Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz berated FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate Tuesday for allegedly “stonewalling” an investigation into President Joe Biden’s alleged bribery scheme in Ukraine.
An FBI file reportedly revealed Ukrainian oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky, the owner of oil company Burisma, discussed $5 million bribes to Biden and his son, Hunter. Cruz confronted Abbate at a Tuesday Senate Judiciary hearing about the alleged “politicization and weaponization” of the FBI.
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Cruz pressed Abbate on the reported FBI file, to which the official responded, “I’m just not gonna comment on information we’ve received, investigations.” (RELATED: Ted Cruz Says Merrick Garland Is ‘Desperately Trying To Protect Joe Biden’)
“You owe an obligation to the American people to be candid about evidence of corruption by the President of the United States?” the senator asked.
“This is an area I’m not going to get into with you, senator,” the deputy director replied.
The senator then told Abbate the FBI is both “stonewalling” and “covering up” the allegations against Biden and his family members.
Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley alleged there are 17 voice recordings of Zlochevsky speaking to Biden and Hunter. The Texas senator asked Abbate if the reports of these recordings are accurate, to which Abbate refused to comment.
“See, that’s the problem,” Cruz said. “The FBI, and I’ve had this conversation with [FBI Director] Chris Wray too, this is why you are damaging the institution. The American people have a right to know whether there is serious, credible evidence that the President of the United States took a $5 million bribe.”
“And by the way, if it’s false — Chairman Durbin just rolled his eyes. If Chairman Durbin were interested in the rule of law, we would have a hearing on these allegations, but of course, the Democrats don’t want a hearing on these allegations, and to be clear, if the allegations are false, you know who can disprove them? Joe Biden. He could call for this to be released publicly, but the FBI is stonewalling.”
Abbate denied the “stonewalling” accusations, leading Cruz to tell him his constituents in Texas are pondering abolishing the FBI for allegedly “doing damage.”
“You’re sitting there happily, erecting a wall to protect Joe Biden,” Cruz added.
The senator then asked him for the evidence in question to investigate whether the bribery scheme allegations are credible. Abbate assured Cruz the agency “will work” alongside the committee but did not directly answer the question and whether the allegations against the FBI are being investigated within the agency.
The deputy director also refused to directly answer whether the informant in this case was reliable in other investigations.
“You’re refusing to answer the question,” Cruz told Abbate as his questioning time expired. “It’s disgraceful. It’s disgraceful, Director Abbate, disgraceful.”