HEADLINE: “Facing ‘Make-Or-Break Moment,’ GOP’s Comer Fails Spectacularly “ [MSNBC, Maddow Blog, 5/11/23]
CNN: “But The Latest [GOP] Report Does Not Show Any Payments Made Directly To Joe Biden, Either As Vice President Or After Leaving Office.” [CNN, 5/10/23]
NBC News: “Comer Did Not Provide Examples Of Any Specific Policy Decisions That Were Influenced.” “Asked whether the committee will be able to prove that Biden was directly involved in his son’s business dealings and that policy changes were influenced by it, Comer did not provide examples of any specific policy decisions that were influenced.” [NBC News, 5/10/23]
Axios: “The Memo Presented Wednesday By House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) Included No Evidence That President Biden Acted Improperly Or Took Any Official Action Because Of His Family’s Business Affairs.” [Axios, 5/10/23]
HEADLINE: “‘You Don’t Actually Have Any Facts’: Even Fox Isn’t Buying Gop’s Claims About Biden’s Foreign Business Dealings” [Rolling Stone, 5/11/23]
NewsNation: “However, The Committee Has Not Uncovered Any Evidence That Directly Linked The President To Any Foreign Business Dealings.” [NewsNation, 5/10/23]
Politics USA: “Comer Has No Actual Evidence That President Biden Did Anything Wrong. There Is No Evidence That Biden Solicited Funds From Foreign Countries In Exchange For Policy Influence. House Republicans Are Making It Up As They Go Along.” [Politics USA, 5/10/23]
- Politics USA: “James Comer Is Abusing His Power As The Chair Of The House Oversight Committee, And He Is Wasting Taxpayer Money On These Investigations.” “James Comer is abusing his power as the chair of the House Oversight Committee, and he is wasting taxpayer money on these investigations. It is embarrassing for the country that House Republicans are trying to pass off conservative media conspiracy theories and legitimate congressional investigations.” [Politics USA, 5/10/23]
THEN HE APPARENTLY “LOST” A KEY INFORMANT IN HIS INVESTIGATION
HEADLINE: “Bipartisan Group Calls For Investigation Into Comer’s Remarks About Missing Whistleblower” [The Hill, 5/16/23]
- James Comer Claimed That He Could Not Track Down His Informant In His Investigation And That His Investigation Informants Were Either In Court, In Jail Or “Currently Missing.” MARIA BARTIROMO: “You have spoken with whistleblowers, you also spoke with an informant who gave you all of this information. Where is that informant today? Where are these whistleblowers?” REP. JAMES COMER: “Well, unfortunately we can’t track down the informant, we’re hopeful that the informant is still there.” […] BARTIROMO: “Hold on a second Congressman, did you just say that the whistleblower or the informant is now missing?” COMER: “Well, we’re hopeful we can find the informant. Now remember these informants are kind of in the spy business so they don’t make a habit of being seen a lot or being high profile or anything like that. […] Nine of the ten people that we’ve identified that have very good knowledge with respect to the Bidens, they’re one of three things, Maria. They’re either currently in court, they’re currently in jail or they’re currently missing.” [Fox News, Sunday Morning Futures, 5/14/23] (video)
HEADLINE: “James Comer Links ‘Missing’ Biden Informant To ‘Spy Business’ In Wild Claim” [Huffington Post, 5/15/23]
HEADLINE: “GOP Oversight Chair Says He’s Lost Track Of His Biden Corruption Informant” [Daily Beast, 5/15/23]
HEADLINE: “Oops, Rep. James Comer Seems To Have Misplaced His Biden ‘Informant'” [Esquire, 5/15/23]
HEADLINE: “Rep. James Comer Is Looking For Anti-Biden Evidence. Also, His Informant.” [Washington Post, Philip Bump, 5/15/23]
HEADLINE: “Scarborough Mocks GOP Lawmaker Over ‘Missing’ Biden Informant” [The Hill, 5/15/23]
HEADLINE: “Rep. James Comer Says He ‘Can’t Track Down’ Top Informant In Biden Family Probe” [Washington Times, 5/14/23]
HEADLINE: “James Comer Mocked During Hearing For Losing Biden Whistleblower” [Newsweek, 5/16/23]
HEADLINE: “James Comer Mocked After Claiming Informant His “Entire Charade Was Built On” Is “Missing”” [Salon, 5/15/23]
HEADLINE: “GOP Has Unrealistically High Hopes About ‘Informant’ They Can’t Find” [MSNBC, 5/16/23]
JAMES COMER ADMITTED HE HAD ALREADY SEEN THE FORM HE WAS REQUESTING FROM THE FBI AND KNEW WHAT WAS IN IT, BUT HE WAS GOING TO ATTACK THE FBI ANYWAY
Rep. James Comer Said He And Chuck Grassley Already Knew What Was In The FD 1023 Form They Requested From The FBI And Had Already Seen It. REP. JAMES COMER: “Well, to answer that question, Sean, he offered us the opportunity to come look at it in a private SCIF, but he was going to redact it. My experience with getting documents from the FBI when they’re redacted, there’s very — it’s all black lines, they don’t show anything. But I’m going to say on this show what we told Director Wray, what Senator Grassley told Director Wray. He and I have already seen 1023 form. We knew what was in the 1023 form. Until we told Director Wray that, he never even admitted that the form existed. So the level of confidence that we have with Director Wray only went down. It only declined throughout the conversation. So we will go there and look at the redacted document, but we know what’s in the document.” [Fox News, Hannity, 5/31/23] (video)
