FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate is facing criticism for highlighting Thomas Matthew Crooks’ alleged right-wing social media activity while ignoring his more recent pro-Biden posts. Abbate’s testimony has led to accusations of politically motivated bias in presenting Crooks’ online history.
Abbate testified before a Senate hearing, focusing on an account linked to Crooks that posted antisemitic and anti-immigrant content in 2019 and 2020, when Crooks was 14 and 15. “Some of these comments, if ultimately attributable to the shooter, appear to reflect antisemitic and anti-immigration themes,” Abbate stated, noting the lack of other information about Crooks’ motives.
In contrast, Gab CEO Andrew Torba revealed details about another account, “EpicMicrowave,” which the FBI also linked to Crooks. This account posted pro-Biden content, supporting Biden’s COVID lockdowns and immigration policies. “As of 2021, Crooks was a pro-lockdown, pro-immigration, left-wing Joe Biden supporter,” Torba wrote on X.
The FBI’s Emergency Disclosure Request (EDR) to Gab for the EpicMicrowave account indicates the bureau believed the account was connected to Crooks. However, Torba could not confirm the account’s ownership, as it was only briefly active in early 2021.
During the hearing, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) questioned Abbate about the pro-Biden account. Abbate admitted he had not reviewed it personally but acknowledged that the account appeared to support pro-immigration and pro-lockdown views.
Blackburn criticized Abbate for omitting this information. “That was an earlier social media account. We still don’t know the platform or the user name,” she remarked.
Abbate’s selective testimony has drawn suspicion, given his past actions. In 2023, a whistleblower accused him of threatening employees who questioned the FBI’s handling of the January 6th investigation. This background has added to the skepticism surrounding Abbate’s recent testimony, with critics accusing him of trying to manipulate the narrative for political purposes.
