The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode: Justice Corrupted: FBI STILL Refuses to Take Accountability for Politicization
Release Date: March 1, 2023
Host: Ben Ferguson
Guest: Senator Ted Cruz
Platform: Premiere Networks

Introduction

In this compelling episode of The 47 Morning Update, Ben Ferguson hosts Senator Ted Cruz to delve deep into the ongoing controversies surrounding the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The primary focus revolves around allegations of the FBI's politicization, particularly in relation to the January 6th Capitol riot, the handling of informants, social media censorship, and the origins of COVID-19. Ferguson and Cruz present a critical examination of FBI Director Chris Wray's actions and responses, asserting that the agency has failed to maintain its integrity and impartiality.

FBI Director Chris Wray's Interview with Brett Baier

Inability to Address Informants on January 6th The episode begins with Senator Ted Cruz highlighting problematic responses from FBI Director Chris Wray during his interview with Brett Baier of Fox News.

• Lack of Transparency:

  • [00:33] Ben Ferguson: "Did the FBI have undercover agents or paid informants or assets among the mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6th?"
  • [00:43] Brett Baier: "Well, as I'm sure you can appreciate, Brett, I can't really appropriately talk about when, where and how we use confidential informants."

• Senator Cruz's Critique:

  • [01:35] Senator Cruz: "Are you satisfied with Director Wray's response?"
  • [01:35] Chris Wray: "Absolutely not. That was a ridiculous answer."

Accusations of Politicization Cruz and Ferguson accuse Wray of turning the FBI into a partisan tool, undermining its foundational principles.

• Ben Ferguson on Politicization:
  • [02:00] Ben Ferguson: "DOJ and the FBI have been profoundly politicized. In my book, Justice Corrupted, I detail how first Barack Obama and now Joe Biden have turned DOJ and the FBI into partisan tools they use to attack their enemies on January 6."

Critique of Chris Wray by Ben Ferguson and Senator Cruz

Personal Recollections and Professional Disappointment Ferguson shares his personal history with Chris Wray, expressing disappointment in Wray's leadership and decisions.

• [03:30] Ben Ferguson: "I've known Chris a long time. Chris is a good guy. He's a very smart lawyer. He's a very decent man. But I've been incredibly disappointed with the job Chris Wray has done as the head of the FBI."

Defense of FBI Agents vs. Public Accountability Ferguson criticizes Wray for prioritizing the defense of FBI agents over public accountability, especially concerning the January 6th investigation.

• [05:00] Ben Ferguson: "Chris is fundamentally a company man. He believes his job is to defend the FBI. But in doing so, he's protecting Democrat partisans who have corrupted the FBI."

January 6th Riot and FBI’s Role

Allegations of Informant Involvement A significant portion of the discussion centers on the FBI's potential use of informants in the January 6th Capitol riot and the subsequent lack of transparency.

• Ray Epps Controversy:

  • [11:22] Ted Cruz: "Ray Epps is a guy and a name that Everybody remembers from January 6th."
  • [12:37] FBI Official: "Who is Ray Epps?"
  • [13:13] Chris Wray: "Sir, I cannot answer that question."

• Implications of Non-Disclosure:

  • [13:35] Ben Ferguson: "The obvious inference from their refusal to answer that is yes, they had FBI informants that participated in the riots."

Consequences of FBI's Actions Ferguson discusses how FBI missteps, such as the handling of the Gretchen Whitmer plot, have damaged the agency's credibility.

• [06:53] Ted Cruz: "They played it up. I remember it being used by Democrats to attack Donald Trump."
• [07:21] Chris Wray: "These extremist groups were not particularly violent until FBI informants incited them."

FBI and Social Media Censorship

Hunter Biden Laptop Incident The episode scrutinizes the FBI's interaction with social media companies regarding the Hunter Biden laptop story, suggesting undue influence and suppression.

• FBI's Stance vs. Internal Actions:

  • [22:58] Ben Ferguson: "The Twitter files suggest something different."
  • [23:34] Brett Baier: "We don't tell social media companies to ban accounts."
  • [24:09] Chris Wray: "The FBI was repeatedly asking social media companies to censor stories they didn't like."

• Impact on the 2020 Election:

  • [25:00] Ben Ferguson: "The suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story had an enormous consequence on the 2020 election."

Criticism of Wray's Role in Censorship Ferguson argues that Wray's defense of the FBI's actions contributes to media and public distrust.

• [26:32] Ben Ferguson: "You would think as a law enforcement guy, right, we're supposed to be not political, but right and wrong. If you saw members of your organization writing these emails that are clearly politically biased, you would want to ensure that doesn't happen anymore."

COVID-19 Origins Debate

Wray's Acceptance of Lab Leak Theory Ferguson highlights a moment where Wray acknowledged the lab leak theory as the most likely origin of COVID-19, contrasting it with previous mainstream narratives.

• [35:41] Brett Baier: "The FBI has assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan."
• [36:19] Chris Wray: "The FBI under Joe Biden concluded that the most likely explanation for COVID-19 was that it escaped from a Chinese government lab."

Ben Ferguson's Position on COVID-19 Origins Ferguson contends that evidence supporting the lab leak theory has been dismissed or suppressed by mainstream media and authorities.

• [38:00] Ben Ferguson: "The Wuhan Institute for Virology is a Chinese government lab that studies coronaviruses. The proximity of the lab to the Wuhan Wet Market makes the lab leak theory highly plausible."

Conclusion and Call for Accountability

Ben Ferguson and Senator Cruz emphasize the urgent need for the FBI to adopt radical transparency and to disassociate from partisan influences to restore public trust. They call for accountability measures to ensure that the FBI operates within its intended nonpartisan framework, free from political manipulation.

• [33:34] Ben Ferguson: "The American people need to know. I think he's wrong in that."
• [20:11] Ben Ferguson: "We need to have accountability. We need to know."

Notable Quotes

• Ben Ferguson on FBI's Politicization:
  "[02:00] DOJ and the FBI have been profoundly politicized. In my book, Justice Corrupted, I detail how first Barack Obama and now Joe Biden have turned DOJ and the FBI into partisan tools."

• Senator Cruz on Wray's Transparency:
  "[01:35] Are you satisfied with Director Wray's response?"

• Chris Wray on January 6th Informants:
  "[13:13] Sir, I cannot answer that question."

• Ben Ferguson on Social Media Censorship:
  "[24:09] Chris Wray: The FBI was repeatedly asking social media companies to censor stories they didn't like."

• Chris Wray on COVID-19 Origin:
  "[36:19] The FBI under Joe Biden concluded that the most likely explanation for COVID-19 was that it escaped from a Chinese government lab."

Final Thoughts

This episode of The 47 Morning Update presents a thorough critique of the FBI's recent actions under Director Chris Wray, highlighting significant concerns about the agency's impartiality and transparency. By addressing issues from the January 6th Capitol riot to the origins of COVID-19, Ben Ferguson and Senator Ted Cruz advocate for a reinvigorated FBI that adheres strictly to nonpartisan law enforcement principles, ensuring the agency serves the American people with integrity and accountability.