FBI Director Christopher Wray repeatedly refused to answer questions from Republican California Rep. Darrell Issa, who asked during a Wednesday hearing whether the bureau had informants among the Jan. 6 rioters.
Wray has repeatedly declined to say whether or not the bureau had sources among the Jan. 6 protesters and rioters, although defense attorneys have alleged in court filings that federal assets had embedded in the crowd. Jan. 6 defendants with connections to the Proud Boys have asserted that law enforcement had as many as 40 informants in the group. The FBI generally declines to say whether and when it uses informants. (RELATED: FBI Informant Was Embedded In Jan. 6 Defense Team, Lawyers Allege)
“How many individuals were either FBI employees or people that the FBI had made contact with were in the Jan. 6 entry of the Capitol and surrounding area?” Issa asked.
“I really need to be careful here talking about where we have or have not used confidential human sources…” Wray began before Issa cut him off.
“Was there one or more individuals that would fit that description on Jan. 6 that were in or around the Capitol?” the congressman doubled down.
“I believe there is a filing in one of the Jan. 6 cases that can provide a little more information about this, and I’m happy to see if we can follow back up with you on that,” Wray said.
1) Issa: How many individuals were either FBI employees or people that the FBI had made contact with were in the January 6th entry of the Capitol and surrounding?
Wray: I really need to be careful here talking about where we have or have not used confidential human sources.— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) July 12, 2023
“I just want an answer. Was there one or more? I mean you would know if there was at least one individual who worked for the FBI who entered the Capitol on that day,” Issa pressed.
“I just can’t speak to that here, but I’m happy to get you the court filing,” Wray again demurred.
“It’s been two years, and you’re now come before us. The gentleman asks these questions, makes all kinds of insinuations, and you nod your head, yes, and then I ask you simply, ‘Was there one or more?’ and you won’t answer that,” Issa responded. “So I’m going to make the assumption that there was more than one, more than five, 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 missed understanding that some of the individuals were very dangerous and that there were others inciting individuals to enter the Capitol after others broke windows.”