Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, says whistleblowers are claiming the FBI has attempted to downplay or discredit potentially damaging information regarding President Joe Biden's son, Hunter.
His comments came in a Monday letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray. The remarks were detailed in a Monday report by CBS News.
Grassley noted a May 31 letter he had sent. "In that letter, I noted that Congress has a constitutional responsibility to ensure that the Executive Branch executes the law and uses taxpayer money appropriated to it in accordance with congressional intent. In furtherance of that constitutional responsibility, Congress has an obligation to investigate the Executive Branch for fraud, waste, abuse and gross mismanagement — acts which undermine faith in the American people's governmental institutions."
He noted that his earlier letter had invited current and former government employees to contact him to report allegations of fraud, waste, abuse and gross mismanagement by the FBI and Justice Department officials.
As a result, Grassley said he has received numerous claims from whistleblowers relating to Hunter Biden.
"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," he said.
"First, it's been alleged that the FBI developed information in 2020 about Hunter Biden's criminal financial and related activity. It is further alleged that in August 2020, FBI Supervisory Intelligence Analyst Brian Auten opened an assessment which was used by an FBI Headquarters team to improperly discredit negative Hunter Biden information as disinformation and caused investigative activity to cease. Based on allegations, verified and verifiable derogatory information on Hunter Biden was falsely labeled as disinformation."
Grassley continued. "Second, it has been alleged that in September 2020, investigators from the same FBI HQ team were in communication with FBI agents responsible for the Hunter Biden information targeted by Auten's assessment. The FBI HQ team's investigators placed their findings with respect to whether reporting was disinformation in a restricted access sub-file reviewable only by the particular agents responsible for uncovering the specific information. This is problematic because it does not allow for proper oversight and opens the door to improper influence.
"Third, in October 2020, an avenue of additional derogatory Hunter Biden reporting was ordered closed. My office has been made aware that FBI agents responsible for this information were interviewed by the FBI HQ team in furtherance of Auten's assessment. It's been alleged that the FBI HQ team suggested to the FBI agents that the information was at risk of disinformation; however, according to allegations, all of the reporting was either verified or verifiable via criminal search warrants."
CBS News said both the FBI and Justice Department declined any further comment.
Meanwhile, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., told Newsmax's "National Report" on Monday that Democrats "hope and pray" Hunter Biden "will go away or at least stay quiet" until after the midterm elections, but Republicans on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform won't give up their investigation.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.