Sen. Grassley cited “highly credible” whistleblower.
QUICK FACTS:
- Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) cited a “highly credible” whistleblower who offered information that efforts were made to downplay negative information about first son Hunter Biden.
- According to the insider, the FBI and Department of Justices have downplayed or even dismissed information that would work against the first son.
- Grassley wrote FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland about the case, alleging that sources within the FBI presented him with the evidence.
- Setters reviewed by CBS News indicate that Grassley is looking into the issue and pushing the law enforcement officers to do the same.
- Grassley also asserted that one month before the 2020 presidential election, “an avenue of derogatory Hunter Biden reporting was ordered closed” by a senior FBI agent at the bureau’s Washington Field office.
GRASSLEY’S LETTERS TO WRAY AND GARLAND:
- “The information provided to my office involves concerns about the FBI’s receipt and use of derogatory information relating to Hunter Biden, and the FBI’s false portrayal of acquired evidence as disinformation. The volume and consistency of these allegations substantiate their credibility and necessitate this letter,” wrote Grassley.
- “First, it’s been alleged that the FBI developed information in 2020 about Hunter Biden’s criminal financial and related activity,” he continued. “It is further alleged that in August 2020, FBI Supervisory Intelligence Analyst Brian Auten opened an assessment which was used by an FBI Headquarters (“FBI HQ”) team to improperly discredit negative Hunter Biden information as disinformation and caused investigative activity to cease.”
- “The allegations provided to my office appear to indicate that there was a scheme in place among certain FBI officials to undermine derogatory information connected to Hunter Biden by falsely suggesting it was disinformation.”
BACKGROUND:
- Recent reports indicate there were more than 150 financial transactions involving Hunter or James Biden’s global business affairs that were flagged as cause for concern.
- Delaware U.S. attorney David Weiss is investigating potential tax fraud, money laundering, and foreign influence peddling.
- Weiss’s office has declined to comment on whether he was aware of the FBI allegedly marking the accusations against Hunter Biden as disinformation and whether that could have influenced his probe.