«The FBI turned its back on its national security mission,» Republican Senator Chuck Grassley said about alleged Chinese election interference.
Recently declassified documents pertaining to purported Chinese interference in the 2020 presidential election portray the FBI as a «broken institution», according to a top Senate Republican.Why It Matters
In mid-June, FBI Director Kash Patel declassified documents that «detail alarming allegations» about potential Chinese interference in the Donald Trump-Joe Biden election. The documents were then shared for review with Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican and chair of the Judiciary Committee.
China has denied any nefarious involvement in swaying the election results in 2020, and again in 2024. Allies of President Trump have alleged that China rigged the 2020 results in former President Biden’s favor, invigorating hardcore supporters to march on the Capitol, leading to the siege of January 6, 2021.What To Know
On Tuesday, Grassley released internal FBI emails that he claims reveal how the agency «suppressed intelligence of alleged Chinese interference in the 2020 election to insulate then-FBI Director Christopher Wray from criticism», after he «provided inaccurate and contradictory testimony to Congress.»
«These records smack of political decision-making and prove the Wray-led FBI to be a deeply broken institution», Grassley said in a statement. «Ahead of a high-stakes election happening amid an unprecedented global pandemic, the FBI turned its back on its national security mission.
«One way or the other, intelligence must be fully investigated to determine whether it’s true, or if it’s just smoke and mirrors.
