House Republicans want answers on FBI Director Christopher Wray’s use of Justice Department jets for personal use following reports that he left a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to fly to upstate New York.
The flight in question occurred on Aug. 4, the day before FBI investigators sought and received approval for a raid of former President Donald Trump’s home in Mar-a-Lago. Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. James Comer (R-KY), the top Republican on House Oversight, and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), sought answers from Wray on Monday.
“We write to conduct oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s use of government aircraft and compliance with the applicable federal regulations and requirements,” the House GOP leaders said. “In light of a recent report by the New York Post that you left a Senate hearing early to fly on an FBI aircraft for a personal vacation, we have questions about whether you are properly reimbursing federal taxpayers for your personal travel aboard government aircraft.”
FBI WARRANT SAYS TRUMP INVESTIGATED UNDER ESPIONAGE ACT
The New York Post reported that, after the August Senate hearing, “the FBI Gulfstream Wray uses was recorded on Flightradar24 making the one hour and 12 minute flight later that afternoon to bucolic Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks.” The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reported in 2017 that Wray “spent the summers of his youth at his family’s camp in the Adirondacks,” and his father said Wray still vacationed there.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, expressed frustration with Wray leaving the early August hearing before Republicans had gotten to do a second round of questions.
“We just heard a half hour ago about your having to leave at 1:30. When [Democratic Chairman Dick Durbin] announced this meeting, he said we were going to have seven minutes for first round, three-minute second rounds. I’ve got seven people on my side of the aisle [that] want their additional three minutes,” Grassley said. “Is there any reason we couldn’t accommodate them for 21 minutes?”
Wray replied: “I had a flight that I’m supposed to be high-tailing it to get out of here, and I had understood that we were going to be done at 1:30, so that’s how we ended up where we are.”
“If it’s your business trip, you’ve got your own plane. Can’t it wait a while?” Grassley asked.
Wray replied, “Sorry. To be honest, I tried to make my break as fast as I could to get right back out here.” Grassley pointed out that Wray had taken more than a five-minute break, and Wray chuckled.
The hearing was on Aug. 4, the FBI warrant was approved Aug. 5, and the Mar-a-Lago search happened after the weekend, on Aug. 8.
House Republicans on Monday told Wray that he should hand over a host of documents “to assist us in conducting oversight of your use of government aircraft for personal travel, your reimbursements of funds to federal taxpayers, and your compliance with applicable federal regulations.” The requested records included all documents related to when, where, and for what purpose he went on flights, a full accounting of the cost, and proof of his reimbursements for political or personal travel.
The FBI did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment on Wray’s apparent flight.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Flight Radar 24 records show a Gulfstream G550 belonging to the Justice Department flew from Manassas, Virginia, to Reagan National Airport the afternoon of Aug. 4, then left the nation’s capital for Saranac Lake, New York, at 4:44 p.m. The flight returned to Manassas that evening. Records show the jet took off again the afternoon of Aug. 8 for Saranac Lake, then returned that evening to Manassas.
The House Republicans noted that “although certain federal officials are permitted to use government aircraft for personal or political use, these expenses must be reimbursed.”
The congressmen pointed to a 2013 Government Accountability Office report, which said that from 2007 to 2011, three people who served as attorney general and FBI director “accounted for 95 percent (659 out of 697 flights) of all Department of Justice executive non-mission flights using DOJ aircraft at a total cost of $11.4 million.” The GAO said that “all attorneys general and the FBI director provided reimbursements for their personal travel in accordance with federal requirements.”
