Lawyers question case against ex-FBI officials over Hunter Biden probe
Summary
Defense lawyers challenged the evidence and investigative methods in the case accusing former FBI officials Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides of lying to Congress about their roles in Hunter Biden investigations. A magistrate judge struck a later complaint that added obstruction charges and said he would review the original allegations statement by statement for probable cause.Key Facts
- The case alleges that Floris and Benavides made false statements to the House Judiciary Committee about their involvement in FBI investigations related to Hunter Biden.
- FBI agent Bryan Witt testified that investigators did not interview Floris or congressional staff members with direct knowledge of the officials’ testimony.
- Witt acknowledged that Steve Castor, a key House Judiciary Committee staffer, was not present for the testimony and had not reviewed its transcript.
- Defense lawyers argued that some committee questions did not specify which of several Hunter Biden investigations they referred to.
- Prosecutors initially charged the pair through a criminal complaint rather than a grand jury indictment.
- Prosecutors filed an unsigned, unsworn complaint seeking to add obstruction-of-Congress charges shortly before the hearing.
- Judge Zia Faruqui struck the later complaint, saying it lacked proper judicial review, but allowed the hearing on the original complaint to continue.
- Faruqui said he planned to examine each alleged false statement to determine whether probable cause exists.
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