In a shocking revelation, newly declassified FBI documents suggest the agency halted an investigation into alleged Chinese interference in the 2020 U.S. presidential election to shield then-FBI Director Christopher Wray from political fallout. The documents, obtained by Fox News Digital and shared with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, paint a troubling picture of an agency prioritizing its image over national security.
Allegations of Chinese Election Interference
The documents, declassified by current FBI Director Kash Patel, allege that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) orchestrated a scheme to influence the 2020 election in favor of Joe Biden. According to an Intelligence Information Report (IIR) from the FBI’s Albany field office, the CCP allegedly manufactured tens of thousands of fake U.S. driver’s licenses using data harvested from TikTok users. These licenses were purportedly intended for Chinese students and immigrants sympathetic to the CCP, enabling them to cast illegal votes for Biden.
The report, dated September 25, 2020, surfaced just one day after Wray testified before Congress that the FBI had not observed any coordinated national voter fraud. This timing raised red flags when the FBI abruptly recalled the IIR, instructing recipients to destroy all copies and remove it from their systems.
Why Was the Report Suppressed?
Internal FBI communications reveal that the decision to suppress the IIR stemmed from concerns that it would “contradict” Wray’s congressional testimony. Assistant FBI Director Marshall Yates, in a letter to Grassley, described the recall as “abnormal” and noted that FBI Headquarters deemed the report “not authoritative.” However, Albany field office staff strongly disagreed, warning that suppressing the report for political reasons was “dangerous” and undermined the FBI’s apolitical mission.
One Albany agent expressed frustration in an October 1, 2020, email, stating, “I’m not satisfied with the reasoning… Most concerning to me, is stating the reporting would contradict Director Wray’s testimony. I found this troubling because it implied to me that one of the reasons we aren’t putting this out is for a political reason, which goes directly against our organization’s mission to remain apolitical.”
The agent further argued that the FBI should not act as the sole gatekeeper of intelligence, as suppressing the report prevented other intelligence community agencies from corroborating or discrediting the information.
A “Broken Institution”?
Senator Grassley, a longtime advocate for government transparency, did not mince words. “These records smack of political decision-making and prove the Wray-led FBI to be a deeply broken institution,” he told Fox News Digital. “Ahead of a high-stakes election happening amid an unprecedented global pandemic, the FBI turned its back on its national security mission.”
Grassley emphasized that intelligence must be thoroughly investigated, regardless of its implications. “One way or the other, intelligence must be fully investigated to determine whether it’s true or if it’s just smoke and mirrors,” he said. “Chris Wray’s FBI wasn’t looking out for the American people—it was looking to save its own image.”
The Source and the Investigation
The allegations originated from a China-based FBI Confidential Human Source (CHS), deemed “competent” and “authentic” by Albany agents. After the IIR’s recall, the source was reinterviewed, and their information was partially corroborated, with the source expressing “very, very high confidence” in the allegations. Despite this, FBI Headquarters, led by the Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF), declined to reissue the report, citing concerns about its “authoritativeness” and potential disinformation.
Adding to the intrigue, the FBI’s decision came shortly after U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized nearly 20,000 fraudulent driver’s licenses at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in 2020, many originating from China and Hong Kong. While it’s unclear if these seizures directly relate to the alleged election scheme, the timing raises questions.
Calls for Reform and Transparency
The declassified documents have sparked renewed calls to rebuild trust in the FBI. Grassley praised Director Patel’s efforts to promote transparency, stating, “Director Patel’s willingness to work with me to establish renewed transparency and accountability is a critical part of that process.” Patel himself has vowed to restore public confidence in the FBI, emphasizing the release of thousands of pages of counterintelligence documents.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino echoed this sentiment on X, saying, “We understand we need to rebuild your trust in the FBI and learn from past mistakes. That’s why we’re continuing to release as much as we can to the public.”
What’s Next?
The implications of these revelations remain uncertain. Grassley’s office has not indicated whether further hearings will be called to address the allegations or question Wray, Patel, or whistleblowers. However, the documents highlight serious concerns about the FBI’s handling of intelligence and its susceptibility to political pressures.
As the nation grapples with these findings, one thing is clear: rebuilding trust in the FBI will require unflinching transparency and a commitment to prioritizing national security over institutional self-preservation. For now, the public awaits answers about whether the 2020 election was truly secure—and whether the FBI’s actions protected or undermined democracy.
