Spencer covered some of the chaos that erupted during today’s Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government hearing, where three FBI whistleblowers testified about the alleged abuses within the walls of the J. Edgar Hoover Building. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) came out swinging, blasting the FBI and the Department of Justice for being corrupt agencies, a claim bolstered by the recent release of the Durham report:
"To be blunt, the leadership of the FBI and DOJ are corrupt," Hageman said. "I will name names: Christopher Wray and Merrick Garland are corrupt. They know it, we know it, and the American people know it," she added.
Citing "fundamental changes" made to the culture of the FBI and DOJ, Hageman explained how those changes have "led to the political capture of our flagship law enforcement agencies" and allowed Democrats to use them as their "personal political hacks."
"As the DOJ and FBI have become more political, they have amassed more power," Hageman continued. "And as they have amassed more power they have become more political." That "vicious cycle," she argued, "must be stopped."
Addressing the FBI whistleblowers seated before her to testify about what they say is political and ideological targeting that amounts to retaliation, Hageman said that "Congress needs whistleblowers like you so that we can conduct oversight and correct course."
The agents spoke about how the bureau retaliated against those who dared to speak out against such overreach or deviations from department policy, like what we saw with the entire counterintelligence probe into Russian collusion during the 2016 election. House Democrats hate this select committee for obvious reasons, not least that its mission is to expose the dirty tricks the FBI uses to help their party win elections—allegedly. Every time this committee convenes, expect fireworks. Katie wrote about the report from the subcommittee that highlighted the “rot” within the bureau:
As I’ve indicated, there is a reason we have had very few FBI/DOJ whistleblowers. I know from my own, firsthand experience the retaliation that comes to those who question or who attempt to expose corruption. Dissent is not tolerated and exposure of corruption is punished. https://t.co/82phFCGOjz
— Brett L. Tolman (@tolmanbrett) May 18, 2023
"To date, the Committee and Select Subcommittee have received whistleblower testimony from several current and former FBI employees who chose to risk their careers to expose abuses and misconduct in the FBI. Some of these employees—Special Agents Garret O’Boyle and Stephen Friend, Supervisory Intelligence Analyst George Hill, and Staff Operations Specialist Marcus Allen—have chosen to speak on the record about their experiences," the report states. "The disclosures from these FBI employees highlight egregious abuse, misallocation of law-enforcement resources, and misconduct with the leadership ranks of the FBI."
And yet, those called to testify today, Garret O’Boyle, Steve Friend, and Marcus Allen, refused to be recognized as whistleblowers because they’re not friends of the Democratic Party. Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) tried grilling Mr. Allen through his social media activity. The problem is that she had the wrong account, with someone heard on the mic saying that she probably confused him with the football player. That Marcus Allen is a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The account Sanchez cited seems to be some random account with fewer than 130 followers.
.@RepLindaSanchez must answer for this!https://t.co/gHlvvkegG2
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) May 18, 2023
When Democrats asked for a copy of the transcribed meetings, Mr. Allen gave Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), to which Jordan responded that the decision was left to Allen, a whistleblower. That answer didn’t go over very well.
Things at the FBI Whistleblower hearing this morning are getting TENSE. pic.twitter.com/dgbo26tH0f
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 18, 2023
Chaos. pic.twitter.com/jQa8yrnkFv
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 18, 2023
And MSNBC's Nicole Wallace felt these agents were guilty of insubordination:
MSNBC's @NicolleDWallace: These fake FBI "whistleblowers" are "guilty of insubordination" pic.twitter.com/sBxpP5W3KE
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) May 18, 2023
The full hearing is here:
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