WATCH: FBI Director Confirms Brett Kavanaugh Tips Were Turned Over To Trump White House

“Hundreds of phone calls” were rolling in, FBI Director Christopher Wray says, with allegations and information regarding Brett Kavanaugh, who was, at the time, a Supreme Court nominee. The FBI handled these by separating them from “regular” tips, and handing them straight over to the White House and President Donald Trump, without investigation.

During a Senate Judiciary oversight hearing, Wray answered a variety of questions about the FBI’s operations, including a series from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) regarding the nomination and confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh — and the allegations that poured in about him.

Whitehouse wants answers on a few main points: Is it true that the FBI funneled reports to the White House without investigating, and is it true that when the background investigation for Kavanaugh’s confirmation did begin, the White House was allowed to direct questioning, and what witnesses could be called?

Watch below as Wray confirms that most of this is true, and all may be true.

Sen. Whitehouse grills Director Wray's about how the FBI handled its sham investigation into Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation process pic.twitter.com/IrfFrbYQEO

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 4, 2022

“When the hundreds of calls started coming in, we gathered those up, reviewed them, and provided them to the White House,” Wray explains.

When pressed, he affirms that these were passed on without further investigation. As for whether the White House was allowed to give direction on the background investigation, Wray confirms that the White House was allowed control of what witnesses would be questioned, but says he’s not certain whether input was given on what questions would be allowed.

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Senator Whitehouse pointed out on his social media later that this gave the Trump Administration a lot of leeway to direct the FBI away from witnesses who could corroborate the allegations against their nominee.

Here’s a thought: nothing prevented Trump White House from using FBI tip line information to direct FBI investigation away from percipient or corroborating witnesses.

— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) August 4, 2022