Possible 3rd Trump indictment looms after grand jury convenes in Jan. 6 probe

The federal grand jury investigating election interference convened Tuesday in Washington D.C., spurring speculation that a possible federal indictment related to the investigation into Jan. 6 against former President Trump may be imminent, Fox News has learned.

Sources told Fox News that the grand jury left the federal courthouse for the day just after 2:00pm on Tuesday afternoon. 

Trump's legal team met with Special Counsel Jack Smith and his team in Washington D.C. last week. Sources told Fox News that Trump's legal team was not given any specific timing about a possible indictment, but that they heard nothing suggesting an indictment would not happen at some point.

After the meeting ended last Thursday, the former president posted on his Truth Social account: 

"My attorneys had a productive meeting with the DOJ this morning, explaining in detail that I did nothing wrong, was advised by many lawyers, and that an Indictment of me would only further destroy our Country," Trump wrote. "No indication of notice was given during the meeting — Do not trust the Fake News on anything!

Trump, who is leading the 2024 GOP presidential primary field, announced last week that he had received a target letter from the Justice Department, which also asked that he report to the federal grand jury. Trump said he anticipated "an arrest and indictment."

TRUMP SAYS HE IS DOJ JAN. 6 GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION TARGET

"They’re in a rush because they want to interfere. It’s interference with the election — it’s election interference," Trump said during a town hall on Fox News with Sean Hannity last week. "Never been done like this in the history of our country, and it is a disgrace what’s happening to our country — whether it is the borders or the elections or kinds of things like this, where the DOJ has become a weapon for the Democrats."

He added: "An absolute weapon."

Smith has been investigating whether Trump or other officials and entities interfered with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election, including the certification of the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021.

TRUMP PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO 37 FEDERAL FELONY CHARGES IN CLASSIFIED RECORDS CASE

On Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump rioters breached the U.S. Capitol during a joint session of Congress that was working to certify the Electoral College results in favor of President Biden.

The House of Representatives drafted articles of impeachment against Trump and ultimately voted to impeach him on a charge of inciting an insurrection for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot — making him the first and only president in history to be impeached, and ultimately acquitted, twice.

The Senate voted to acquit, but had Trump been convicted, the Senate would have moved to bar the 45th president from holding federal office ever again, preventing a 2024 White House run.

TRUMP SAYS DOJ IN AN ‘ABSOLUTE WEAPON’ FOR DEMOCRATS; SLAMS SPECIAL COUNSEL PROBE AS ‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE’

Trump was indicted in June on charges stemming from Smith’s investigation into his alleged improper retention of classified records after his presidency. Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 counts including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements.

That indictment was the first time in U.S. history that a former president had faced federal criminal charges.

White House shuts down questions on collapse of Hunter Biden plea deal: ‘I don’t have anything to share’

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly shut down questions from reporters concerning the collapse of Hunter Biden's plea deal during Wednesday's daily press briefing.

Jean-Pierre began the briefing by attempting to preemptively encourage reporters not to ask questions related to Hunter's ongoing legal issues by stating he "is a private citizen and this was a personal matter for him," and directed questions to his legal representation. 

It didn't work.

"Have the president and his attorneys been in touch with Hunter's legal team today? And have they been keeping tabs on the proceedings?" one reporter asked.

HUNTER BIDEN PLEADS ‘NOT GUILTY’ AS PLEA DEAL FALLS APART DURING DELAWARE COURT APPEARANCE

"Look, I don't have anything to share. I would refer you to — on this particular issue I would refer you to Hunter's representative. I would refer you to the Department of Justice. I don't have anything to share beyond on what I shared at the top of this briefing," Jean-Pierre responded.

The reporter noted it was "extremely rare" for such a high-profile plea deal to fall apart, and asked if President Biden felt federal prosecutors in the case has acted "appropriately and competently."

"This was an independent investigation that was overseen by the Department of Justice. As we've been very clear, they are independent. We give them the space to do their work. We believe in the rule of law. I just don't have anything else to share on this. I would refer you to the Department of Justice. Again, this was done independently, and I would also refer you to Hunter's representatives," Jean-Pierre answered.

Another reporter noted President Biden's steadfast support for stricter gun laws throughout his political career, and asked if he believed "someone who is charged with possessing a firearm illegally should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," referencing Hunter.

RFK JR RIPS WHITE HOUSE'S ‘BAD DECISIONS,’ WON'T SAY WHETHER BIDEN IS FIT TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT

"I think I know where this question is going, and I'm just going to continue to say, as it relates to the case that we're seeing in Delaware, I'm just going to not speak to that. It is an independent matter," Jean-Pierre answered.

"This is up for the Department of Justice. Even with the question that you're asking me, it's up to — it's one of those legal criminal matters, and it's up to that process, that legal process. I'm just not going to speak to it here," she said.

The reporter pressed Jean-Pierre, noting Biden's previous work on gun legislation and his comments on getting "illegal firearms off of our streets." "So when someone possesses one illegally, what does the president believe should happen today?" the reporter asked.

