Grassley releases full FBI memo with unverified claims about Hunter Biden’s work in Ukraine

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Republican Senator Chuck Grassley has made public an unclassified FBI memo, which Republicans claim is crucial to their investigation of Hunter Biden’s activities in Ukraine. The probe involves the financial affairs of President Joe Biden and his son, reviving previously debunked allegations of wrongdoing.

Sen. Grassley, from Iowa, has been working with House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) as they intensify their investigation of the Bidens before the 2024 election. Comer had issued a subpoena to obtain the FBI document.

Although some lawmakers on the Oversight Committee had already seen parts of the information, this is the first time the complete document, containing raw and unverified data, has been released to the public. Known as the FD-1023 form, it includes claims made in 2020 by a confidential informant about Hunter Biden’s alleged business dealings during his time on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. However, leading Republicans admit they cannot confirm the veracity of this information.

Sen. Grassley stated, “The American people can now read this document for themselves.”

The memo adds to information that was widely discussed during Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial, where Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani attempted to dig up damaging information on the Bidens before the 2020 election. It was also reviewed by the Department of Justice, initiated by Trump’s Attorney General William Barr in 2020, and subsequently closed.

The White House spokesman, Ian Sams, criticized congressional Republicans for persistently pushing debunked claims, ignoring previous reviews and impeachment proceedings that found these allegations lacked credibility. He accused them of engaging in shameless and dishonest politics.

According to the four-page document, the confidential informant claims to have been involved in meetings with Burisma officials in 2015 or 2016. The informant alleges that the officials discussed their relationship and dealings with Hunter Biden, with one company official stating they believed having Hunter on the Burisma board would offer protection from potential problems due to his father’s influence.

In another instance, a top company official suggested paying $5 million to each of the Bidens to influence the removal of Ukraine’s prosecutor general at the time, Viktor Shokin, as per the document.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the Oversight panel, emphasized that similar allegations made by Giuliani were already thoroughly reviewed and debunked. He pointed out that Donald Trump’s own Justice Department investigated the claims and found insufficient evidence to warrant further investigation.

Despite these past assessments, Comer emphasized the importance of allowing the American people to read the document and praised Sen. Grassley for providing transparency. Grassley explained that he was able to release a more comprehensive version because whistleblowers made it available to him.

Comer’s panel recently held a hearing with two IRS whistleblowers who claimed Justice Department interference in their investigation of Hunter Biden’s financial affairs. The Justice Department denied these claims, stating that they are cautious about bringing charges with political implications close to an election.

Hunter Biden, a recovering addict, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges related to his finances recently. Republicans criticized the plea agreement with federal prosecutors, labeling it a “sweetheart deal.” U.S. Attorney David Weiss in Delaware, the top prosecutor in the case, expressed his willingness to testify before the House panel after he can legally share information without violating the department’s policy on discussing ongoing investigations. This testimony could follow Hunter Biden’s upcoming plea hearing next week.

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