The FBI is still hiding important evidence from Congress. Despite the typical and expected stonewalling, the bureau still managed to come across with enough at a recent classified briefing for lawmakers to “get the flavor” of a “very serious issue.” The presentation was supposed to be all of the specifics on the classified document seizures from Biden, Trump and Pence.
FBI hiding information
The FBI continues playing hide the ball with important information that Congress needs to do its job. The bureau was “not forthcoming with the Trump, Biden and Pence classified documents” at a House Intelligence Committee briefing last week.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are frustrated that they “still don’t know exactly what the documents contained.”
Conservative Republicans leading the panel, Mike Turner and Jim Himes made an appearance Sunday, March 5, on the media to update the public. The big news they have to report is that the FBI doesn’t want them to see the actual evidence.
Chuck Todd: "Do you know what Trump docs are? Do you know what Biden docs are? Do you know what Pence docs are?"
Rep. Mike Turner: "No! There're something we do know."
Chuck Todd: "They didn't share with you those things in classified settings. Why? "
Rep. Mike Turner:… https://t.co/bySArVuGNq pic.twitter.com/Adad2iu8lu
— Real Mac Report (@RealMacReport) March 5, 2023
They have several “unanswered questions regarding the classified documents.” The ones discovered at the homes of Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Mike Pence.
“The FBI is not being forthcoming,” committee Chairman Turner relates. “They are not giving us the information. They’re claiming it’s going to affect the outcome of their investigation, which, of course, it can’t because the people who are the targets of their investigation know what are in those documents.”
The real reason Christopher Wray and Merrick Garland won’t fork them over is because Congress will find out what they were fishing for with Trump and what they were hiding with Joe Biden. Mike Pence was collateral damage. He got hit by the splatter when the scandal hit the fan. Half of America is wondering when Obama and the Clintons will have their homes searched. How about Jimmy Carter and the Bushes?
Intel Chair Mike Turner: FBI isn't "forthcoming" about seized documents https://t.co/uD861p2KQH pic.twitter.com/2t8ETpJfUL
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) March 6, 2023
Lingering questions
While the lawmakers have serious lingering questions for the FBI, including “the classification level of each document” and “who had access to them,” the committee is starting to see some patterns. According to Rep. Turner, they’re starting to “build an understanding.”
Like one of those old Polaroid images, the splotches are slowly morphing into something recognizable as things develop.
“The thing that we know is that it’s unbelievable that administration after administration is apparently sloppy and messy in their use of classified documents.” They’re all guilty of that crime. Even Democrats on the panel agree “that’s one thing on a bipartisan basis we have to address.”
House Intel Chair Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) says the "sloppy and messy" handling of classified docs needs to be addressed on a bipartisan basis.
Full interview ➡️ https://t.co/bkYYRPZ8up pic.twitter.com/7yXiocDOaS
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) March 6, 2023
Himes emphasized that they really aren’t happy with the level of FBI disclosure. “Let’s just say that neither one of us are satisfied that we got enough information to execute our primary responsibility of making sure that sources and methods have been protected.”
Even so, and also considering that they “couldn’t discuss details of the briefing,” Hines explains they were beginning to get “a flavor” of what the documents contained and that it “is a very serious issue.” He couldn’t say much, other than “this wasn’t stuff that we can say clearly does not matter.” When the issue came up of whether the intelligence community trusts Congress, Turner was quick to clarify. Spooks in general aren’t the problem. It’s clearly a thing with the Federal Bureau of Instigation. This problem is “more of a tension between the FBI and Congress.”
“I think that’s going to come to a head over the next couple of years.” They are “not special. They don’t have greater privileges than the president does.” Merrick Garland may think he really runs the country but won’t for long. “And [the FBI is] continuing to act as if they have some privilege to operate without congressional oversight.“
