(CNSNews.com) – Under questioning today by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), FBI Director Christopher Wray would not say whether Hillary Clinton was given “special” treatment by the bureau or whether the FBI paid for the Russia dossier that was used by Democrats and some media outlets to try to discredit President Donald Trump.
Director Wray, nominated to his FBI position by President Trump in June, testified today before the House Judiciary Committee.
Congressman Gaetz first asked Director Wray, “Were the rules followed in the Hillary Clinton investigation?”
Wray said, “That’s something that’s being investigated right now by the outside Inspector General.”
When asked by Gaetz if Clinton got “special treatment,” Wray said, “that’s exactly what the Inspector General’s going to tell us.”
Gaetz then asked, “Why don’t the American people deserve to know whether or not Hillary Clinton got special treatment?”
Wray replied that there is “no formal term special” used by the FBI, and that it is an “informal term.” At which point Gaetz noted that, “informally designating something as special signifies a double standard, right?”
Gaetz then asked, “So on the dossier, did the FBI pay for a dossier on the president?”
Wray would not answer, only saying, “Questions about the dossier are something better taken up in separate settings.”
Gaetz responded, “Don’t the American people deserve to know whether taxpayer money was used to buy a dossier that was curated by a political party to discredit the president of the United States before and after the election?”
Wray did not answer the question, but said, “I would tell you questions on that subject are something that we’re having lots and lots of interaction with, multiple congressional committees and their staffs on in a classified setting.”
As the questioning continued, Rep. Gaetz noted that it is not known whether Special Counsel Robert Mueller deliberately recruited people to his team who are biased against President Trump. Also, “We don't know whether Hillary Clinton was treated as special,” he said. “We don't know whether the FBI used taxpayer money to go buy a dossier to discredit the president.”
Yesterday, Dec. 6, Gaetz and five other members of Congress held a press conference and called for an investigation into the FBI’s “special” treatment of Hillary Clinton. FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe has stated that the FBI investigation of Clinton’s use of a private email server while Secretary of State was labeled a “special” case.
In addition, according to McCabe, a “decision was made to investigate it at HQ with a small team” instead of in the standard way through the Washington field office.
At that press conference, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) said, "Americans are tired of special treatment for the Clintons and their friends. Sadly, our own FBI has no interest in investigating them."
Rep. Gaetz yesterday said, “The law demands equal treatment for all, not ‘special’ treatment for some. There is a clear and consistent pattern of treating the Clinton investigation differently than other investigations. At least some of this ‘special’ treatment seems to have been motivated by political bias.”
“As America’s premier law enforcement agency, the FBI must rise above the fray of partisanship,” he said. “Our judicial system depends on equal treatment under the law.”