Testimony from FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed a few nuggets but not much, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona) said on Washington Watch Thursday. One thing Biggs did learn is the need to question what he’s hearing from America’s internal security agency.
“There are a lot of reasons to believe we really need to double-check everything the FBI is doing right now,” Biggs told show host Jody Hice.
Wray limited his answers the House Judiciary Committee to the narrow scope of the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, which gave lawmakers some new information but didn’t answer big picture questions like how a rooftop so close to Trump was left unguarded by the Secret Service. In general terms, lawmakers asking how the shooting was allowed to take place were left with nothing.
“He kind of punted. They said that’s not their role,” Biggs stated, referring to Wray's testimony.
Shifting focus to DHS’ Cuffari
In response to that question, Wray pointed toward Department of Homeland Security Inspector Gen. Joseph Cuffari, who oddly enough is in a fight to keep his job, according to Biggs.
“The Biden administration is trying to terminate him from his employment, although Cuffari has done a really good job of inspecting what goes on at the border. It would be a terrible mistake to get rid of the investigator who has already opened up the investigation on this,” Biggs said.
It’s not the first time Cuffari has faced scrutiny. Employees in his office called for his firing in 2022 citing lack of integrity and independence and accusing him of obstructing congressional investigations.
Wray told committee members that Crooks flew a drone near the site of the rally about two hours prior to the event.
“It seems to us the shooter was casing the place. That drone he ran for 11 minutes and livestreamed what he was seeing,” Biggs said.
Crooks didn’t save a copy of his video, so investigators don’t have something to which they can refer back.
Investigators recovered three explosive devices – two from Crooks’ vehicle and one from his residence. Ray described them as “relatively crude.” The receiving transmitter on the bombs was turned off.
The buck stops … where?
While multiple agencies continue to investigate the case, Wray told the committee the FBI has not yet found evidence that Crooks had help. When asked by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) if they had found anyone who was an accessory who was facilitating this, the FBI director said no.
"That is to say they haven’t found evidence," Biggs explained. "He’s not saying there wasn’t, but that they haven’t found evidence yet.”
The FBI has accessed Crooks’ phone and laptop but according to the congressman is now engaged in a “legal process” to learn anything from his communications.
“They’re encrypted, and they want to find out who he was talking to. We just don’t have all that information yet. At least they haven’t revealed that to us yet. We want to get that information for sure,” Biggs said.
Wray also didn’t answer why Trump was allowed to take the stage when there were unanswered questions about a suspicious person. Instead, Biggs suggested the FBI is passing the buck on that question.
“Anyone who’s been with a president or a dignitary will tell you there’s a hold, Secret Service says you have to hold here for a minute, maybe you’re holding for five minutes, maybe you’re holding for 10 until they examine or check something. He did not give us that. He said that is in the purview of the DHS inspector general,” Biggs said.
So … what WAS revealed?
Wray did reveal that Crooks had been at the scene at least twice prior to the shooting and that he used a collapsable gun stock.
“That had never been revealed publicly, and that may have been how he got his gun up there where no one could see it. We still don’t know whether he carried the gun up [to the roof] or whether it was placed before the event,” Biggs said.