"The president has been very clear. You just laid out where his position has been, what his policies have been, what he was able to pass into law. I'm going to be very mindful here. I'm going to be very careful because I see where this question is going," Jean-Pierre responded.

SPEAKER MCCARTHY REVEALS RED LINE FOR POSSIBLE BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

"And I'm just going to refer you — as this has been an independent investigation. It's overseen by the Department of Justice. I'm going to let them speak to this as they are moving forward," she added.

Hunter Biden's plea deal fell apart during his first court appearance earlier in the day, leading to his "not guilty" pleas as federal prosecutors confirmed the president's son is still under federal investigation. 

He was expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax as part of a plea deal to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge.

But Judge Maryellen Noreika did not accept the plea agreement, questioning the constitutionality — specifically the diversion clause and the immunity Hunter Biden would receive.

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Hunter Biden was also expected to enter into a pretrial diversion agreement regarding a separate felony charge of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

Speaker McCarthy reveals red line for possible Biden impeachment inquiry

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy revealed Republicans' red line for possible impeachment proceedings against President Biden, telling Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that his party would, for now, continue seeking information related to the Biden family finances unless that information began being withheld.

"What I've said is if they withhold information, the impeachment inquiry allows Congress to have the apex of power to get all the information they need. All this information people are finding out now is only because Republicans have investigated," McCarthy told Fox. 

"The people of America have a right to know what went on. They have a president who lied to the American public and said they didn't get any money from China. We know that's true. We've had whistleblowers from the IRS come say the Biden family is treated differently and that other things were going on. And then you have a[n] informant with the FBI saying there was a bribe. We need to know the answer to this," he said. 

McCarthy added that if "at any time" he felt they weren't going to be able to get the information they needed to progress through the investigation, then they "would have to rise to the level of impeachment inquiry." 

MCCARTHY: BIDEN CASE WILL ‘RISE TO IMPEACHMENT’ AS 16 ROMANIAN PAYMENTS ALLEGEDLY WENT TO ‘SHELL COMPANIES’

"That's not happening today. But what I'm explaining to everybody that if we don't get the information, I will go to impeachment inquiry to make sure we get all the answers," he said.

When asked whether he thought a sitting U.S. president could be impeached based off actions that occurred before they took office, McCarthy dismissed dealing in hypotheticals.

"What we're looking right now is getting an answer to the questions and seeing, did [Attorney General Merrick] Garland lie to the American public or not? We know what has been said in these meetings, and we're going to get the answers," he said.

McCarthy predicted during a Monday appearance on Fox News' "Hannity" that House Republicans would soon have enough evidence gathered to mount an impeachment inquiry against Biden as the corruption scandal enveloping him and his son Hunter continues to grow.

HOUSE CONSERVATIVES HUNGRY FOR BIDEN IMPEACHMENT AFTER MCCARTHY'S COMMENTS: ‘GROUND SHIFTED’

During the interview, McCarthy said that 16 of the 17 payments the Bidens allegedly received from a Romanian national went to what he described as "Biden shell companies" while Biden was vice president. According to House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., the elder Biden had been "lecturing Romania on anti-corruption policies" while instead being a "walking billboard for his… family to collect money."

"When President Biden was running for office, he told the American public that he's never talked about [Hunter's] business. He said his family has never received a dollar from China, which we now prove is not true," McCarthy said during the interview.

Biden has long denied discussion or involvement in Hunter's business deals, recently rebuffing a New York Post reporter who asked why he is reportedly referred to as the "big guy" in the FBI form – which is the same nickname purportedly used as a pseudonym in a message gleaned from previously released documentation connected to Hunter.

DOJ OFFERS HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATOR FOR TESTIMONY BEFORE THE HOUSE

McCarthy's comments have riled up members of the House Freedom Caucus, who appeared eager Tuesday for him to make good on his veiled impeachment threats, with one saying the leader's words marked a "paradigm shift."

"When he does speak to … impeachment, it carries a tremendous amount of weight. And that's why I think the ground shifted on that a little bit when he opened up the door," Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said after the group's Tuesday press conference. "I don't think there's any question that him speaking to that has caused a paradigm shift."

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Fox News' Charles Creitz and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

Joe Biden laughs, ignores questions about potential impeachment by House Republicans

President Biden brushed off and smiled at reporters who peppered him with questions Tuesday evening about a potential impeachment by Republicans in the House.

Following a speech in the East Room of the White House about expanding access to mental health care, Biden made his way to the exit where a group of reporters eagerly asked for his thoughts about the growing discussion by Republicans to impeach him.

Amid numerous questions, one reporter asked, "Mr. President, McCarthy says he may [consider] an impeachment inquiry to get to the bottom of —"

Smiling from ear to ear in one clip shared to social media, Biden quickly passed by the noisy group of reporters.

MCCARTHY: BIDEN CASE WILL 'RISE TO IMPEACHMENT' AS 16 ROMANIAN PAYMENTS ALLEGEDLY WENT TO 'SHELL COMPANIES'

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., says Republican lawmakers may consider an impeachment inquiry of Biden over claims of financial misconduct.

