James Comer, Republican Chair of the House Oversight Committee, introduced a resolution on Wednesday calling for the impeachment of FBI Director Christopher Wray. The move stems from Wray’s alleged failure to comply with a subpoena for an informant file, known as an FD-1023, concerning an alleged $5 million bribery scheme linked to then-Vice President Joe Biden.
Comer claims the FBI initially denied the existence of the document, later acknowledging it but refusing to provide it to the Committee. The FBI did, however, allow Comer and Democratic Ranking Member Jamie Raskin to review a partially redacted version in a secure setting. Comer argued that this access was insufficient, reiterating his demand for the full, unclassified version to be handed over to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
Former Attorney General Bill Barr also weighed in, refuting Democratic claims that the investigation was “terminated.” Barr clarified that U.S. Attorney David Weiss had referred the matter to Delaware for further investigation, signaling that the inquiry was still active.
According to two sources familiar with the situation, the FBI has now offered to let the entire committee view the informant document in a secure location. It remains unclear if this offer will satisfy Comer’s demands or prevent a contempt charge against Wray.
In a statement, Comer accused the White House, Democrats, and the FBI of attempting to convince the American public that the case was closed. He emphasized that the FBI’s informant had a credible history of working with the agency for more than a decade and had been paid six figures for their contributions. The informant, Comer stated, had directly communicated with a foreign national who allegedly admitted to bribing then-Vice President Biden.
The resolution marks a significant escalation in the standoff between House Republicans and the FBI. If contempt proceedings are initiated, it could spark a broader constitutional battle over the powers of congressional oversight versus executive privilege.
