FBI Director Christopher Wray denied that the FBI was “on either side” during a Tuesday interview on Fox News with anchor Bret Baier where he faced questions about bias and censorship.
“I hear these claims of politicization, but I can tell you the FBI is and I can tell you stay independent. That means follow the facts wherever they lead no matter who likes it,” Wray told Fox News anchor Bret Bair on “Special Report.” “I add that last part because what I have found in today’s world is that far too many people use as their standard for whether they think something was fair or objective, whether it’s an FBI investigation, whether it’s a Supreme Court decision, or even an election, is whether they like the result. Whether their side won or lost.”
“I hear these claims of politicization, but I can tell you that the FBI is going to stay independent. That means follow the facts wherever they lead no matter who likes it,” Wray told Fox News anchor Bret Bair on “Special Report.” “I add that last part because what I have found in today’s world, is that far too many people use as their standard, for whether they think something was fair or objective, whether it’s an FBI investigation, whether it’s a Supreme Court decision, or even an election, is whether they like the result. Whether their side won or lost.” (RELATED: ‘It Was A Big Deal With Donald Trump’: Turley, Hannity Rip DOJ Over ‘Double Standard’)
“That’s not how independence and objectivity work. We are not on either side,” Wray continued. “The FBI is on the American people’s side.”
Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas blasted the FBI during a Tuesday hearing, repeating some of the accusations that the agency has become politicized in cases involving pro-life advocates and parents protesting at school board meetings. Baier pressed Wray on some of the specific cases conservatives have cited.
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“Historically, FBI protocol is that a defendant has, if they have no criminal history and is not going to be violent or pose a threat to public safety he permitted to self-surrender rather than subject dynamic execution of an arrest warrant,” Baier told Wray, referencing the arrest of Mark Houck in 2022 by the FBI. “Here’s what I am talking about, is the dual system, there’s that for a pro-life activist but not for a Black Lives Matter protester who maybe torches a federal building over the summer. So that disparity, that dichotomy, is what sticks in people’s mind.”
“I understand that people have their opinions,” Wray responded. “All I can tell you is that we have one standard, one standard which is irrespective of ideology, of politics. In this country it doesn’t matter what you are upset about or who you are upset with, you don’t get to express that upset with violence and so we are agnostic as to ideology.”
Baier also questioned Wray about the disparity between the Aug. 8 raid on Mar-a-Lago, the Florida estate owned by former President Donald Trump, and the FBI’s searches of President Joe Biden’s residences that turned up classified materials on multiple occasions, calling it a “dual system.”
“Our standard for approaching those investigations is the same, no matter who it is,” Wray said. “Our basic approach is the same.”
Wray also denied claims the FBI was involved in censorship following reports based on documents released to journalist Matt Taibbi.
“We don’t tell social media companies to ban accounts,” Wray said, adding that the FBI does advise companies of “foreign disinformation campaigns.”
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