Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has given an endorsement to embattled FBI Director Christopher Wray, saying he’s doing a good job. The ABC News correspondent also chastised Republicans
He took it one step further saying Republicans grilling the FBI director are just putting on a show for campaign politics.
Christie claimed on Wednesday that members of the House Judiciary Committee from his party were utilizing tough questions directed at FBI Director Christopher Wray as a means to raise campaign funds. Wray testified before the committee during a hearing titled “Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
Throughout the hearing, Republican committee members interrogated Wray on various issues, including the targeting of protesting parents at school board meetings, the alleged presence of FBI sources during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, and the conduct of the August 8 raid on Mar-a-Lago.
In an interview with “America Reports” co-host John Roberts, Christie, who is running for president, expressed his views on the hearing. He emphasized that the matters discussed by the committee were from the tenure of previous Justice Department officials, such as Jim Comey, Eric Holder, and Loretta Lynch, and not reflective of Wray’s leadership.
Christie commended Wray for dismissing the entire Comey leadership team from the FBI and implementing reforms that have shown remarkable results. While acknowledging that there is still work to be done, he blamed Comey, Holder, and Lynch for the damage caused to the Department of Justice and the FBI, asserting that Wray has been diligently rectifying those issues for years.
Christie had previously denied allegations that the Department of Justice had been weaponized during a CNN Town Hall in June, and he expressed his support for retaining Wray. He has also been critical of former President Donald Trump, claiming that if Trump were to win the 2024 election, he would spend his time settling scores.
During the interview, Christie praised Wray as an animated and combative FBI director who passionately defended his workforce and their efforts to combat domestic and international terrorism, as well as drug cartels. He acknowledged that while problems exist within the FBI, he believed that Wray was capable of addressing and resolving them, citing the progress already made.
Christie concluded by suggesting that some of the theatrics witnessed during the hearing were motivated by fundraising purposes. He acknowledged the existence of issues within the FBI but reiterated his confidence in Wray’s ability to address them effectively.