I wrote earlier in August about how FBI Director Christopher Wray said he couldn’t stay 21 more minutes to answer more questions from the Republican members on the Senate Judiciary Committee because he had a plane to catch. As I noted at the time, Sen. Chuck Grassley busted him on that by noting that Wray had his private plane, so it wasn’t like he was rushing to catch a flight anywhere and would miss it. Wray wanted it to be over because Republicans were asking big questions about the politicization. Wray was likely trying to avoid any further questions.
But as it turned out, not only was he taking a private plane, he wasn’t going to work, he was leaving to go to his vacation home in the Adirondacks in Saranac Lake, New York. He was really just trying to blow them off, and giving them the finger. This plane was designed for counterintelligence operations.
Here’s Wray answering “yes” to Grassley when Grassley says he assumes he has other “business” when he was going to his vacation home.
Christopher Wray from the FBI, After He Was Forced to Leave early at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Today
Senator Grassley: I assume that you have other business?
Director Wray: “Yeh.” pic.twitter.com/luPDQpmbrQ
— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) August 4, 2022
He seems to have also misled Grassley by not just flipping them the bird but also by doing so. I’m thinking that Grassley can’t be very happy about this and is likely to be having a word or two to say to Wray.
The House GOP now has Wray under investigation for his taxpayer-funded flight to visit his holiday home. House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik of New York, James Comer from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform (R–KY), and Mike Turner, a ranking member on House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (R–OH) have sent a letter to Wray demanding answers.
A recent New York Post report reveals that you flew on an FBI airplane for your private vacation and left the Senate hearing before it was finished. We have concerns about how federal taxpayers are being reimbursed for this personal trip aboard government aircraft.
According to The Post, you abruptly left the Senate Judiciary Committee oversight meeting on August 4, 2022 in order to go to Saranac Lake in New York for personal travel. Despite being asked by Ranking Member Grassley to leave the hearing, you declined to stay for 21 more minutes so that the remaining members could finish their questions and oversee the FBI. You reportedly departed on the FBI’s Gulfstream 550 jet, an agency aircraft initially intended for counterterrorism use, to make the one hour and 12-minute journey to Saranac Lake. It has also been reported that your personal flight was on the same government plane on June 2, 2022 and June 5, 2022.
The lawmakers acknowledged that certain FBI agents have used government planes for their personal purposes in the past. However, they reimbursed taxpayers at the normal rate.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance states that a government plane is only authorized for “official purposes” and may only be authorized outside official travel when no commercial air is available or would cost more.
The lawmakers are asking to receive documents related to Wray’s government aircraft travel and an accounting of the cost to taxpayers no later than Aug. 29.
According to the GAO, Wray would be required to make reimbursement payments for personal travel to the FBI’s Finance Division, and then transfer funds to the Treasury Department.
Wray must answer the questions, and not only on this issue but also on how the FBI was politicized in general. Cleaning house will be the first priority when the GOP regains Congress.
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