In a fiery exchange during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday on Capitol Hill, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) sparred with FBI Director Christopher Wray over the Hunter Biden investigation, questioning whether the FBI director is protecting the Biden family.
Gaetz questioned Wray over the recently disclosed WhatsApp message from Hunter Biden to a Chinese official. The message states, “I’m sitting here with my father. I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father.”
After reading the message at the hearing, Gaetz asked Wray if the message sounded like a “shakedown.” After Wray refused to comment on the WhatsApp message, Gaetz responded, “You seem deeply uncurious about it, don’t you? Almost suspiciously uncurious. Are you protecting the Bidens?”
Wray told Gaetz that he is “absolutely not” protecting the Biden family from the ongoing investigations into Hunter Biden and the Biden family’s alleged business dealings with foreign businesses and governments. Wray added that the FBI has “no interest” in “protecting” politicians.
Gaetz continued grilling Wray, stating, “You won’t answer the question about whether or not that’s a shakedown and everybody knows why you won’t answer it. Because to the millions of people who will see this, they know it is. And your inability to acknowledge that is deeply revealing about you.”
According to the New York Post, the WhatsApp message shared by Gaetz during Wednesday’s hearing was released by the House Ways and Means Committee last month. The message was part of a conversation between Hunter Biden and Raymond Zhao, CEFC China Energy translator.
Along with Gaetz, Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) blasted the FBI director Wednesday, drawing a distinction between the FBI’s investigations into former President Donald Trump and its investigations into the Biden family.
“Here’s what the American people know and believe about the FBI today, sir,” Hunt said to Wray. “If you are a Trump, you will be prosecuted. If you are a Biden, you will be protected.”
