OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The FBI denied accusations from Republicans that it has purged conservative employees from its ranks under President Joe Biden’s administration.
Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, who is poised to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee when Republicans take control of the chamber on Jan. 3, sent several letters to the FBI alleging the agency removed critics of Biden and his administration from their posts. Jill Tyson, the FBI’s assistant director of its Office of Congressional Affairs, responded to Jordan’s accusations with a letter of her own.
“The FBI has strong procedures in place to promote accountability when an FBI employee strays from their obligations — including employee actions that create the appearance of political, social, or other bias. The FBI takes all allegations of misconduct very seriously, and that includes taking seriously our responsibility to FBI employees who make protected disclosures under the whistleblower regulations,” she wrote in the letter.
“It is important to emphasize that allegations against one or a very small number of employees do not reflect a widespread political bias or a lack of objectivity by the FBI’s 38,000 employees who perform their jobs objectively, rigorously, and with professionalism,” she wrote. “Nor do such allegations fairly call into question the FBI’s motivations and actions to fulfill its mission, which reflects the collective judgment and effort of our workforce.”
Jordan has requested that Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and other high-ranking Biden administration officials voluntarily testify before the committee.
“Under Jordan, the committee is set to continue an investigation into the Biden administration’s ‘misuse of federal criminal and counterterrorism resources to target concerned parents at school board meetings’ after Jordan said whistleblowers shared information that the White House ‘colluded with the National School Boards Association to manufacture a pretext for the use of federal law enforcement authorities against parents,'” Fox News reported.
“The FBI is not immune from transparency or above accountability for its actions,” Jordan told Wray in a letter last month. “Committee Republicans intend to continue to examine the politicization and bias at the FBI, including into the 118th Congress if necessary.”
Last week, Jordan argued that he believes there’s been a seismic shift regarding the ongoing federal investigation of President Biden’s son Hunter Biden.
In an interview on Fox News with host Sean Hannity, the Ohio Republican suggested “something is up” with the probe because of a new interest in the story by many of the same media outlets that initially dismissed reports of corruption evidence stemming from materials and emails obtained from a laptop he reportedly abandoned at a computer repair store in Delaware in 2019.
“Well, what happened to that is you had 51 intelligence officers sign a letter saying that this Hunter Biden story was Russian misinformation when it wasn’t, and that changed — I think anyone can make a credible argument that that altered the outcome of the election and we no longer have Donald Trump in the White House because he was doing that, he was pushing back on China for the first time. And now, we have Joe Biden there and it’s exactly the opposite direction,” Jodan said.
“So that’s what happened. That’s why this is all connected because the influence of big media, big tech, and big government in impacting our election — I think we said this last week, Sean. My colleagues had this in the committee a few weeks ago, Matt Gaetz. He said, when will the FBI stay out of elections and let us, the people, decide? In 2016, they went after Trump’s campaign, 2018, it was a Mueller investigation, 2020, they suppressed the Hunter Biden story, 2022, 91 days before the midterm election, they raid his home, and now, just two weeks ago, three days after he announces for the 2024 race, they name a special counsel and it’s not just anybody, it’s Jack Smith and the record that he has of weaponizing the government to go after the people,” Jordan continued.
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“It sure looks like Joe Biden was involved,” Jordan added. “So, my, how this story has changed. And now, we find out these text messages and emails that link the entire family, not just Hunter and Joe and — but also uncle, the — Joe’s brother, James Biden, is involved in this as well.”
“I do think it’s political. I think the evidence is there. We’ve had as you know multiple whistleblowers, dozens of whistleblowers come to us and Senator Grassley, they’re willing to do that because I think they trust us and they know how bad it is. We’re going to get the facts out there. That’s all we can do. But that’s the first step. You have to expose it if you’re going to stop it. We’re committed to doing that,” he concluded.
