June 05, 2024

Manchin Questions FBI Director On Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Implementation, Weaponization Of Judicial System

Washington, DC – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray on ensuring implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and protecting against the weaponization of the judicial system.

On ensuring implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act:

“I want to thank you for coming in 2023 to our Clarksburg, West Virginia FBI Center, which performs the background checks authorized by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. One of my concerns is making sure you have the necessary funds to enact the law properly so that we can continue to protect the American people against those who want weapons for the wrong reasons. That shouldn’t happen if we can do background checks properly. If there is additional help you need, please let me know,” Senator Manchin said in part.

Senator Manchin voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in June 2022 and hosted Director Wray at the Clarksburg facility in January 2023.

On protecting against the weaponization of the judicial system:

“I also want to talk about the attacks on our judicial system. We have the rule of law in our great country…People have to understand the checks and balances we have and the rule of law,” Senator Manchin continued. “If we lose the rule of law and faith in the judicial system, then we’ve lost America as we know it – do you share these concerns?”

Last night, Senator Manchin joined CNN’s Wolf Blitzer to discuss the importance of preventing the weaponization of the American judicial system.

A video of Senator Manchin’s questioning can be found here.