Speaking Tuesday at the Capitol, McCarthy said the questions House Republicans are raising about the Biden family finances need to be investigated. He said an impeachment inquiry "allows Congress to get the information to be able to know the truth" about whether Biden committed any wrongdoing.

An impeachment inquiry by the House would be a first step toward bringing articles of impeachment. Such a probe could be as lengthy or swift as the House determines, potentially stretching into campaign season.

Other Republicans also appear to be on board with the idea of impeachment, specifically House Freedom Caucus members.

"When he does speak to … impeachment, it carries a tremendous amount of weight. And that's why I think the ground shifted on that a little bit when he opened up the door," Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said after a Freedom Caucus press conference on Tuesday. "I don't think there's any question that him speaking to that has caused a paradigm shift."

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., suggested there would be "an uprising" against Biden if the House did not move forward with trying to remove him.

"Look, the evidence is mounting against this guy. Look at what he’s done," Norman said. "What Donald Trump’s done with papers pales in comparison."

Norman said there was a "difference of opinion" on whether to take such a severe step but dismissed the idea of risking an impeachment vote that fails.

"Some people think that what he’s done isn’t that bad. A lot of us in general — the public, it’s gonna be an uprising against this guy, I think, at the end of the day."

HOUSE CONSERVATIVES HUNGRY FOR BIDEN IMPEACHMENT AFTER MCCARTHY’S COMMENTS: ‘GROUND SHIFTED’

McCarthy predicted Monday that Republicans will gather enough evidence soon to mount an impeachment inquiry against Biden, as the corruption scandal enveloping him and his son Hunter continues to grow.

McCarthy made reference to a relatively new revelation from the House Oversight Committee that — while Joe was vice president — Hunter Biden "capitalized" on a financial relationship with a Romanian national later convicted on corruption charges.

According to prepared remarks from House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., in June, the Bidens received more than $1 million in 17 increments.

McCarthy, during an appearance on Fox News, said that 16 of those 17 payments went to what he described as "Biden shell companies" while President Biden was vice president. According to Comer's prepared remarks, the elder Biden had been "lecturing Romania on anti-corruption policies" while instead being a "walking billboard for his … family to collect money."

"When President Biden was running for office, he told the American public that he's never talked about [Hunter's] business. He said his family has never received a dollar from China, which we now prove is not true," McCarthy said on "Hannity."

He said evidence and legitimacy of their caucus' probes are mounting, as he described the two IRS investigators who testified before Congress last week as "some of the most credible" to come forward.

McCarthy cited the FBI 1023 form wherein a confidential human source told the bureau that Biden was paid $5 million by a Burisma executive while he was vice president and while Hunter was on the board.

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Biden has long denied discussion or involvement in Hunter's business deals, recently rebuffing a New York Post reporter who asked why he is reportedly referred to as the "big guy" in the FBI form — which is the same nickname purportedly used as a pseudonym in a message gleaned from previously released documentation connected to Hunter.

McCarthy on Tuesday gave no timeline for launching an impeachment inquiry into Biden.

Fox News' Charles Creitz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

House conservatives hungry for Biden impeachment after McCarthy’s comments: ‘Ground shifted’

House Freedom Caucus members on Tuesday appeared eager for Speaker Kevin McCarthy to make good on his recent veiled impeachment threat against President Biden, and one member of the conservative group of GOP members said the leader’s words marked a "paradigm shift."

"When he does speak to … impeachment, it carries a tremendous amount of weight. And that's why I think the ground shifted on that a little bit when he opened up the door," Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said after a Freedom Caucus press conference on Tuesday. "I don't think there's any question that him speaking to that has caused a paradigm shift."

After a series of hearings and briefings on alleged misconduct by Biden and his family, McCarthy said on Fox News's "Hannity" Monday night, "This is rising to the level of impeachment inquiry, which provides Congress the strongest power to get the rest of the knowledge and information needed."

It’s the most direct comment yet the speaker has made about impeaching Biden, something the hardliners in his conference have been clamoring for since the House GOP took the majority this year.

IRS WHISTLEBLOWER: 'INDEPENDENT ATTORNEY' NEEDED IN HUNTER BIDEN DELAWARE CASE

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., suggested there would be "an uprising" against Biden if the House did not move forward with trying to remove him.

"Look, the evidence is mounting against this guy. Look at what he’s done," Norman said. "What Donald Trump’s done with papers pales in comparison."

JORDAN ROASTS DEMS AFTER RFK JR HEARING: PARTY TURNED AGAINST ITS MOST FAMOUS NAME

Norman said there was a "difference of opinion" on whether to take such a severe step but dismissed the idea of risking an impeachment vote that fails. 

"Some people think that what he’s done isn’t that bad. A lot of us in general — the public, it’s gonna be an uprising against this guy, I think, at the end of the day."

It's not just Biden that Republicans are looking to target. GOP members have called for impeachment proceedings against some of the president’s top Cabinet officials, including Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Norman answered "all of the above" during the press conference when asked about which Biden official should be impeached first.

