Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after receiving what will be the first of multiple briefings that she has demanded on the FBI’s internal review of the 2018 Schoharie limo crash that she secured and called for full transparency for the families still grieving.
“Today’s House Intelligence Committee briefing is a first step in the right direction, but, importantly, it is only the start of this critical process towards full transparency for Congress and, most importantly, for the families tragically impacted.
“After today’s briefing, I have serious concerns about the FBI’s confidential human source program’s standard operating procedures in this case, and grieving families deserve to be updated by the FBI, so they can have full and much-needed transparency.
“At the end of the briefing, I requested and demanded that families receive this briefing from the FBI next month, and my office will be following up with an official public letter to the FBI on these necessary next steps.
“The FBI officials confirmed that both the FBI’s internal review and this House Intelligence Committee briefing were only conducted because of my questions to FBI Director Wray and my office’s oversight work and continued advocacy demanding transparency at the highest levels to give these families the answers they deserve.
“Just as I reminded FBI Director Wray publicly, it is the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence with our Constitutionally-directed oversight role, not the FBI, that determines full compliance on this matter. I will continue to pursue this needed transparency and use my full oversight authority over the FBI to ensure the full transparency that Director Wray publicly promised me earlier this month.”
In March 2022, Stefanik publicly questioned Director Wray on the FBI’s involvement in the crash at the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence’s hearing. She followed up with a letter demanding answers regarding the FBI’s involvement with 2018 Schoharie limousine crash. Following this advocacy, Stefanik announced the FBI opened an internal investigation of the limo crash. In June, Stefanik continued her oversight and requested a timeline for the FBI’s review, a copy of the completed review, and any findings and recommendations.
During her public questioning of Wray in March 2023, Stefanik announced that the FBI will present the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence its report from the investigation into the FBI’s involvement in the Schoharie limo crash. She got Wray to commit to full transparency with this briefing.
