6 biggest FBI scandals during Christopher Wray’s tenure as director

The FBI under the Biden administration’s leadership has been embroiled in numerous scandals over the past four years, with the latest incident being a suspected terror attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day. Outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray, who was appointed by Trump, announced his resignation last month, paving the way for Trump’s pick, Kash Patel, to lead the agency.

The New Orleans attack, which left 15 dead and dozens injured, initially led the FBI to claim it was not a terrorist event. However, as more details emerged, including the discovery of an ISIS flag in the suspect’s vehicle, the agency backtracked and confirmed it was investigating the incident as an act of terrorism. This flip-flop sparked outrage from conservatives and Trump allies, who criticized the FBI for its handling of the situation.

One of the key criticisms was the delay in responding to the suspect’s home in Texas, with reports indicating that the media had already staked out the property before the FBI arrived. Senator Marsha Blackburn and others slammed the agency for failing to fulfill its core mission of protecting Americans.

The suspect, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was armed with multiple weapons during the attack and was killed by police after opening fire. Former President Trump blamed the Biden administration’s policies for the attack, calling Biden the “worst president in the history of America.”

Another scandal that rocked the FBI was the raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in August 2022. Approximately 30 armed agents executed a search warrant for classified documents in Trump’s possession, leading to the seizure of 33 boxes of documents. Trump accused Wray of invading his home and vowed to sue the country over the incident.

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley raised concerns about the raid, questioning the need for such drastic action when Trump had already been cooperating with investigators. Grassley argued that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton never faced a similar raid, despite mishandling classified information.

In response to Wray’s resignation, Trump once again criticized the FBI for the “illegal” raid on Mar-a-Lago, accusing the agency of interfering with the success and future of America. Wray defended the raid as the execution of a lawful search warrant during his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.

Additionally, conservative lawmakers condemned an internal FBI memo from the Richmond field office that focused on traditional Catholics with radical ideologies. The memo, titled “Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology,” drew backlash for singling out a specific religious group.

Overall, the FBI under the Biden administration has faced a series of scandals and controversies, raising questions about its leadership and effectiveness in protecting the nation’s security. As the agency prepares for a new director under Trump’s administration, the challenges and scrutiny are likely to continue in the coming years.