WASHINGTON, D.C. (WWNY) – North country congresswoman Elise Stefanik continues to say the F.B.I. search of former President Donald Trump’s home this week is “Joe Biden’s Department of Justice and the FBI targeting his most likely presidential opponent in 2024.”
Stefanik’s comments on the program Fox And Friends came as the Washington Post reported F.B.I. agents searched for classified materials related to nuclear weapons.
Separately, the New York Times reported agents were after documents related to some of the most sensitive and highly classified programs the government runs, and that the search was only authorized after the failure of “less intrusive” efforts to retrieve the material.
While saying “it’s important to follow the facts wherever they lead,” Stefanik continued to say Friday that the search of former President Trump’s property was “over reach.”
Here’s the complete exchange between host Steve Doocy and Stefanik.
Doocy: “Apparently there was a national security concern about some of the documents allegedly at Mar-a-lago. That they were materials from, they were higher than top secret, they were classified higher than that. As you know, they’re called Special Access Programs. And apparently they’re related to nuclear weapons. We don’t know if they’re our weapons, we don’t know if they’re another country’s weapons, but if that is true, and they were just in the basement of Mar-a-Lago, that’s kind of a big deal.”
Stefanik: “Well certainly Steve there’s been a lot of, again, guesses and media reporting. We do not know the facts, which is why it’s important to follow the facts wherever they lead. And that’s why it’s important in our oversight role on the House Intelligence Committee, we continue to see the F.B.I. refuse to answer questions when they create controversy, when they over-reach. And that should never be the case – Congress has oversight over these agencies. We will ask those tough questions, but what I’ve found with Director Wray, even related to FBI controversies in my district, which led to a loss of life in a very deadly limousine crash, they’re refusing to respond to basic congressional outreach. That is not ok. These agencies are paid for by hard-working taxpayer dollars, and if you can do this to a former president of the United States, every American is fearful. But of course we will always protect national security and classified information. That is important, but the president has said, and it’s important to note Steve, that the president – when he was the sitting president – he had the right to declassify any information. So there’s going to be a lot more information here that comes out when we focus on the facts.”
There is no evidence, so far, that former President Trump declassified the documents taken by the F.B.I. this week.
The former president denied possessing nuclear weapons-related material Friday.
“Nuclear weapons issue is a Hoax, just like Russia, Russia, Russia was a Hoax, two Impeachments were a Hoax, the Mueller investigation was a Hoax, and much more. Same sleazy people involved,” Trump said on his social media platform, TruthSocial, Politico reported.
Stefanik attacked the F.B.I. during her appearance on Fox And Friends, saying “This is the same agency that perpetuated the Russia hoax for years. That tried to undermine this administration. And this is just blatant politicization and it should concern every American. I will tell you my constituents are deeply, deeply concerned about the politicization of the FBI and Biden’s DoJ.”
Republicans have said they’ll engage in aggressive oversight of the Department of Justice if – as expected – they retake control of the House of Representatives in November.
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