Judge criticizes Justice Department’s handling of ex-FBI officials’ charges over Hunter Biden investigation
The magistrate judge said prosecutors improperly tried to add charges by filing an unsigned complaint without prior judicial approval.
- On Tuesday, Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui criticized Justice Department prosecutors for filing an unsigned, unsworn complaint against former FBI officials Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides without prior judicial approval.
- The criminal complaint alleges Floris and Benavides provided false testimony to Congress in 2023 about their roles in the Foreign Influence Task Force, specifically concerning the 'Round River' counterintelligence operation focused on Hunter Biden.
- Floris' legal team denounced the overnight filing as "outrageous government conduct," stating they had "never seen or even heard of something like this being filed" in their DOJ service combined.
- Attorneys for Floris and Benavides are expected to challenge the complaint's validity today, aiming to test whether the Justice Department can demonstrate probable cause for charges related to testimony given three years ago.
- Legal observers noted the timing of the complaint, filed near midterm elections, raises concerns about potential political motivation, as federal guidelines urge prosecutors to avoid sensitive investigative steps before elections.
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Trump revenge case rocked by FBI agent’s admission it was seen as ‘witch hunt’: report
A federal investigator's courtroom testimony cast an unflattering new light on the Trump administration's prosecution of two former FBI officials. FBI agent Bryan Witt acknowledged in federal court on Tuesday that the case against ex-FBI officials Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides was commonly regarded inside his office as a "witch hunt," Politico reported.Floris' attorney Margaret Donovan asked Witt whether he had ever used that phrase to desc…
Judge criticizes Justice Department’s handling of ex-FBI officials’ charges over Hunter Biden investigation
A federal magistrate judge criticized the Justice Department (DOJ) during a lengthy hearing on Tuesday for attempting to tack on new charges overnight in a case against two former FBI officials accused of lying to Congress about their knowledge regarding the federal investigation into Hunter Biden’s laptop ahead of the 2020 election. “Why today on…
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