DOJ charges two ex-FBI officials over allegedly lying about Hunter Biden probe testimony
Allegations in congressional testimony
The criminal complaint concerns testimony about the FBI’s investigation involving Hunter Biden’s laptop. A statement of facts alleges that Floris made false statements to Congress on July 19, 2023, and Benavides did so on Sept. 28, 2023.
The filing says the alleged false statements concerned the officials’ awareness of involvement in FBI investigations into Hunter Biden. It does not provide further detail about the statements in the material reported here.
Questions over charging decision
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., brought the charges in a criminal complaint based on allegations dating back three years. The decision was described as highly unusual, and defense attorneys questioned it.
Magistrate Judge Faruqui also raised concerns during Friday’s hearing, when the case was unsealed. He rejected prosecutors’ request to postpone the preliminary hearing by two weeks or longer.
Timing draws scrutiny
The politically charged case became public about two weeks before the midterm election. That timing may prompt questions from Justice Department veterans, given that the congressional testimony occurred more than three years earlier.
Key points
- Floris and Benavides face charges tied to their 2023 congressional testimony about Hunter Biden investigations.
- The allegations concern what the former officials knew about their involvement in FBI investigations.
- The case was unsealed about two weeks before the midterm election.
- A magistrate judge questioned the charging approach and refused to delay the preliminary hearing.