Wray Convicted of Misleading Grassley in Video. House GOP now Demands Answers about His Plane Use

I wrote earlier in August about how FBI Director Christopher Wray said he couldn’t stay 21 more minutes to answer more questions from the Republican members on the Senate Judiciary Committee because he had a plane to catch. It was noted that Sen. Chuck Grassley questioned him about that statement by noting Wray’s private plane. He wasn’t rushing to get a flight and might miss it. Wray was determined to get out, as the Republicans had great questions regarding the politicization and FBI. Wray was likely trying to avoid any further information.

But it was clear that he wasn’t just taking a private jet, but he was also not going to work. He was actually leaving for his vacation home at Saranac Lake in New York’s Adirondacks. He was really just blowing off their heads and giving them the finger. This plane was designed for counterintelligence operations.

Here is Wray saying “yes” to Grassley, when Grassley said that he assumed he had other business when he went to his vacation house.

FBI Director Christopher Wray after being forced to leave early from the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today

Senator Grassley – “I presume you have other business?” “

Director Wray: “Yeh.” pic.twitter.com/luPDQpmbrQ

— The Columbia Bugle (@ColumbiaBugle) August 4, 2022

He also appears to have misled Grassley, possibly by flipping the birds. I think Grassley isn’t happy and will likely have a few words to say to Wray.

Now, the House GOP is also going after Wray over the use of a taxpayer-funded plane for his trip to his vacation home. In a Monday letter, Elise Stefanik (Republican-NY), James Comer (Republican-Ky) and Mike Turner (Republican-OH), asked Wray for answers.

Considering that the New York Post reported recently that you flew on an FBI plane for personal vacation and left early for a Senate hearing, we are concerned about how you reimburse federal taxpayers.

According to the Post on August 4th, 2022, You abruptly left a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in order to travel to your Saranac Lake vacation home. Despite requests from Ranking Member Grassley, you refused to remain at the hearing for an additional 21 minutes for remaining members to finish asking their questions and conduct oversight of the FBI. You reportedly departed on the FBI’s Gulfstream 550 jet, an agency aircraft initially intended for counterterrorism use, to make the one hour and 12-minute journey to Saranac Lake. It has also been reported that on June 2, and June 5, 2022., you took a personal flight on the same government plane.

While the lawmakers noted that some FBI officials have used government aircraft for personal use in the past, the officials reimbursed the taxpayers at the commercial rate.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance states that a government plane is only authorized for “official purposes” and may only be authorized outside official travel when no commercial air is available or would cost more.

The lawmakers want to see documents regarding Wray’s government plane travel, and an accounting of taxpayer costs by Aug. 29.

According to the GAO Wray would have to pay reimbursement for travel expenses to FBI’s Finance Division and then transfer money to Treasury Department.

Wray must answer, and not only on this issue but also on the politicization FBI in general. Cleaning house should be the number one priority when the GOP seizes Congress.

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