Grassley Says FBI Fabricated ‘Round River’ Classification, FBI Director Confirms
Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley claimed the FBI invented a “Round River” classification to hide documents about a Biden-family probe, and FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged the classification was fake.
In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chairman Chuck Grassley warned that FBI agents in Washington had mis-classified documents using a bogus “Round River” banner, allegedly to suppress information about a Biden-family investigation. Kash Patel, the FBI director, verified that the “Round River” label does not exist in any official classification system and was essentially made up. He disclosed that the bureau is conducting an internal inspection of the agents who introduced the false code and is producing thousands of pages of related records for the committee.
Patel also addressed the use of “prohibited-access” case files, stating they were created to evade FOIA disclosure and have now been removed. The director pledged ongoing cooperation with the Senate to provide any remaining documents hidden under that system. Grassley emphasized that the inquiry remains open and that the FBI has not yet concluded whether all allegations have been fully investigated.
Why it matters
It reveals possible misuse of FBI classification tools that could affect oversight of a politically sensitive investigation.
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