Judge tosses case against two officials accused of lying about Hunter Biden

The two FBI agents were charged with making false statements to Congress while testifying about the bureau’s role in investigating Biden’s laptop…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/02/judge-tosses-case-fbi-hunter-biden

 

Judge tosses charges against former FBI officials accused of lying to Congress over Hunter Biden probe - POLITICO

In a ruling from the bench, U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui condemned the Justice Department’s case as rushed and overtly political…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/02/judge-tosses-charges-fbi-hunter-biden-01145074

 

Judge slams DOJ in ex-FBI officials’ false-statement case - POLITICO

“The evidence is mounting that this prosecution is about some political football and not the law and not the facts,” said Mary Dohrmann, an attorney for Floris…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/27/FBI-officials-charges-case-hunter-biden

 

DOJ charges 2 former FBI officials with lying to Congress over Hunter Biden probe - POLITICO

Federal prosecutors said Floris testified that she was not involved in the Hunter Biden investigation and had no personal knowledge of him being discussed at the task force. But they allege she participated in briefings and exchanged messages that concern updates on the investigation, including about Hunter Biden’s laptop, according to a court document unsealed Friday. 

 Prosecutors also allege Benavides lied about his participation in meetings about the Hunter Biden investigation and his knowledge about the laptop. Benavides said in his 2023 testimony that he learned about the FBI’s possession of the laptop from Wikipedia while preparing for the testimony…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/23/fbi-officials-hunter-biden-charges-01133980

 

Turns Out Signing the Hunter Biden Letter Was a Bad Idea - The Atlantic

In a separate and remarkably spiteful action, Trump rescinded Secret Service protection for Bolton, former Trump State department official Brian Hook, and former Secretary of State and CIA director, Michael Pompeo. The FBI has accused Iran of trying to kill all three men. Trump often expresses his distaste for those who tried to give direction and discipline to his first term. It is nonetheless shocking to see him come to power and, as one of his first acts, ensure that if Iranian assassins wish to take out his former advisers, they'll soon have a cleaner shot. Americans who work in national security assume that the government will protect them against vengeance from terrorists, no matter what. They now have reason to believe that this protection is a conditional perk, like a nice parking space, that can be taken away for talking smack on CNN...

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/01/john-bolton-security-clearances-trump/681418/

 

Key Republican source who lied to the FBI about the Bidens receives prison sentence

"A former FBI informant who fabricated a story about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter accepting bribes that became central to Republicans' impeachment effort was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison. Alexander Smirnov pleaded guilty last month in Los Angeles federal court to tax evasion and lying to the FBI about the phony bribery scheme in what prosecutors say was an effort to influence the outcome of the 2020 presidential election."

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/key-republican-source-lied-fbi-bidens-receives-prison-sentence-rcna186973

Former FBI informant pleads guilty to fabricating Biden claims

Smirnov had relayed to the FBI that the head of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma told him he had paid both President Biden and his son Hunter Biden $5 million. The claims were false but became central to a House GOP probe of the Bidens. 

In court documents, Smirnov admitted to providing "false derogatory information" about the president and his son…

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5042424-ex-informant-pleads-guilty-federal-charges/

Key Republican source, accused of lying about the Bidens, pleads guilty

"A former F.B.I. informant accused of fabricating a claim that President Biden and his son Hunter were each paid a $5 million bribe by a Ukrainian oligarch has agreed to plead guilty to a range of federal charges, according to a court filing on Thursday. Alexander Smirnov, a profiteer, fixer and gossip based in Las Vegas, reached a deal with the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Hunter Biden, David C. Weiss, that could lead to 48 to 72 months in prison, according to the filing in federal court in California."

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/key-republican-source-accused-lying-bidens-pleads-guilty-rcna183988

WaPo’s Aaron Blake on The Transition (Al Franken podcast)

As we move closer to the second Trump administration, we are learning more about his incoming Cabinet. 

Aaron Blake, senior political reporter and author/host of The Campaign Moment newsletter and podcast for the Washington Post joins us to discuss some of Trump’s Cabinet picks and their struggles to be confirmed. 