- Washington Post’s Philip Bump: “But Comer And Grassley Have Been Aware Of Its Contents For A Month, And All They Appear To Have Done Is Pester The FBI About It.” “But Comer and Grassley have been aware of its contents for a month, and all they appear to have done is pester the FBI about it. Remember, Comer held a news conference in early May during which he alleged that foreign money had at times moved between members of Biden’s family. That was the product of months of investigations based on financial documents the Oversight Committee had retained. There was no evidence presented of a $5 million payment to then-Vice President Joe Biden or his intermediaries. Perhaps the bank records were too narrow. Or perhaps there was no such payment.” [Washington Post, Philip Bump, 6/1/23]
- Washington Post’s Philip Bump: “Instead, They Spent A Month Hammering The FBI In Keeping With The Political Right’s (And Donald Trump’s) Interest In Casting The Bureau As A Political Opponent.” “The letter from Comer and Grassley came out May 5, by which point they’d presumably seen the document. At the very least, they knew what the accusation was. Since then, though, there’s no evidence that they did anything to investigate it. Instead, they spent a month hammering the FBI in keeping with the political right’s (and Donald Trump’s) interest in casting the bureau as a political opponent.” [Washington Post, Philip Bump, 6/1/23]
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Confirmed The Committee Knew Exactly What Was On The FD-1023 Form, But Would Hold FBI Director Wray In Contempt Of Congress Anyway
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Said It Was “Guaranteed” House Republicans Would Hold FBI Director Wray In Contempt Of Congress Even Though She Said The Committee Knows Exactly What Is On The Document. “Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said Thursday it is ‘guaranteed’ Congress will be holding FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt for not providing the House Oversight Committee with a document allegedly related to President Joe Biden. In a phone interview with the Daily Caller, Greene said Wray ‘does not know what else we [the House Oversight Committee] know and we know more than we’ve already told.’ While Greene would not provide specifics on what else the committee knows, she did say they know exactly what is on the document and that they have a whistleblower. The document in question is an FBI-generated FD-1023 form that allegedly shows an arrangement exchanging money for policy decisions.” [Daily Caller, 6/1/23]
JAMES COMER COMPLAINED THAT THE FBI WOULD REDACT THE FORM WHEN VIEWING IT IN PERSON, EVEN THOUGH HE EARLIER TOLD A REPORTER THAT WOULD BE FINE
Rep. James Comer Complained About The FBI Potentially Redacting The Form He Was Seeking After The FBI Offered To Let Him View It In Private In A Secure Room. REP. JAMES COMER: “Well, to answer that question, Sean, he offered us the opportunity to come look at it in a private SCIF, but he was going to redact it. My experience with getting documents from the FBI when they’re redacted, there’s very — it’s all black lines, they don’t show anything.” [Fox News, Hannity, 5/31/23] (video)
Huffington Post’s Arthur Delaney Said Rep. James Comer Told Him The FBI Could Hand Over The FD-1023 Form, “All They Have To Do Is Redact The Source’s Name.” Huffington Post Reporter Arthur Delaney tweeted: “Comer said FBI director Wray offered Republicans the chance to look at the FD-1023 form, ‘but he was gonna redact it.’ Told me the other day the FBI could hand it over and ‘all they have to do is redact the source’s name.’” [Twitter, Arthur Delaney, 5/31/23]
JAMES COMER SAID HE COULD SUBPOENA THE PERSON WHO GAVE THE INFORMATION TO THE FBI, BUT HE WOULDN’T
Rep. James Comer Said They Could Subpoena The Person Who Submitting The Information In To The FBI In The 1023 Form, But He Wouldn’t. FOX NEWS’ AINSLEY EARHARDT: “Why is that form 1023 so pertinent, so important to this investigation? Could you just subpoena the person who have that information to you?” COMER: “Well we’ve subpoenaed the FBI who’s in possession of the 1023 form and that’s as good…” FOX NEWS’ AINSLEY EARHARDT: “Can’t you find the person who gave the FBI that information and talk to them, find out what’s on that sheet of paper?” COMER: “Well we could, but what the FBI is saying is they don’t want to jeopardize their human informant so, you know, we know a lot more about this than what I’m going to disclose right now. The FBI needs to comply with our request.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 5/31/23] (video)
- Washington Post’s Philip Bump: “Skeptical Viewers Might Also Have Wondered Something Else: If You Already Know What The Allegation Is, Why Don’t You Just Investigate The Allegation?” “We should note quickly that Comer didn’t say what Wray planned to redact. So when he told Hannity that he, too, would redact part of the document — the source’s name — skeptical viewers might have wondered if that was all Wray similarly intended. Skeptical viewers might also have wondered something else: If you already know what the allegation is, why don’t you just investigate the allegation? ” [Washington Post, Philip Bump, 6/1/23]