Tuesday morning news: June 6, 2023

Contempt hearing planned for Wray » FBI Director Christopher Wray is facing contempt of Congress charges this week for defying a subpoena and not handing over an FBI whistleblower document.

Wray on Monday allowed House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and the top Demcorat on the panel, Jamie Raskin, to view that document. Comer said the record could implicate President Biden in a scandal from his time a vice president.

JAMES COMER: It suggests a pattern of bribery, where payments will be made through shell accounts and multiple banks. There's a term for that. It's called money laundering.

While Wray won’t turn over the document, Raskin says he feels being allowed to read it is enough.

JAMIE RASKIN: I’m just surprised that my colleagues want to try to litigate this in public, much less hold the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in contempt.

But Comer says the record is not classified, and the bureau has a legal obligation to hand it over. He will start contempt proceedings on Thursday.

A contempt conviction could result in a fine of up to $100,000 and up to a year in jail, but that would require a Justice Dept. prosecution, which is highly unlikely.

James Comey effectively endorses Biden » Meantime, former FBI Director James Comey just offered what some see as his political endorsement of President Biden.

In an interview with NBC, he told former Biden Press Secretary Jen Psaki:

JAMES COMEY: The president must be someone who abides the law and our Constitution. And there’s no one else but Joe Biden.

He suggested another Trump presidency would be dangerous for America.

While Comey is now a civilian, no longer in law enforcement, his remarks further fuel the concerns of some that the FBI was not politically objective under his leadership.

Pence » Former Vice President Mike Pence is officially a candidate for president, setting up a showdown with his former boss, Donald Trump.

Pence filed paperwork on Monday declaring his campaign, after days of unofficially campaigning in Iowa.

MIKE PENCE: When it comes to peace through strength, we made record investments in our national defense. And our armed forces took the fight to our enemies on our terms on their soil.

Pence is positioning himself as someone who can continue the policies of the Trump administration without the controversies that came with it.

The former vice president is expected to kick off his campaign in Des Moines on Wednesday on his 64th birthday.

Sununu not running » Meantime, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has ruled out a White House bid. And in fact, he called on candidates with—quote—“no path to victory” to drop out.

Sununu has been a vocal critic of former President Trump and warns that a crowded field could help deliver the GOP nomination to Trump, and that, he predicted, would lead to a fourth straight disappointing election for Republicans.

China-U.S.-India » The U.S. and India say they plan to work together to counter Chinese efforts to dominate the Indo-Pacific region.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin commented on a new multiyear military pact.

LLOYD AUSTIN: We discussed ways to increase information sharing as well as new initiatives to improve maritime cooperation, including the undersea domain.

The agreement will fast-track the sharing of technology and production of defense systems to end India’s dependence on Russia for military supplies.

India is the world’s largest arms importer and relies on Russia for nearly half its military equipment.

Afghanistan poisonings » Taliban officials are looking for the person who poisoned about 90 school girls and their teachers in Afghanistan over the weekend. WORLD’s Lauren Canterberry has more.

LAUREN CANTERBERRY: An education official says the girls became nauseous and reported difficulty breathing, vertigo, and headaches at the beginning of the school day.

Under Taliban rule, girls are only allowed to attend school until sixth grade, so most of those poisoned were 6 to 12 years old.

About half of the girls had left the hospital by Monday.

Earlier this year, thousands of students in Iran were poisoned with noxious fumes, but there has been no word on who was behind the incidents.

For WORLD, I’m Lauren Canterberry.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Main street consumers put Wall Street on notice ahead of Pride month. Plus, Revisiting Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel, Jane Eyre.

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