FBI officials are pressuring agents to “reclassify” cases as “domestic violent extremism” even if the cases don’t fit the criteria in an apparent effort to bolster the Biden administration’s claims that such cases are the “greatest threat” facing the U.S, new whistleblowers revealed this week.
In a letter to FBI Director Chris Wray, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, described how “brave whistleblowers” continue to reveal “disturbing conduct” at the bureau and called the latest disclosures “scandalous.”
“From recent protected disclosures, we have learned that FBI officials are pressuring agents to reclassify cases as ‘domestic violent extremism’ even if the cases do not meet the criteria for such a classification,” Jordan wrote. “Given the narrative pushed by the Biden administration that domestic violent extremism is the ‘greatest threat’ facing our country, revelation that the FBI may be artificially padding domestic terrorism data is scandalous.”
Rep. Jordan noted that Wray and other Biden administration officials previously testified that investigations into domestic violence extremism have “significantly” increased and the FBI has “doubled the amount of domestic terrorism investigations.”
Given the latest whistleblower revelations, Jordan asserted that the Biden administration’s narrative about domestic violence extremism “may be misleading.”
“We have received accusations that FBI agents are bolstering the number of cases of DVE’s [domestic violence extremists] to satisfy their superiors,” he wrote. “For example, one whistleblower explained that because agents are not finding enough DVE cases, they are encouraged and incentivized to reclassify cases as DVE cases even though there is minimal, circumstantial evidence to support the reclassification.”
“Another whistleblower—who led at least one high profile domestic terrorism investigation—stated that a field office Counterterrorism Assistant Special Agent in Charge and the FBI’s Director of the Counterterrorism Division have pressured agents to move cases into the DVE category to hit self-created performance metrics,” Jordan added. “According to whistleblowers, the FBI uses these metrics to dispense awards and promotions. Every whistleblower has called it an environment of ‘pressure’ within the FBI.”
Rep. Jordan said the allegations that the FBI is “padding” its domestic violent extremist data “cheapens actual examples of violent extremism.”
“This information also reinforces our concerns – about which we have written to you several times – regarding the FBI’s politicization under your leadership. As we have detailed, multiple whistleblowers have disclosed how the Biden FBI is conducting a ‘purge’ of FBI employees holding conservative views,” Jordan wrote. “You have ignored these concerns. It appears instead that the FBI is more focused on classifying investigations to meet a woke left-wing agenda.”
The congressman demanded Wray turn over documents relating to supposed cases of domestic violent extremism, as well as all communications between the FBI, Department of Justice, and the White House on domestic violent extremism.