WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley said Tuesday that his decision last year to go public with bribery allegations against President Biden and his son Hunter by a confidential FBI source led to his February charges of lying to his handlers. He claimed that this led to the indictment.
“Unless I listen to the Justice Department and FBI whistleblowers, that ‘highly credible’ liar will still be on the FBI payroll, continue to lie to the FBI, and likely be convicted.” We’re going to continue to convict people who shouldn’t be.” Mr. Grassley, 90, R-Iowa, spoke at the conservative Heritage Foundation in the nation’s capital on “Weaponizing the Media, Legal Action, and the Hunter Biden Investigation.” He spoke at a symposium.
The informant, Alexander Smirnov, was indicted by Special Prosecutor David Weiss in Los Angeles on February 15 on one count of making false statements to a government official and one count of creating a false fictitious record.
Mr. Grassley did not mention Mr. Smirnov by name, but said the “highly reliable” source had been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by the FBI since 2010 and that his information “was used in criminal investigations and prosecutions.” “used” and “provided”. He has authority that in some cases allows him to even commit illegal acts.
“This source was so reliable that the FBI withheld the information based on its credibility.” [FD-]1023 Document from Congress,” says senator. Smirnov says the owner of Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings paid Hunter Biden and Joe Biden $5 million each to stop an investigation into the company. he said, referring to the informant’s report that he claimed to have told him.
Mr. Grassley and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) have since “obtained the names of the FBI agents involved in the 1023 documents,” and “we want to hear from them and their side of the story.”
The senator said the FBI’s avoidance of requests for further details about the files “might suggest political bias in their actions,” resulting in a July 2023 review of either claim. It was decided that the document would be made public to force an explanation. It was being investigated.
Grassley said FBI agents interviewed Smirnov in September and December 2023, then indicted him on “trumped-up” charges. indictment Weiss also prosecuted Hunter Biden for tax evasion and gun crimes.
“After 13 years as an FBI employee, the Biden administration labeled him a liar and subsequently indicted him,” Grassley said. “After the FBI told Congress that he was too trustworthy, they named and exposed his own sources to the world.
“I have never accused President Biden of any wrongdoing in this investigation,” the Iowan added, “but I am committed to this investigation to ensure the FBI accomplishes its law enforcement duties.” I’m participating,” he added.
The White House and Congressional Democrats used Mr. Smirnov’s indictment to demand an end to House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into the president, falsely calling Mr. Smirnov the GOP’s “star witness.”
“You know, all the Democrats have is Russia, Russia, Russia, Russia. Our investigation shows that the Biden family actually received $3.5 million from the Russian oligarchy for no apparent reason. ,” said House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.). Said on “Fox & Friends First” Tuesday morning.
“We had no idea who the FBI informants were. We had whistleblowers submit 1,023 reports alleging that the Bidens were involved in a bribery scheme.” he added. “That was a part of our investigation. But Democrats and the intelligence community are colluding with the media to try to argue that it was an important part of the investigation and therefore the investigation needs to be closed.”
The House Oversight, Ways and Means, and Judiciary Committee also found bank records and former businesses showing that accounts linked to Hunter and his eldest son, James Biden, received millions of dollars from foreign entities in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Russia, and China. Prepared the witness statement of the partner.
One of their backers, Patrick Ho, an executive at a Chinese energy conglomerate that netted them more than $5 million in profits, was convicted in 2019 on federal charges of bribery and money laundering. I received it.
Mr. Ho was released the following year and returned to Hong Kong, but his eldest son had previously referred to Mr. Ho as “China’s spy chief,” according to voicemails obtained from a discarded laptop, and House Republicans have since called Mr. Ho requesting documentation regarding. Lawsuit from the Department of Justice.
“The Biden family has taken nearly $30 million from our enemies around the world,” Comer told Fox News on Tuesday, adding that the president has repeatedly lied about his interactions with Hunter’s associates. “They can’t say what they did to receive the money.”