BIDENS ALLEGEDLY ‘COERCED’ BURISMA CEO TO PAY THEM MILLIONS TO HELP GET UKRAINE PROSECUTOR FIRED: FBI FORM

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., said Mayorkas would be the "low hanging fruit" to initially consider. "But with the evidence that we've induced in the Oversight Committee and Judiciary Committee with regard to the Biden — I would call it from the crime syndicate, I don't know what else you can call it — the corruption that's there," he said.

"That would certainly be a very interesting and perhaps even necessary step," he said. "I’ll just tell you that the evidence I’ve seen is overwhelming, and it would lead one to believe our president, our sitting president, is corrupted and compromised."

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At one point Norman took a jab at Vice President Kamala Harris that earned some nervous laughter by saying, "I realize the replacement for Joe Biden is probably giggling somewhere now, so she’s not an alternative."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Bidens allegedly ‘coerced’ Burisma CEO to pay them millions to help get Ukraine prosecutor fired: FBI form

Joe Biden and Hunter Biden allegedly "coerced" Burisma CEO Mykola Zlochevsky to pay them millions of dollars in exchange for their help in getting the Ukrainian prosecutor investigating the company fired, according to allegations contained in an unclassified FBI document released Thursday by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

Grassley said he released the document, which describes an alleged criminal bribery scheme involving then-Vice President Biden and a Ukrainian business executive, so that the American people can "read this document for themselves without the filter of politicians or bureaucrats." 

The document in question is an FBI-generated FD-1023 form, which Grassley acquired via legally protected disclosures by Justice Department whistleblowers, according to the senator's office. 

EXCLUSIVE: JOE BIDEN ALLEGEDLY PAID $5M BY BURISMA EXECUTIVE AS PART OF A BRIBERY SCHEME, ACCORDING TO FBI DOCUMENT

That FD-1023 — a confidential human source (CHS) reporting document — reflects the FBI's interview with a "highly credible" confidential source who detailed multiple meetings and conversations he or she had with a top executive of Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings over the course of several years starting in 2015. Hunter Biden, at the time, sat on the board of Burisma.

Fox News Digital has reviewed the document, which includes new information, including the identity of the business executive — Burisma CEO Zlochevsky — and the allegations that he was "coerced" into paying Joe Biden and Hunter Biden millions of dollars to get a Ukrainian prosecutor investigating his firm fired. 

In the form, Zlochevsky tells the source he has "many text messages and ‘recordings’ that show he was coerced to make such payments" to the Bidens.

Biden has acknowledged that when he was vice president, he successfully pressured Ukraine to fire prosecutor Viktor Shokin. At the time, Shokin was investigating Burisma Holdings, and at the time, Hunter had a highly lucrative role on the board receiving thousands of dollars per month. The then-vice president threatened to withhold $1 billion of critical U.S. aid if Shokin was not fired.

Biden allies maintain the then-vice president pushed for Shokin's firing due to concerns the Ukrainian prosecutor went easy on corruption, and say that his firing, at the time, was the policy position of the U.S. and international community.

The unclassified document is dated June 30, 2020, and says the contact with the source was "telephonic."

The source reported to the FBI that "in late 2015 or 2016, during the Obama/Biden Administration, CHS was first introduced to officials at Ukraine natural gas business Burisma Holdings through [redacted] Oleksandr Ostapenko." The form reflects that there is an additional FD-1023 detailing information brought by the source dated Jan. 2, 2018.

HOUSE GOP DEMAND TRANSCRIBED INTERVIEWS FROM HUNTER BIDEN PROSECUTOR, DOJ, IRS, SECRET SERVICE OFFICIALS

"CHS and Ostapenko traveled to Ukraine and went to Burisma’s office…the purpose of the meeting was to discuss Burisma’s interest in purchasing a US-based oil and gas business, for purposes of merging it with Burisma for purposes of conducting an IPO in the US," the form states. "Burisma was willing to purchase a US-based entity for $20-$30 million."

The form states that the CHS attended that meeting, as well as Burisma’s CFO Vadim Pojarski and Karina Zlochevsky, the daughter of CEO and founder Mykola Zlochevsky.

Fox News Digital has previously reported that Hunter Biden and his business associates had much contact with Pojarskii [Pozharsky] about his role on the board of the company.

"During the meeting Pojarskii asked CHS whether CHS was aware of Burisma’s Board of Directors. CHS replied ‘no,’ and Pojarski advised the board members included: 1) the former president or prime minister of Poland; and 2) Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.

"Pojarskii said Burisma hired the former president or prime minister of Poland to leverage his contacts in Europe for prospective oil and gas deals," the form states.

Burisma said they "hired Hunter Biden ‘to protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems.’"

The source asked why Burisma needed his assistance regarding the merger of the U.S.-based company when Biden was on their board, to which Pojarskii replied: "Hunter Biden was not smart, and they wanted to get additional counsel."