Also, the American people seem to overwhelmingly want a check on Trump’s power. What will that look like with an administration that believes it has a mandate? 

Plus, we break down Hunter Biden’s pardon and how that might impact Joe Biden’s legacy.

Interview: 

https://www.alfranken.com/listen/wapos-aaron-blake-on-the-transition

‘It’s a Sad Statement About Where We Are’: A Pardon Expert Explains Biden’s Decision to Pardon His Son - POLITICO

"The first point is that Donald Trump is promising to use the Department of Justice and the FBI for political vengeance, and he has taken steps in that direction with his nominees for FBI director and attorney general. So it's fair for Biden to be concerned that there will be a bullseye on his son's back. I think we're going to see a very different Justice Department under Donald Trump — one we've never seen before — so I see Biden's decision as reactive to the unprecedented nature of Donald Trump's promises for the next administration. 

The second point is that pardons are, in theory, based on mercy and fairness. Hunter Biden was convicted by a jury of lying on a gun application about his addiction that he had spiraled into after the death of his brother from brain cancer. Even the likes of Lindsey Graham have said that that's not the kind of crime that would typically be brought against anyone unless they were being singled out in this way. Given that — and also given the fact the tax crimes in California occurred in a small number of years under which he was struggling with addiction — Hunter Biden in theory falls within the category of someone who might satisfy the criteria for a pardon, notwithstanding his relationship with his father…"

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/12/03/hunter-biden-pardon-constitution-00192311

White House press secretary explains Biden pardon

The president said "he wrestled with this and, because he believes in the justice system, but he also believes that the raw politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice," Jean-Pierre said, per NBC News.

https://www.axios.com/2024/12/02/biden-pardon-white-house

Joe Biden pardons his son Hunter Biden - The Washington Post

In a lengthy statement on Sunday night, released just as he was preparing to depart for Africa, the president said that his son had been "being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted." He said that he did not interfere with the cases but that the cases were brought about because of political pressure on federal prosecutors. 

"No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter's cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong," he said. "There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they've tried to break me — and there's no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/12/01/hunter-biden-pardon/

JD Vance suffers ultimate humiliate on national TV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_h12ISYncc

Musk’s X blocks Vance dossier, drawing parallels to Hunter Biden controversy - The Washington Post

The platform blocked a journalist from sharing a purported research document on the candidate, mirroring its past controversy...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/09/27/musk-vance-dossier-hunter-biden-x-twitter/

Hunter Biden's Tax case comes to a SUDDEN END

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_xNCFNaPk4

Really Awesome. (Allison Gill and Pete Strzok; Cleanup on Aisle 45 podcast episode #177)

This week:

• We have new indictments in Wisconsin relating to the fraudulent electors scheme. 
• We also have updates in Arizona and Fulton County. 
• Alex Jones has asked the court for permission to liquidate his assets.  
• Bannon has to report to prison by July 1st. 
• Trump wants his gag order in Manhattan lifted. 
• Plus, Hunter Biden’s trial has concluded.

Interview: 

https://www.podbean.com/ew/dir-kgpxm-1f251afa

Hunter Biden’s conviction: Takeaways for politics and the rule of law - Vox

Prosecutors showed Joe Biden's son isn't above the law. But there's a complication to this story...

https://www.vox.com/politics/354842/hunter-biden-guilty-politics-david-weiss

Republicans push conspiracy theories after Hunter Biden verdict

Rightwing politicians repeat unfounded theories that gun trial verdict is a 'distraction' from worse Biden crimes…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/11/hunter-biden-guilty-verdict-reaction

Trump’s FOX PUPPETS Finally Have their STRINGS EXPOSED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmYkdd0_NV0

GOP’s Hunter Biden hearing erupts into bickering, accusations

"When I was arrested, my original indictment linked me to an individual referred to as unindicted co-conspirator 1. We know now this individual to be Congressman Pete Sessions, who sits on this very committee," he said..

https://www.axios.com/2024/03/20/house-republicans-hunter-biden-hearing-parnas