On Wednesday, CBS Mornings and the CBS Evening News saw no reason to cover its own scoop from Tuesday night in which chief investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge revealed there are more whistleblowers coming forward to allege misconduct in the federal investigation of Hunter Biden. Instead, it was buried in the form of a brief on CBS News Streaming’s CBS News Mornings.
And, for what its worth, its corresponding newscasts on ABC and NBC also saw fit to complete ignore another development in the long, winding tale of alleged Biden family corruption.
Herridge revealed that “[m]ultiple Justice Department whistleblowers have come forward to Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley as part of his ongoing investigation into the Biden family business practices, according to three sources familiar with the matter, including a former Justice Department tax official.”
She added their sources “raised concerns about the Hunter Biden investigation, with allegations including ‘irregular handling’ of evidence and a claim that ‘standard investigatory procedures were not being followed,’ allegedly hindering the probe's progress.”
Adding further concern was the allegation that the FBI seemed to have taken a page out of the liberal media’s playbook in “wrongly label[ing]” “derogatory evidence” against Hunter Biden “as disinformation” and restricted access to such information that “FBI investigators” were barred “from reviewing it.”
Herridge later explained this stemmed from an FBI form Grassley and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) had been seeking that they believe details “an alleged criminal scheme” between Joe Biden “and a foreign national relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions.”
Ahead of a phone call Wednesday afternoon between Comer and FBI Director Chris Wray, the FBI had maintained it won’t turn over the document because doing so would harm “the integrity of the entire criminal justice process and...the fulfillment of our law enforcement duties” to “avoid revealing information...that could harm investigations.”
That phone call also didn’t receive the light of the day on ABC, CBS and NBC. In contrast, the call had a full segment on the Fox News Channel’s flagship PM newscast, Special Report.
After a lead-in from fill-in host Gillian Turner, Justice correspondent David Spunt explained that “[t]he high-stakes phone call took place at 1:30 Eastern time” with Wray instructing Comer “he can see the document he is requesting, but...[h]e has to view it in a secure location at the FBI headquarters” and thus not at the Capitol.
Spunt also had statements from both sides (click “expand”):
Comer said in a statement this afternoon: “We have been clear that anything short of producing these documents to the House Oversight Committee is not in compliance with the subpoena.” The FBI has previously indicated it would not physically turn over the document because, Gillian, it could expose sources and methods and important information. Comer says he wants it without that stipulation. He stated he’s going to move forward with the threat of holding FBI Director Wray in contempt of Congress.
We just got a statement from the FBI. I want to read part of it: “The FBI has continually demonstrated its commitment to working with the committee to accommodate its request from scheduling briefings and calls to now allowing the Chair to review information in person. The FBI is committed to cooperating with the committee in good faith.”
Instead of giving this attention, both newscasts hyped a viral video of a woman inadvertently launching her car off the ramp of a flatbed tow truck last week during a chase in Georgia. On the morning show, they celebrated lefty, non-binary comedian Hannah Gadby. And, in the evening, CBS had a brief on Dolly Parton adding three more entries to the Guinness Book of World Records.
To see the relevant FNC transcript from May 31, click “expand.”
FNC’s Special Report with Bret Baier
May 31, 2023
6:19- p.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: The Biden Investigations; High Stakes; Wray Speaks by Phone with Lawmakers on Document Demand]
GILLIAN TURNER: Well, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee and FBI Director Christopher Wray are still at odds this hour over a form that alleges President Biden engaged in bribery scheme while serving as vice president. There was some progress, if minor, made today, but not enough for the GOP. Correspondent David Spunt has the latest from the Justice Department tonight. Hi, David.
DAVID SPUNT: Hi, Gillian, good evening. The high stakes phone call took place at 1:30 Eastern time about five hours ago. FBI Director Christopher Wray told House Oversight Chairman James Comer he can see the document he is requesting, but there is a catch. He has to view it in a secure location at the FBI headquarters. He’s not going to get it in-person on Capitol Hill. It's a standard FBI form called a 1023. It's used across the bureau when someone comes to an agent and wants to make an allegation or give a tip. A 1023 may prove true. It may also not.
ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: The Biden Investigations; House Subpoena; FBI Requiring Document Be Seen Only in Secure Locations]
This specific document allegedly contains a claim that then-Vice President Biden accepted a bribe for a policy decision. Comer said in a statement this afternoon: “We have been clear that anything short of producing these documents to the House Oversight Committee is not in compliance with the subpoena.” The FBI has previously indicated it would not physically turn over the document because, Gillian, it could expose sources and methods and important information. Comer says he wants it without that stipulation. He stated he’s going to move forward with the threat of holding FBI Director Wray in contempt of Congress. We just got a statement from the FBI.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: The Biden Investigations; Document Demands; Comer Threatens Wray With Contempt of Congress]
I want to read part of it: “The FBI has continually demonstrated its commitment to working with the committee to accommodate its request from scheduling briefings and calls to now allowing the Chair to review information in person. The FBI is committed to cooperating with the committee in good faith.” Gillian?
TURNER: All right, David Spunt at the DOJ for us tonight. Thank you.
SPUNT: Thanks.
