Washington — The internal watchdog for the government agency that manages federal properties is launching an investigation into the process behind the selection of a site in Maryland for the FBI's new headquarters, according to a letter released Thursday.
For years, the General Services Administration and FBI were considering three locations in Virginia and Maryland to replace the crumbling headquarters in downtown Washington, D.C. Lawmakers from both states lobbied heavily to bring the new building to their respective locations.
Earlier this month, the GSA announced that it had selected Greenbelt, Maryland, as the bureau's new home. The pick prompted an unusual public spat between the head of the agency and FBI Director Christopher Wray, who expressed concerns about the culmination of the yearslong process to select the site.
"I had hoped this message would include our enthusiastic support for the way GSA arrived at its selection," Wray wrote in an email to FBI employees reviewed by CBS News at the time. "Unfortunately, we have concerns about fairness and transparency in the process and GSA's failure to adhere to its own site selection plan."
The selection of the Maryland site also drew pushback from Virginia lawmakers. Democratic Sen. Mark Warner wrote to acting Inspector General Robert Erickson two weeks ago expressing his concerns about the process.
Responding to Warner on Thursday, Erickson wrote that the GSA's Office of the Inspector General is "initiating an evaluation of GSA's selection of the site," with the objective being "to assess the agency's process and procedures for the site selection to relocate the FBI Headquarters."
The fight over the new FBI headquarters
Wray — who was tapped to lead the FBI in 2017 — wrote in his message to bureau employees that he was concerned about "a potential conflict of interest involving the site selection authority and whether changes [the individual in charge] made in the final stage of the process adhered to the site selection criteria." The bureau's concerns about the process, he added, remained "unresolved."
GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan shot back in a public statement of her own, accusing Wray of making "inaccurate claims directed at our agency, our employees, and our site selection plans and process."
A statement from a spokesperson for the FBI defended the decision to choose Greenbelt, Maryland, as the location for a new headquarters, stating that any suggestion of inappropriate interference is unfounded. The spokesperson emphasized that the decision was made in accordance with the decision-making process, as well as all laws, regulations, and ethical considerations. They expressed support for the process, the decision, and the public servants involved.
During congressional testimony, it was revealed that the concerns raised by FBI Director Christopher Wray regarding the selection process were reviewed by the General Services Administration (GSA)'s legal counsel, who determined that they were without merit.
Members of Virginia's congressional delegation issued a statement welcoming the news of an inspector general's probe into the site selection process. They expressed agreement that an investigation is necessary, given the evidence suggesting political interference. The lawmakers called for a pause in all activities related to the relocation until the investigation is complete.
Following the public disagreement between Wray and the GSA administrator, Maryland Democratic Representative Steny Hoyer expressed disappointment in Wray's stance. Hoyer defended the decision to choose Greenbelt, highlighting its lower cost and proximity to public transportation as advantages over the proposed Virginia site.
The FBI did not provide an immediate response to CBS News' inquiry regarding the new inspector general's investigation. On the other hand, a GSA spokesperson stated that the agency is open to having their decision-making process for the FBI headquarters site selection reviewed, and they stand by their decision.