EXCLUSIVE: PERSON ALLEGING BIDEN CRIMINAL BRIBERY SCHEME IS 'HIGHLY CREDIBLE' FBI SOURCE USED SINCE OBAMA ADMIN: SOURCE

The form jumps to a meeting the source detailed that took place two months later. The source met with Mykola Zlochevsky in Vienna, Austria, outside a coffee shop, along with Ostapenko.

"CHS recalled this meeting took place around the time Joe Biden made a public statement about (former) Ukraine Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin being corrupt, and that he should be fired/removed from office," the form states. "CHS told Zlochevsky that due to Shokin’s investigation into Burisma, which was made public at this time, it would have a substantial negative impact on Burisma’s prospective IPO in the United States." 

"Zlochevsky replied something to the effect of, ‘Don’t worry Hunter will take care of those issues through his dad," the form states, adding that the source "did not ask any further questions about what that specifically meant." 

Zlochevsky went on to say, "Hunter Biden advised Burisma it could raise much more capital if Burisma purchased a larger US-based business that already had a history in the US oil and gas sector." The source said Zlochevsky mentioned a business in Texas.

"CHS advised Zlochevsky it would be problematic to raise capital in the US given Shokin’s investigation into Burisma as nobody in the US would invest in a company that was the subject of a criminal investigation," the form states.

DOJ KNEW HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP WAS 'NOT MANIPULATED,' CONTAINED 'RELIABLE EVIDENCE' IN 2019: WHISTLEBLOWER

"CHS suggested it would be best if Burisma simply litigate the matter in Ukraine, and pay some attorney $50,000," the form states, but Zlochevsky said Burisma "would likely lose the trial because he could not show that Burisma was innocent."

"Zlochevsky also laughed at CHS’s number of $50,000 (not because of the small amounts but because the number contained a ‘5’) and said that ‘it costs 5 (million) to pay one Biden, and 5 (million) to another Biden." 

"CHS noted that at this time, it was unclear to CHS whether these alleged payments were already made," the form states.

But the form states that the source told Zlochevsky that "any such payments to the Bidens would complicate matters, and Burisma should hire ‘some normal US oil and gas advisors’ because the Bidens have no experience with the business sector."

"Zlochevsky made some comment that although Hunter Biden ‘was stupid, and his [Zlochevsky’s] dog was smarter,’ Zlochevsky needed to keep Hunter Biden [on the board] ‘so everything will be okay,’" the form states.

The source went on to ask "whether Hunter Biden or Joe Biden told Zlochevsky he should retain Hunter."

"Zlochevsky replied: ‘They both did.’"

The source retired that this was a "mistake," and that Zlochevsky "should fire Hunter Biden and deal with Shokin’s investigation directly so that the matter" stayed an issue in Ukraine and so that it did not "turn into some international matter," to which Zlochevsky stressed not to worry and "this thing will go away anyway."

"CHS replied that, notwithstanding Shokin’s investigation, it was still a bad decision for Burisma to spend $20-30 million to buy a US business, and that CHS didn’t want to be involved with the Biden matter," the form states.

"Zlochevsky responded that he appreciated CHS’s advice, but that ‘it’s too late to change his decision.’"

"CHS understood this to mean that Zlochevsky had already paid the Bidens, presumably to ‘deal with Shokin,’" the form states.

"It is remarkable that congressional Republicans, in their eagerness to go after President Biden regardless of the truth, continue to push claims that have been debunked for years and that they themselves have cautioned to take ‘with a grain of salt’ because they could be ‘made up,’" said White House spokesman Ian Sams. "These claims have reportedly been scrutinized by the Trump Justice Department, a Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney, and a full impeachment trial of the former President that centered on these very issues, and over and over again, they have been found to lack credibility. It’s clear that congressional Republicans are dead-set on playing shameless, dishonest politics and refuse to let truth get in the way. It is well past time for news organizations to hold them to basic levels of factual accountability for their repeated and increasingly desperate efforts to mislead both the public and the press."

The FBI said in a statement that the release of the 1023 risked the safety of a confidential source:

"Throughout the FBI’s engagements with Congress, we have been guided by our obligation to protect the physical safety of confidential human sources and the integrity of sensitive investigations. We have repeatedly explained to Congress, in correspondence and in briefings, how critical it is to keep this source information confidential. In the face of these significant concerns, the FBI negotiated a resolution with Chairman Comer to provide the information requested in a manner that protects the safety of confidential sources and integrity of investigations."

Meanwhile, the form jumps to a "2016/2017 telephone call" the source had with Zlochevsky after the 2016 presidential election. Zlochevsky said he was "not happy Trump won the election."

"CHS asked Zlochevsky whether he was concerned about Burisma’s involvement with the Bidens," the form states. "Zlochevsky stated he didn't want to pay the Bidens and he was ‘pushed to pay’ them." 

The source explained to the FBI agent taking notes of his conversation that the Russian term Zlochevsky used to explain the payments was "poluchili." The form states that "literally translates to; 'got it’ or ‘received it’ but is also used in "Russian criminal slang for being ‘forced or coerced to pay.’"

