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Grassley criticized the Biden administration — specifically the FBI and its director Christopher Wray — for "playing games with the American people by hiding" the 1023 form "from Congress and the American people" by refusing to comply with a subpoena issued by House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY).
"Director Wray was going to be held in contempt for refusing to produce the 1023 that I told Chairman Comer about," Grassley reminded. "Instead of contempt, the FBI committed to showing the 1023 and related documents" to the Committee.
Thanking Comer for "his cooperation with me" and for "how he's pursued this issue," Grassley praised his colleague in the House for ensuring Congress — and the Americans they represent — "know a heck of a lot more now."
Grassley also lamented how the 1023 shown to Members of Congress has been treated as some sort of classified document when it is not a sensitive report. "Why shouldn't the whole country know?" Grassley asked rhetorically.
Instead, the longtime Iowa senator explained based on conversations with House members who reviewed it, the 1023 is "filled with redactions now" but the version of the document Comer and Grassley reviewed "had maybe two or three half-inch redactions" rather than the "whole sentences" that were redacted before Oversight Committee members viewed the report. "So, Director Wray placed redactions on a document that's already unclassified," Grassley emphasized. "More than that, the FBI made Congress review a redacted unclassified document in a classified facility."
"That goes to show you that the disrespect that the FBI has for Congress," Grassley continued. "Accordingly, Congress still lacks a full and complete picture with respect to what that document really says — that's why it's important that the document be made public without unnecessary redactions for the American public to see."
Then, Grassley dropped a significant revelation: The 1023 shown to the House Oversight Committee redacted a portion stating "that the foreign national who allegedly bribed Joe and Hunter Biden allegedly has audio recordings of his conversation with them."
Well, that's something. Allegedly, of course.
Grassley continued, revealing that the foreign national — an executive with Ukrainian energy company Burisma according to lawmakers who've viewed the 1023 — has "17 such recordings."
"According to the 1023, the foreign national possesses 15 audio recordings between him and Hunter Biden," Grassley explained. "According to the 1023, the foreign national possesses two audio recordings of phone calls between him and then-Vice President Joe Biden."
Grassley said the "recordings were allegedly kept as a sort of insurance policy for the foreign national" in the event he got "into a tight spot."
"Getting a full and complete 1023 is critical for the American people to know and understand the true nature of the document and to hold the Justice Department and the FBI accountable," Grassley said after dropping the new information about what the 1023 contains regarding evidence to back up allegations that Biden was engaged in a bribery scheme. "It's also important for asserting constitutional congressional oversight powers against an out-of-control executive branch," Grassley added.
"Remember, Congress has received 1023s in the past and they've been made public," the Iowa Republican reminded. "So asking for this 1023 to be turned over to the American people to read is not an unusual thing."
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