Judge dismisses complaint against ex-FBI officials accused over Hunter Biden probe

Avery Lotz

The seal of the FBI is displayed on a building, while red flowers can be seen in the foreground. — The seal of the FBI is displayed at the J. Edgar Hoover Building on August 8 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Kevin Carter/Getty Images

A federal judge dismissed a complaint against two former FBI officials whom the government accused of covering up how much they knew about the investigation into a laptop reportedly tied to Hunter Biden, multiple outlets reported.

The big picture: The pre-election case was brought by criminal complaint. A D.C. federal grand jury has not indicted the pair.

Attorneys representing Nikki Floris, one of the former agents charged in the case, argued the accusations were false and based on "the say-so of politicians, not on the facts."

Driving the news: In a heated hearing, federal magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui tossed the complaint against officials — Floris and Bradley Benavides — who were accused of lying to Congress, concluding the prosecution was politically motivated.

"I am deeply troubled by what happened here in the case," Faruqui said Monday, per The New York Times. "What has transpired here cannot be described as anything other than weaponization."
The DOJ did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Catch up quick: A statement of facts unsealed in federal court last month alleges that Floris, who has previously come under Republican scrutiny, and Benavides "knowingly and willfully provided materially false information about their awareness of and involvement in the FBI's investigations into Hunter Biden" in 2023.

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

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Judge dismisses complaint against ex-FBI officials accused over Hunter Biden probe

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