HUNTER DEMANDED $10M FROM CHINESE ENERGY FIRM BECAUSE 'BIDENS ARE THE BEST,' HAVE 'CONNECTIONS'

At this point, Shokin had already been fired. Zlochevsky said "nobody would find out about his financial dealings with the Bidens."

"CHS then stated, ‘I hope you have some back-up (proof) for your words (namely, that Zlochevsky was ‘forced’ to pay the Bidens)."

"Zlochevsky replied he has many text messages and ‘recordings’ that show that he was coerced to make such payments," the form states. "CHS told Zlochevsky he should make certain that he should retain those recordings."

The form then jumps to a 2019 telephone call between the source and Ostapenko, in which they discussed "various business matters" unrelated to Burisma.

"During the call, Zlochevsky asked CHS and/or Ostapenko if they read the recent news reports about the investigations into the Bidens and Burisma, and Zlochevsky jokingly asked if the CHS was an ‘oracle’ (due to CHS’s prior advice that Zlochevsky should not pay the Bidens and instead to hire an attorney to litigate the allegations concerning Shokin’s investigation)," the form states.

"CHS mentioned Zlochevsky might have difficulty explaining suspicious wire transfers that may evidence any (illicit) payments to the Bidens," the form states. "Zlochevsky responded he did not send any funds directly to the ‘Big Guy’ (which CHS understood was a reference to Joe Biden)."

The form says CHS asked Zlochevsky how many companies and bank accounts he controlled, to which he responded it would "take them (investigators) 10 years to find the records (i.e. illicit payments to Joe Biden)."

While the source detailed the conversations with Zlochevsky, he also told the FBI that "it is very common for business men in post-Soviet countries to brag or show-off" and said it is "extremely common for businesses in Russia and Ukraine to make ‘bribe’ payments to various government officials."

As for recordings and text messages of conversations with the Bidens, the source said that Zlochevsky said he had "a total of 17 recordings" involving the Bidens; "two of the recordings included Joe Biden, and the remaining 15 recordings only included Hunter Biden."

The source said those recordings "evidence Zlochevsky was somehow coerced into paying the Bidens to ensure" Shokin was fired.

The source said Zlochevsky also had "two documents (which CHS understood to be wire transfer statements, bank records, etc.), that evidence some payment(s) to the Bidens were made, presumably in exchange for Shokin’s firing." 

"For the better part of a year, I’ve been pushing the Justice Department and FBI to provide details on its handling of very significant allegations from a trusted FBI informant implicating then-Vice President Biden in a criminal bribery scheme," Grassley said. "While the FBI sought to obfuscate and redact, the American people can now read this document for themselves, without the filter of politicians or bureaucrats, thanks to brave and heroic whistleblowers. What did the Justice Department and FBI do with the detailed information in the document? And why have they tried to conceal it from Congress and the American people for so long?"

Grassley added: "The Justice Department and FBI have failed to come clean, but Chairman Comer and I intend to find out." 

Comer subpoenaed the FBI to turn over the unredacted document to Congress. The FBI did not comply, but instead, made accommodations to allow lawmakers to review the document in a secure setting last month. 

"The FBI’s Biden Bribery Record tracks closely with the evidence uncovered by the Oversight Committee’s Biden family influence peddling investigation," House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer said. "In the FBI’s record, the Burisma executive claims that he didn’t pay the ‘big guy’ directly but that he used several bank accounts to conceal the money. That sounds an awful lot like how the Bidens conduct business: using multiple bank accounts to hide the source and total amount of the money." 

Comer added: "At our hearing with IRS whistleblowers, they testified that they had never seen or heard of this record during the Biden criminal investigation, despite having potentially corroborating evidence. Given the misconduct and politicization at the Department of Justice, the American people must be able to read this record for themselves. I thank Senator Grassley for providing much needed transparency to the American people."

Hunter’s lawyers team up with Jan 6 committee investigator to discredit laptop

Former Republican Rep. Denver Riggleman has maneuvered his way into Hunter Biden's circle and is working with the first son's legal team to conduct digital forensics on the infamous laptop, as well as joining festivities at the White House.

Riggleman has reportedly aided President Biden's son since late 2022, analyzing whether any of the data on the lost laptop was fabricated — as Hunter Biden faces intensifying investigations from House Republicans.

"When I took this job, I wasn’t pro-Hunter or anti-Hunter. I am pro-data and facts," Riggleman wrote on Twitter Wednesday. "Forensics make clear that considerable information linked to Hunter Biden is questionable."

"What ‘data’ is being used? A laptop and data saying it’s a laptop are two different things," Riggleman said in a separate post, apparently attempting to question the validity of the Hunter Biden laptop. Data from hard drive from the laptop has been verified by multiple news outlets, and an IRS whistleblower recently revealed that federal investigators knew in December 2019 that the laptop was "not manipulated in any way" and contained "reliable evidence."

HUNTER BIDEN DRIVING 170 MHP IN PROSCHE AMONG NEW LAPTOP PHOTOS POSTED ONLINE

Individuals close to Hunter Biden's legal team reportedly told CBS News that Riggleman was also feeding first son information on the investigation methods of House Republicans.

