Sen. Grassley hammers FBI Director Wray for refusing to make Biden document public: This is 'not good enough'

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Sen. Chuck Grassley rips FBI handling of Biden document: 'Not good enough'

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley explains his support for the debt bill and criticizes FBI Director Christopher Wray for failing to hand over a document related to the Biden investigation.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, scolded the FBI Thursday for not producing a document allegedly tying then-Vice President Biden to a criminal scheme, as lawmakers weigh holding Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress.

Grassley, who said he has read the document at the center of the subpoena battle, said the agency's offer for the document to be read at FBI headquarters is "not good enough" during "America's Newsroom."

"I'm not going to characterize it. We're going to make it public… when they get it delivered to us," Grassley told Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer Thursday. "But if he would read it, he would know that all the excuses that he's giving us, that he wants to protect sources, and that's important to protect sources, but that's not an issue with this document, the way I read it. And he ought to come forth."

REPUBLICANS TO HOLD FBI DIRECTOR WRAY IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS OVER BIDEN DOCUMENT

"They've got to produce this document," he continued. "They're up against what the Durham report has said about the shortcomings and the political bias of the FBI, and this is just one more example of them not being forthcoming to the public because the public's business ought to be public, and there's no reason for a non-classified document to be held in secret."

Wray could be found in contempt of Congress for refusing to hand over the document to lawmakers, despite offering an alternative to physically releasing it. 

FBI Director Christopher Wray, joined by Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns, testifies during the House Select Committee on Intelligence annual open hearing on worldwide threats at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, March 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., had subpoenaed the document and set a May 30 deadline for Wray to physically turn it over to the committee.

Instead, the FBI offered assurances that lawmakers could access the information in a secure setting at the agency's headquarters during a call between Grassley and Wray on Wednesday. 

"During today’s call, Director Wray offered to provide the Committee’s Chairman and Ranking Member an opportunity to review information responsive to the subpoena in a secure manner to accommodate the committee, while protecting the confidentiality and safety of sources and important investigative sensitives," the FBI said in a statement. 

"The FBI has continually demonstrated its commitment to working with the Committee to accommodate its request, from scheduling briefings and calls to now allowing the Chair to review information in person. The FBI remains committed to cooperating with the Committee in good faith."

COMER THREATENS TO HOLD FBI IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS IF IT FAILS TO RELEASE KEY BIDEN DOCUMENT

Hemmer pressed Grassley on the contents of the document, but the Iowa senator was quick to note he was unsure just how "damning" the information could be to the Biden family. 

"How damning is this document to the sitting U.S. president?" Hemmer asked. 

"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," Grassley said. "It's up to my job to make sure the FBI is doing their job, and that's what this is all about, as far as I'm concerned. The public's business ought to be public."

The Senate Judiciary Committee member said Wray's refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena is "unconstitutional." 

The document in question is an FBI-generated FD-1023 form that allegedly describes a $5 million criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions.

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Fox News' Brooke Singman and David Spunt contributed to this report. 

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