U.S. Rep. Barry Moore told the director of the FBI that he is partially to blame for hurting the agency’s reputation.
Moore (R-Enterprise) criticized FBI Director Christopher Wray during Wednesday’s House Judiciary Committee.
The American people have lost trust in the FBI.
In today's @JudiciaryGOP hearing, I asked Director Wray why my constituents are fearful of being targeted by a government agency that is supposed to protect them. pic.twitter.com/Dnxiu2mvbI
— Rep. Barry Moore (@RepBarryMoore) July 12, 2023
“We’re seeing the polling numbers, the FBI is tanking and it’s under your watch sir, and it concerns me for the American people.” Moore said to Wray. “When I’m in the district, the number one concern, and I come from a very rural district, is weaponization of the FBI and DOJ coming after concerned American citizens who just simply want to have a voice in the process.”
The congressman questioned Wray about FBI’s effort to censor the Hunter Biden laptop story on social media.
“Why would the FBI offer Christopher Steele $1 million to verify a dossier about Trump Russia Collusion and … offer $3 million to Twitter to squash the story on the Hunter Biden Laptop?” he asked. “Do you have any idea why a law enforcement agency would be playing to elections?”
Wray answered that he was just following the law.
“I would disagree with your characterization, respectively,” said Wray. “When there are payments to social media companies, that is by longstanding federal law going back about four decades where we have to pay companies for their costs in responding to legal processes. It’s not just social media companies, it’s other kinds of businesses as well.”
Moore didn’t buy that answer, responding to Wray that he believes the actions by the FBI appear too political.
“When those stories get out, and you understand, certainly the dossier story, I know that wasn’t under your watch, but also the Hunter Biden laptop story, that too me looks political, to the American people it looks political, and I’m just an everyday guy, I’m not an attorney Mr. Wray, but me it looks extremely political,” he said. “And that is why you’re having trouble keeping the FBI’s reputation afloat.”
Before the hearing, Moore posted a video on social media blasting the FBI for doing things based solely on partisan politics.
“Are we better off to just send the money to local law enforcement and decentralize the FBI?” he asked. “They were spying on pro-life Christians. They were spying on Catholic churches … the FBI is harassing American citizens and that’s not their job.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