A laptop belonging to Hunter Biden was reportedly left at a Delaware computer repair shop and turned over to the FBI in December 2019. The contents of the laptop, including 10,000 shocking photos recently made public online, "likely contained evidence of tax crimes," according to the IRS whistleblower.

IT'S APPALLING THE WAY THE BIDEN FAMILY IS TREATING HUNTER'S DAUGHTER: JONATHAN FAHEY

The emails and text messages found on the laptop also sparked concerns over President Biden's involvement with son Hunter's overseas business dealings.

Kevin Morris, a Malibu-based lawyer working with Hunter Biden, said Riggleman is "an invaluable resource" to the first son's legal team.

"Denver has been assisting us with data analysis since late last year," Morris told CBS News. "He is an invaluable resource, and we have made tremendous strides in untangling the massive amount of corruption and disinformation involved in this story. There will be much more coming to the public." 

Riggleman also reportedly spent the Fourth of July at the White House with the Hunter's legal team.

After getting ousted in a Virginia 2020 Republican primary, outspoken Trump-critic Riggleman served as an advisor on the January 6 Committee.

The news of Riggleman's involvement with Hunter and analysis of laptop contents comes after the Daily Mail reported on new footage of younger Biden filming himself and appearing to smoke crack while driving through Arlington, Virginia, in June 2018.

Another set of photos from the president's son recently surfaced of him driving 172 miles per hour in his Porsche to Las Vegas in August 2018.

Hunter Biden recently agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax and a separate charge for possessing a firearm while acting as an unlawful user and addict of a controlled substance.

Following the plea deal, IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley Jr. claimed that there was intentional federal interference in the investigation, leading to calls for further GOP investigations and the impeachment of President Biden.

Fox News' Houston Keene and Brooke Singeman contributed to this report.

Rep. Boebert says she will use a privileged motion to bring impeachment articles against Biden

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., revealed on Twitter she will bring articles of impeachment against President Biden using a privileged motion.

"BREAKING: I am bringing my articles of impeachment against Joe Biden to the House Floor in a privileged motion, meaning that every Member of Congress must vote on holding Joe Biden accountable," Boebert tweeted Tuesday evening.

The Republican lawmaker has contended Biden remains negligent on the U.S. border, failing to keep Americans safe from an influx of deadly fentanyl and criminal activity as well as failing to relieve the strain on the country’s immigration system.

"Biden intentionally ceded command & control of our border to cartels. His dereliction of duty caused the deaths of over 900 Coloradans from fentanyl, enabled sex-trafficking, & allowed an invasion," she wrote in a subsequent tweet. "I brought my articles of impeachment up via a privileged motion to force a vote."

EXCLUSIVE: BOEBERT INTRODUCES NEW IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES AGAINST BIDEN OVER BORDER CRISIS

The motion will require all House members to go on the record regarding the impeachment articles, according to the congresswoman.

Last week, during an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Boebert accused Biden of mishandling his "constitutional duty to secure our southern border" and said she would introduce the impeachment articles if her party leaders failed to do so.

"Given the severity of the violation of Joe Biden's constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of the president, United States to the best of his ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, this is something that we must do with our majorities in the House of Representatives," Boebert told Fox News Digital Tuesday. "This is our duty because Joe Biden has neglected the constitutional duty of the office of President of the United States."

IT'S TIME TO BRING IMPEACHMENT CHARGES AGAINST JOE BIDEN

"I introduced the articles of impeachment in the last Congress and had fully intended to introduce them this Congress, but I was also giving some other committees and leadership the opportunity to lead on this," Boebert continued.

She added: "It's about Joe Biden's failure to secure the southern border."

"And I did this so at any time, if the committees and or leadership does not step up and actually do something about the president's failure to secure our southern border and keep the country safe, then I will call my legislation my articles of impeachment for a privileged motion," Boebert explained.

GOP REP. OGLES INTRODUCES IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES AGAINST BIDEN, HARRIS

Her motion may not result in an immediate vote, however, as leadership has two days in accordance with House rules to decide how to proceed.

"Under Rule IX in the House, we can bring up certain pieces of legislation under a privileged motion. So I would go to the House floor and call up my articles of impeachment and read it in its entirety. And at that point, leadership has a maximum of two days to respond and see if it's going to be sent to committee or a vote on the articles themselves," Boebert told Fox.

Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., has also introduced articles of impeachment against President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris during this session of Congress. They were introduced on June 12, and Boebert is a cosponsor.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., also introduced articles of impeachment against Biden and other Biden officials including Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas, Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and U.S. attorney Matthew Graves. She may also use a privileged motion to force a vote. Boebert is not a cosponsor. 

Boebert, who has remained a vocal critic of the Biden administration since she was first elected in 2020, won her first re-election contest by a mere 546 votes. The closeness prompted a recount, which confirmed the result.

Immigration levels over the southern border with Mexico have witnessed historic highs under Biden.

