Former FBI Director Wray Hit With Criminal Referral for Lying To Congress


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🚨 Key Points

  • Who? Christopher Wray, former FBI director, faces a criminal referral (formal accusation) for allegedly lying to Congress.
  • Why? Accusations involve covering up two scandals:
    1. An FBI memo labeling traditional Catholics as potential extremists.
    2. A Chinese scheme to forge ballots in the 2020 election.
  • Who’s Accusing? The Oversight Project, a government watchdog group.

đź“ś Background

A “criminal referral” means officials are urging the Department of Justice to investigate potential crimes. Here’s what Wray is accused of:

Scandal 1: Anti-Catholic FBI Memo

  • What Happened?
    • A leaked FBI memo from its Virginia office claimed traditional Catholics might be linked to extremist groups. It used research from the Southern Poverty Law Center (a group that monitors hate organizations).
    • Wray told Congress this was an isolated mistake by one office and claimed he removed it immediately.
  • BUT…
    • Watchdog groups say multiple FBI documents across offices targeted Catholics, not just one. A second memo warned about Catholic extremism before the 2024 election.
    • Critics argue Wray downplayed the issue to hide wider FBI bias.

Scandal 2: Chinese Ballot Scheme

  • The FBI allegedly buried an investigation into China distributing fake U.S. driver’s licenses, which could enable voter fraud in 2020. Wray’s comments on this are also under scrutiny.

⚖️ Legal Consequences?

The Oversight Project claims Wray might have broken laws by:

  • Lying under oath (perjury).
  • Blocking investigations (obstruction).
  • Hiding the full truth from Congress.

🗣️ What Did Wray Say?

In 2023 testimony, Wray called the anti-Catholic memo a “single product by a single office” and said he was “aghast” (shocked). Critics argue this was misleading, as multiple offices and documents were involved.

🔍 Why This Matters

  • Trust in the FBI: Accusations of bias (e.g., targeting Catholics) or hiding election threats (e.g., China ballots) could undermine public confidence.
  • Accountability: High-ranking officials accused of lying to Congress face serious legal risks if proven guilty.

❓ What’s Next?

The Department of Justice must decide whether to investigate Wray. Meanwhile, congressional Republicans are pushing for accountability.

No response yet from Wray or the FBI.

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