Hunter Biden, the son of former US President Joe Biden/Image: AP
A US federal judge has dismissed criminal charges against two former FBI officials accused of making false statements to Congress about the investigation into a laptop belonging to Hunter Biden, citing serious flaws in the Justice Department’s handling of the case and concerns over its political timing.
The judge noted that the investigation began a day after President Donald Trump delivered a televised speech revisiting his grievances over the 2020 election. The Justice Department’s filing referred to a 2020 briefing given by Floris and Benavides to lawmakers.
“I will not bury my head in the sand and pretend that I cannot read a calendar,” the judge said. He also pointed to FBI Director Kash Patel’s involvement, saying the investigation had been mandated by Patel and closely monitored by him. Republican Senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin have alleged that the briefing was intended to undermine their investigation into the Biden administration and associate it with Russian disinformation.
He said he had not encountered such a procedure before. The Justice Department could still seek a grand jury indictment against the two former officials, according to the report. At a preliminary hearing last week, the judge also criticised prosecutors for submitting an amended complaint overnight that added another criminal charge without first obtaining the court’s approval. The judge’s dismissal does not necessarily end the case. However, the ruling marks a setback for prosecutors, particularly as the department has faced difficulties securing indictments in politically sensitive cases in Washington.
“What has transpired here cannot be described as anything other than weaponization,” Faruqui said during the hearing as cited by AP.