Mishandling of Classified Information By the Fbi
Floor Speech
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Mr. ROSE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to a recent report from the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General putting the Biden-Harris two-tiered justice system on full display.
The recent report reveals that the FBI inadequately handled sensitive and classified materials. I repeat: the FBI mishandled classified documents according to their own inspector general report.
According to the memo: ``Electronic storage media slated for disposal are not physically secured. Nonaccountable assets slated for destruction were stored on pallets without sufficient internal physical security for an extended period of time. For example, a pallet containing extracted internal hard drives marked nonaccountable had been stored for 21 months and had wrapping that was torn and left open.''
This you can see on the poster, Madam Speaker.
The report continues: ``This facility is shared with other FBI operations, such as logistics, mail, and information technology equipment fulfillment, and had almost 400 persons with access as of May 2024, including 28 task force officers and 63 contractors from at least 17 companies. Both the FBI supervisor and contractor confirmed that they would not be aware if someone was to take hard drives from the pallets because these assets are not accounted for or tracked.''
Madam Speaker, think about that last line. An FBI supervisor admitted that if someone took a hard drive containing classified information from the pallet pictured in the poster next to me that almost 400 people had access to, no one would ever know.
Pictured is a pallet full of sensitive electronic storage media which most likely includes hordes of classified information. It is hard to know because the FBI didn't bother to mark the media in this pallet with standard classification markings. If you look closely, this pallet is marked ``nonaccountable,'' which is a perfect metaphor for the Biden-Harris FBI: unaccountable.
Unfortunately, this is yet another example of the Biden-Harris two- tiered justice system. The FBI was giddy to rush to prosecute the former President for allegedly mishandling classified information. Yet, when the FBI is caught red-handed mishandling classified information by their own inspector general, there has yet to be a simple charge filed, leaving Americans wondering if there will ever be any accountability.
Will the FBI agents responsible for mishandling classified material be criminally prosecuted?
Will anyone hold senior leadership at the FBI accountable for allowing for the widespread mishandling of classified information?
``Rules for thee, but not for me'' seems to be the motto at the J. Edgar Hoover Building these days.
As a result of these troubling revelations, I have sent a letter to FBI Director Wray highlighting the hypocrisy of the FBI's swift action against the former President, while individuals at the FBI have mishandled classified information with no accountability at all.
Madam Speaker, I include in the Congressional Record the text of my letter to Director Wray. Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, September 9, 2024. In re Mishandling of Classified Information by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Christopher Wray, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, DC
Dear Director Wray, I am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the findings of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General's (DOJ OIG) Management Advisory Memorandum, which highlights the FBI's inadequate inventory management and disposition procedures for electronic storage media containing sensitive and classified information.
The report's findings are alarming and suggest a lack of accountability and physical security over sensitive materials, including hard drives, thumb drives, and floppy disks. The fact that extracted internal hard drives are not tracked, and the FBI cannot confirm their proper destruction, is unacceptable.
As you are undoubtedly aware, the Biden Administration and the FBI gleefully rushed to charge President Donald Trump with allegedly mishandling classified information. Now that individuals at the FBI have clearly mishandled classified information, surely each culpable individual will be criminally prosecuted, correct? You must realize that failing to prosecute each individual involved in this reckless and wanton disregard for safe handling of classified information procedures will further erode the already significantly diminished trust Americans have left in the FBI.
I request that you provide answers to the following questions:
1. How did these inadequate procedures go undetected for so long?
2. What measures will be taken to ensure accountability for all electronic storage media containing sensitive and classified information?
3. How many individuals will be disciplined for their role in mishandling classified information?
4. Will any individuals face criminal prosecution for their actions?
5. What steps will be taken to improve physical security at FBI-secure controlled facilities?
6. How will the FBI ensure that all electronic storage media are properly labeled with classification markings?
7. What training will be provided to FBI personnel to address these deficiencies?
8. How will the FBI verify that all extracted internal hard drives have been properly destroyed?
9. What measures will be taken to limit access to sensitive materials at shared facilities?
10. What timeline can we expect for implementing the recommended improvements?
11. How will you ensure that accountability extends beyond lower-level employees and includes senior leadership, up to and including the Director's office, for the systemic failures identified in the report?
The Tennesseans I represent, as well as all other Americans, deserve a prompt response to these questions, and as their representative in Congress, I expect to hear from you soon with regard to the actions you will take to address these serious concerns. Sincerely, Congressman John Rose.
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Mr. ROSE. Madam Speaker, it is time to end the two-tiered justice system in America exemplified by the FBI's prosecution of those considered political enemies by the Biden-Harris administration while the FBI has now been caught mishandling classified information in hordes.
I hope that the relevant congressional committees will hold hearings on this matter, and I call on FBI Director Wray to respond back to my letter as quickly as possible addressing the issues that I have outlined.
I am sorry to the American people for this abhorrent two-tiered justice system that we see on display from the Biden-Harris FBI and the Biden-Harris Justice Department.
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