(Ken Silva, Headline USA) The Washington Times reported Monday that FBI Director Christopher Wray is planning to resign before Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“Wray is calling it quits because he doesn’t want to get fired by President-elect Donald Trump,” the Times reported, citing an unnamed source in the FBI.
“He’s going to be gone at the inauguration. On or before the inauguration,” the source reportedly said.
The Times report was published the same day Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote a scathing letter to Wray, calling on him to resign before his 10-year-term is complete. Grassley initially supported Wray’s nomination seven years ago, but he’s been disappointed with the results, the senator said.
“Rather than turn over a new leaf at the FBI, you’ve continued to read from the old playbook of weaponization, double standards, and a relentless game of hide-and-seek with the Congress,” Grassley said, also calling for the resignation of FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate.
“For the good of the country, it’s time for you and your deputy to move on to the next chapter in your lives.”
The Times reported Monday that Grassley’s letter helped drive Wray’s decision. Abbate was reportedly planning to stay on board to help the next director—expected to be conservative ex-DOJ official Kash Patel—but Abbate, too, will be leaving early.
Wray and Abbate were plagued with scandals throughout their tenures. Grassley cited multiple cases of the FBI being weaponized against conservatives under their watch, from the Catholic spying scandal to targeting of pro-life activists like Mark Houck. Notably, Grassley didn’t cite the Jan. 6 prosecutions as one of the scandals.
Grassley said his breaking point came when Wray and Abbate didn’t provide him information about how hundreds of FBI officials have voluntarily retired or resigned to evade accountability for sexual misconduct allegations.
“This inexcusable delay and obstruction by you and Deputy Director Abbate has prevented Congress and the Judiciary Committee from addressing the shocking sexual misconduct at the FBI. This is a promise made and broken, on an issue of utmost importance,” he said.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
