In Light of Inspector General Probe, Virginia Leaders Push for Pause on FBI Relocation
Press Release
Dear Director Young,
We write regarding the site selection process for a new Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters, led by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). On November 30, GSA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) confirmed that they were initiating an evaluation of the site selection to "assess [GSA]'s process and procedures for the site selection to relocate the FBI Headquarters." This review follows a November 15 letter that we sent to OIG outlining our significant concerns with the site selection process, including credible allegations of impropriety and politicization.
The FBI Director, Christopher Wray, has raised strenuous objections to both the process and outcome of the GSA-administered site selection process. These concerns were brought directly and repeatedly to GSA throughout the agencies' deliberations. As Director Wray noted in a message to FBI personnel on November 9, following GSA's announced selection, "our concerns about the process remain unresolved."[2] The nature of these concerns draws into question the integrity of a site selection process that demanded fairness and transparency, and they warrant thorough review.
It is vital that both GSA and the FBI fully cooperate and provide relevant information to the Inspector General's review, and that they allow time and space for investigatory efforts to reach a thorough conclusion. We urge the Administration to pause efforts to advance this headquarters process, allowing for transparent and fair review.
For more than a decade there has been a clear and shared understanding of the critical nature of this project. The decision bears significant impact on the law enforcement and national security missions of the FBI -- GSA's client agency on this project. All of the parties involved, including GSA and the FBI, had previously stated publicly the need for a process that was fair, transparent, and determined by the merits of the prospective sites. In light of the objections from the FBI, there is concern that this standard was not met. This process must be paused to allow for a fair and transparent review to address these concerns.
Sincerely,
Source