FBI Director Christopher Wray refused to answer when questioned multiple times about the presence of FBI informants at the Capitol riot. Wray’s lack of transparency took place during testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) grilled the head of the bureau from several angles on whether or not there were informants in the crowd, at one point simply asking him to confirm if there might have been more than one such individual.
“So I really need to be careful here talking about where we have or have not used confidential human sources,” Wray stated before suggesting he’d look further into documentation on the matter.
“I just want you to answer was there one or more?” Issa continued. “I mean … wouldn’t you know if there was at least one individual who worked for the FBI who went to the Capitol on that day?”
Again, Wray hedged, instead referencing a potential court filing that he might circle back on.
FBI Director Chris Wray was just asked repeatedly whether there was one or more FBI agents or informants on the ground at 1/6 as part of the crowd which entered the Capitol.
Wray refused to answer over and over. Can’t imagine why. https://t.co/wxaPZwntQW
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 12, 2023
FBI Informant At The Capitol Riot? Director Wray Won’t Say
A flabbergasted Issa proceeded to tear into FBI Director Wray for refusing to answer as to the potential presence of informants during the Capitol riot.
“I asked you simply if there (was) one or more, you won’t answer that,” he said. “So I’m going to make the assumption that there was more … than ten and that you’re ducking the question because you don’t want to answer for the fact that you had at least one.”
“And somehow [you] missed understanding that some of the individuals were very dangerous and that there were others inciting individuals to enter the capital after others broke windows,” he continued.
FBI Dir. Wray won’t answer whether there was “more than one” FBI informant in the crowd or in the Capitol on day of Jan. 6 Capitol riot. pic.twitter.com/wWwa2ahoWr
— Fred Lucas (@FredLucasWH) July 12, 2023
As reported by The Political Insider, the FBI allegedly had numerous informants working with groups involved in the Capitol riot and still didn’t prevent things from getting out of hand.
Court documents examined by the New York Times show the FBI had as many as eight informants embedded with the “Proud Boys” group in the months leading up to the Capitol riot.
Prior to that, the Times publicized that the FBI had another well-placed informant within the Oath Keepers, another group that allegedly took part in the protest.
Wray, in previous testimony, has also suggested he has to be “careful” about answering the question on the presence of informants on January 6th.
In fact, he wouldn’t even comment on whether or not there may have been informants dressed up as Trump supporters in that crowd.
REP. HIGGINS: “Did you have confidential human sources dressed as Trump supporters inside The Capitol on January 6th prior to the doors being opened?”
FBI DIR. WRAY: “I have to be very careful about what I can say.” pic.twitter.com/COGkWCPCpY
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 15, 2022
They Could Have Stopped The Riot – They Didn’t
Earlier this year, a top lawyer investigating the January 6th riot at the Capitol indicated that the FBI and other intelligence agencies could have prevented the chaos had they acted on the information that had already been gathered by informants.
“What happened at the Capitol was also affected by law enforcement failures to operationalize the ample intelligence that was present before Jan. 6, about the threats of violence,” former federal prosecutor Tim Heaphy said in an interview with NBC.
“Law enforcement had a very direct role in contributing to the security failures that led to the violence,” he added.
Previous reporting described an informant who warned the FBI weeks in advance that January 6th posed a “big” threat of violence, but who was ultimately ignored.
Report: Informant Warned FBI That January 6 Was a ‘Big’ Threat Weeks BEFORE Capitol Riot, They Did Nothing – The Political Insider https://t.co/vpET8exLjE
— Kathlin Hawleys (@HawleysJadefav) December 21, 2022
That informant reportedly highlighted an uptick in messages speaking of Civil War and a willingness to sacrifice lives prior to the riot.
“The bureau saw this coming,” the informant accused.
The FBI had multiple informants, confirmed by these reports, embedded with groups prior to the Capitol riot, but we’re supposed to assume they all just stayed home on the actual day of the protest?
In his testimony Wednesday, Wray insisted that the FBI played no role in inciting violence on January 6th.
“I will say this notion that somehow the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6 was part of some operation orchestrated by FBI sources and agents is ludicrous and is a disservice to our brave, hardworking, dedicated men and women,” Wray declared.
If only the FBI could be trusted enough for the public to believe that.
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Wray won’t say because there were more than one AND their embedded human resources did not just inform, they incited the riot and destruction to frame innocent peaceful protestors. Jan. 6th was a trap from the beginning set by Pelosi and the Swamp.