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WASHINGTON – The F.B.I. Director Christopher A. Wray told legislators on Wednesday that the officers acted appropriately, while criticizing the fact that they should have conducted a more thorough investigation into the allegations of sexual abuse of which he was the victim. .
As part of a dramatic agreement to advance Justice Kavanaugh's appointment to the Senate two weeks ago, the White House has led the F.B.I. to conduct a narrow investigation of "specific scope," Wray told members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee at a hearing.
"This is consistent with the usual process for such investigations, which goes back a long way," he said.
Mr. Wray's remarks were his first public comment on the FBI's role in the background investigation, and he was cautious. Confirmed 14 months ago to replace dismissed James B. Comey, Mr. Wray attempted to retain the F.B.I. out of the reach of President Trump, who relentlessly attacked the Justice Department investigation into Russia's interference in the elections and questioned whether Trump's associates had conspired.
The hearing pushed Mr. Wray into a difficult situation. S & # 39; he said the F.B.I. could have done more, but was limited by the White House, Mr. Wray might have been perceived as criticizing the President or confirming the Democratic accusations that the White House was not interested in a close examination of the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh. If Mr. Wray said the F.B.I. If he had chosen not to conduct further interviews, he would have opened the office to intense criticism.
The background check was reopened in the midst of the fierce fight against the appointment of Judge Kavanaugh, a day after the first woman who accused him of assault, Christine Blasey Ford, testified for hours before the legislator. Dr. Blasey testified that Kavanaugh J. attempted to aggressively assault him while they were both teenagers.
Judge Kavanaugh vigorously denied her story and the allegations of two other women. One of them, Deborah Ramirez, stated that Judge Kavanaugh had been exposed to it during a night of drinking while they were both students at home. Yale. The third, Julie Swetnick, stated that Justice Kavanaugh committed sexual misconduct at parties at parties when he was a teenager.
Ask the F.B.I. To examine these accusations, Republican senators provided White House lawyers Donald F. McGahn II and Mr. Wray with a list of people to question and asked that the investigation be completed within a week. Democratic Senators opposed by ask F.B.I. "Perform all the logical steps related to these allegations".
The F.B.I. contacted 11 people and interviewed 10 people, including Ms. Ramirez, as part of this background check, without speaking to Mr. Blasey, Judge Kavanaugh or Ms. Swetnick, prompting an avalanche of criticism that the investigation the desk was poorly made. "The whole thing is a sham," said Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, last week.
Mr. Wray insisted that the investigation, run by the FBI Security Division and the White House Security Bureau, had followed the procedure. Asked by Senator Kamala Harris, California Democrat, Mr. Wray refused to say why Dr. Blasey and Judge Kavanaugh were not interviewed.
"Again, I would say that what I said at the beginning, that is to say, as usual, the investigation was very specific in scope, limited in scope, and that it was the usual process and that my staff had assured me that the usual process had been followed. Said Mr. Wray.
Ms. Harris also asked if the F.B.I. considered allegations that Judge Kavanaugh lied to Congress in his testimony. "This is not something I can discuss here," Wray said.
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