Watch Live: FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies at hearing on Trump shooting
Washington — FBI Director Christopher Wray is the next law enforcement official to face grilling by House lawmakers following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Wray is testifying before the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday about the FBI's investigation into the July 13 shooting at Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
In a letter to Wray last week, GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the committee's chairman, said there are "several unanswered questions about the failures that led to the attempted assassination of a president — the first in over 40 years — as well as the FBI's ability to conduct a rapid, transparent, and thorough investigation in the wake of its recent scandals."
The FBI, which is investigating the shooting as a potential act of domestic terrorism, has not yet determined the gunman's motive.
The security failures that enabled the gunman to get on a nearby rooftop, where he fired several shots toward Trump, led to the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Tuesday. One rally attendee was killed, two were critically wounded, and Trump was injured when a bullet grazed his ear.
Cheatle testified to the House Oversight Committee a day earlier, promising accountability and calling the attack the "most significant operational failure" for the Secret Service in decades. She declined to answer questions about the gunman's actions leading up to the attack, citing the FBI's ongoing investigation.
Here's the latest from the hearing with Wray:
Nadler "unequivocally" condemns shooting but rips Republicans for heated rhetoric
Nadler, the Judiciary Committee's top Democrat, delivered his own opening statement by noting that while he disagrees with Trump on nearly every issue, he denounces the shooting at his rally in Pennsylvania.
"I unequivocally and unabashedly condemn with every fiber of my being the attempt against his life," he said. "This was not just an attack on a man, but an attack on our democracy. Political violence erodes the very foundations of our nation."
The New York Democrat listed off recent violence targeting political leaders and said the attempted assassination of Trump should not be a surprise. He went on to accuse Republicans of continuing to use heated rhetoric, even in the wake of the shooting, and criticized his GOP colleagues for remaining silent about those comments.
Nadler apologized to Wray and said instead of supporting the FBI in its work, some Republicans have targeted the bureau and its agents and called for it to be defunded.
"It is despicable, especially from the party that claims to back the blue," he said.
Jordan wants transparency from Wray on questions about assassination attempt
In his opening statement, Jordan raised questions about the assassination attempt against Trump, including about Secret Service resources for the former president; what took place from the time Crooks, the shooter, was identified on the roof and when Trump was rushed off the stage; and why the former president was allowed to take the stage at the rally when Crooks had already been deemed suspicious by law enforcement.
"We need to know what happened play by play, moment by moment, second by second, the communications that took place during that critical five minutes," Jordan said.
He urged Wray to be transparent with the committee and the country.
"A significant portion of the country has a healthy skepticism" about the FBI's ability to conduct an open and transparent investigation, Jordan said, criticizing the Justice Department under President Biden.
Committee hearing kicks off with Jordan and Nadler remembering Sheila Jackson Lee
The Judiciary Committee's oversight hearing convened just after 10 a.m. with an opening statement from Jordan.
The Ohio Republican opened the hearing paying homage to Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, who died Friday.
"She was just a pleasant spirit who we all enjoyed," Jordan said.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, the top Democrat on the committee, also offered remarks remembering Lee.
"We're better for having known her and the American people are better for having her in their corner for all these years," he said.
How to watch the FBI director's testimony
What: FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies about the bureau's investigation into the Trump assassination attempt
Date: Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. ET
Location: Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C.
Online stream: Live on CBS News in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device
Trump shooting investigations
There are several inquiries underway by Congress, law enforcement and federal agencies into the attempted assassination.
In addition to the FBI's criminal investigation, the Department of Homeland Security's internal watchdog and Secret Service are examining the security failures that allowed the attack to occur. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has also appointed an independent panel to review the shooting.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are creating a bipartisan task force to look into what went wrong and make recommendations to prevent such an attack from ever happening again.
A handful of other congressional inquiries are also taking place.
Republicans have hostile relationship with FBI
Republicans on the committee have had a hostile relationship with the FBI in recent years, claiming the bureau has been weaponized for political purposes.
Wray clashed with Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee in a contentious hearing last year over the bureau's role in investigating Trump and alleged efforts to suppress conservative viewpoints.
"The idea that I am biased against conservatives seems somewhat insane to me given my own personal background," Wray, a registered Republican who was appointed by Trump, said in response to accusations he has used the FBI to target conservatives.