House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has announced his intent to personally engage with the FBI to demand a controversial document from Director Chris Wray. The document allegedly connects President Biden to a criminal scheme that took place during his tenure as vice president.

McCarthy voiced his intentions to reporters on Thursday after the passage of an expansive immigration bill in the House, as reported by the Daily Times.

"Congress is entitled to that knowledge through checks and balances and oversight. I am determined to converse with Director Wray to ensure this," McCarthy stated.  This statement was made following last week's revelation by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Rep. James Comer (KY-01) about a whistleblower who made startling claims regarding a document allegedly tying President Biden to a criminal bribery scheme with a foreign entity.

Alleged Document's Details and Non-Compliance with Subpoena

The controversial document, an internal FD-1023 form, allegedly describes a deal involving the exchange of money for policy decisions, according to Republican representatives. Lawmakers issued a subpoena to FBI Director Christopher Wray, demanding the document be delivered by noon on May 10, a deadline which was not met.

Upon passing the deadline, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, James Comer, accused the FBI of deliberately withholding the document from his committee. "The FBI's stance is 'trust, but don't verify,' which is unacceptable. We plan to follow up with the FBI and expect compliance with the subpoena," Comer stated.

FBI's Response and McCarthy's Intent

Although the FBI did not provide the document, they proposed an accommodation process that seems to verify its existence, according to Grassley. The response letter from the FBI to the top Republicans only raises additional questions, including whether the FBI has an active investigation based on these allegations.

McCarthy also expressed his plan to call the FBI director during an interview with Fox & Friends. "I'm going to call Director Wray today because we have oversight of the FBI. We have the right. Comer is merely following information that he has found," he said.

Concerns Over FBI Withholding Information

McCarthy continued, "We oversee the FBI. If at any point the FBI thinks they can withhold information from Congress, we have a serious problem." However, whether the planned call between McCarthy and Wray occurred is unclear.

In response to the claims, the FBI confirmed that it had provided a response to the Republicans but disputed Grassley's assertion that it validates the existence of the specific document claimed by the whistleblower.

An FBI spokesperson explained that an FD-1023 form is used by FBI agents to document unverified reporting by a confidential human source, and documenting the information does not necessarily mean it is validated, credible or weighed against other verified information by the FBI, NewYork Post reported.

Repercussions of Revealing Unverified Information

According to the FBI, releasing unverified or incomplete information could damage investigations, prejudice prosecutions or judicial proceedings, unfairly violate privacy or reputations, create misconceptions in public, or potentially identify individuals who provide information to law enforcement, thereby risking their physical safety.

The subpoena for the document marks a significant update in the Republican 'influence-peddling' probe into the Biden family, extending to President Biden's grandchildren.

White House Responds to GOP's Subpoena

Ian Sams, the White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations, labelled the GOP's subpoena for the document as unfounded and politically motivated. Sams asserted that Republicans in Congress have been launching baseless politically-motivated attacks against President Biden for nearly half a decade without providing evidence to support their claims.

Sams also emphasized President Biden's unprecedented level of transparency, highlighting his release of 25 years of tax returns to the American public.

Accusations Against the Biden Family

The House Oversight Committee, on the other hand, has accused ten members of the Biden family, including Hunter and Hallie Biden, of engaging in questionable business deals that allegedly profited from their family name. The committee released a new memo on Wednesday outlining the Biden family's alleged connections to Romanian influence peddling and a network of LLCs established during Biden's vice presidency.

The memo also criticizes President Biden for a perceived lack of transparency regarding his family's receipt of funds from China, a claim he denied as untrue.

Claims of Concealment

The document further details alleged efforts by the Biden family to obscure, hide, and confusing sources of income, including additional funds from China, according to a committee aide. "The White House refuses to correct the president's statement. The president is now using the federal government to run interference for his family and his own role in these schemes," said Comer during a press conference announcing the memo.