A recent whistleblower claim has raised serious questions about the FBI’s actions regarding Chinese interference in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Steve Friend, an FBI whistleblower, alleges that the bureau recalled an intelligence report detailing efforts by the Chinese Communist Party to influence the election. This recall reportedly aimed to avoid conflicting with then-FBI Director Christopher Wray’s testimony before Congress.
The controversy centers around documents that were recently declassified and shared with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley. These documents indicate that the FBI had information suggesting that the Chinese government manufactured fake driver’s licenses and shipped them to the U.S. to sway voters in favor of Joe Biden. However, the FBI decided to withhold this information after Wray testified that there was no evidence of coordinated voter fraud.
The FBI’s decision to recall the report came just a day after Wray’s testimony on September 25, 2020. At that time, Wray stated he had not seen any widespread fraud and emphasized the bureau’s vigilance regarding foreign influence. Friend claims that the recall was a politically motivated move to protect Wray’s statements, as the intelligence could contradict his assurances to Congress.
The declassified documents reveal that FBI officials had internal discussions about the decision to suppress the report. Assistant FBI Director Marshall Yates, in a letter to Grassley, noted that the FBI’s headquarters decided not to republish the report because it would contradict Wray’s testimony. This has led to accusations of political interference in the FBI’s operations, with critics arguing that the bureau prioritized its image over national security.
Grassley expressed his concerns about the FBI’s integrity, stating that the agency appeared to be making politically motivated decisions rather than fulfilling its duty to protect the public. He emphasized the need for transparency and accountability within the FBI, particularly during a critical election period.
The documents also show that the FBI had seized nearly 20,000 fraudulent driver’s licenses arriving from China just before the election. While it is unclear if these seizures are directly related to the allegations in the report, they highlight ongoing concerns about foreign interference in U.S. elections.
In light of these revelations, the FBI is continuing to investigate the matter. The agency has acknowledged that the decision to suppress the report raised serious questions about the integrity of its intelligence processes and the potential for political pressures to influence its operations.