Fox News' Houston Keene and Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.

GOP Rep. Ogles introduces impeachment articles against Biden, Harris

FIRST ON FOX: Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles introduced articles of impeachment on Monday against President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Ogles’ articles accuse Biden of having "weaponized" the presidency, both in his tenure as president and vice president, to "shield the business and influence peddling schemes of his family from congressional oversight and public accountability."

Additionally, the articles accuse Biden of acting in a "manner contrary to the public trust and subversive of constitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States" with his handling of the southern border crisis.

Ogle's effort will likely face an uphill climb in the House, where a small minority of Republicans have pushed for Biden's impeachment.

CNN ANALYST SHOCKED BY HUNTER BIDEN CASE BEING SLOW-WALKED BY JUSTICE DEPARTMENT: ‘THIS IS PREPOSTEROUS!’

Harris’ impeachment articles take aim at her track record as vice president as well as her handling of the southern border crisis, accusing the vice president of having "extraordinary incompetence in the execution of her duties and responsibilities and an indifference to Americans suffering as a result of America’s ongoing southern border crisis."

"Joe Biden hasn’t just failed the American people with his abysmal excuse for ‘leadership’ — he’s violated his sworn oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," Ogles told Fox News Digital.

"Joe Biden has repeatedly abused his position of power, both as vice president and president, to cover up his illicit family business dealings and exploitation of taxpayer resources," the Tennessee Republican continued.

"The American people know they can’t depend on the so-called ‘Department of Justice’ to investigate the Biden family’s corruption, and so it’s up to the U.S. Congress to hold him accountable once and for all," Ogles added.

Ogles said, "Biden is a disgrace to the Oval Office and should be stripped of his position and held responsible for his high crimes against the United States" and that his "accomplice" Harris "has demonstrated her extraordinary incompetence time and again."

"She has allowed the land invasion at our southern border to continue unchecked, threatening the livelihoods of millions and the lives of thousands who have been murdered at the hands of illegal aliens and died from illicit fentanyl," Ogles said.

Specifically, Biden’s articles accuse him of having failed to comply with "congressional requests for information and documentation, violating a personal commitment to transparency."

Additionally, the articles also accuse the president of withholding "a critical FD–1023 form until threatened with a congressional subpoena" that "reportedly details a bribery scheme in which members of the Biden family, including Joseph Robinette Biden, received $5,000,000 each to assist Burisma Holdings," the Ukrainian company of which Hunter Biden sat on the board.

In her impeachment articles, Harris is accused of having "consistently refused to visit the southern border to ascertain the root causes of the ongoing crisis, aside from a single trip hundreds of miles away from the epicenter of the migrant crisis."

"In permitting an invasion of illegal aliens and illicit drugs into the United States, as well as facilitating the extenuation of a major humanitarian crisis, Vice President Kamala Devi Harris has directly betrayed the public trust of the United States, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States," the articles read.

Ogles’ impeachment articles come as Biden faces a special counsel investigation into his handling of classified documents after leaving the vice presidency in 2017.

The White House did not immediately give comment on the impeachment articles.

Schiff says classified document indictment proves Trump had ‘maligned intent’ to break law

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said the "stunning" detail of the Justice Department's indictment of former President Donald Trump shows Trump had "maligned intent" when he took classified documents to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House.

"The most difficult element to prove often is, what did the defendant intend?" Schiff told MSNBC host Nicole Wallace in an interview Friday. "But here Donald Trump has made so crystal clear in the conversations that are recorded, in the instructions he gives to his aides to move the boxes, in his deceitfulness with his own attorneys. It's just so graphic."

Schff, a former federal prosecutor and an impeachment manager during Trump's first impeachment trial, said it was not a difficult decision for special counsel Jack Smith to bring charges against Trump. "The evidence laid out in this indictment is so powerful that I don't think special counsel had any choice but to go forward," he said.

Trump was indicted on 37 federal counts related to the classified documents the FBI recovered from Mar-a-Lago last August, including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements. 

TRUMP INDICTED ON 37 FEDERAL COUNTS OUT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH'S INVESTIGATION INTO CLASSIFIED RECORDS

Special Counsel Jack Smith unsealed the indictment against the former president on Friday, emphasizing the "gravity" of the crimes Trump has been charged with as a result of his investigation. 

"I invite everyone to read it in full to understand the scope and the gravity of the crimes charged," Smith said Friday as the indictment was unsealed. 

"The men and woman of the United States intelligence community and armed forces dedicate their lives to protecting our nation, and its laws that protect national defense information are critical to the safety and security of the United States, and they must be enforced," Smith said. "Violations of those laws put our country at risk."

Trump announced he had been indicted on Thursday night on Truth Social. The former president told Fox News Digital he will plead not guilty. 

SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH POINTS TO ‘GRAVITY’ OF CRIMES TRUMP IS CHARGED WITH

The indictment states that Trump kept classified documents from his time in the White House in cardboard boxes brought to Mar-a-Lago. These boxes "included information regarding defense and weapons capabilities of both the United States and foreign countries; United States nuclear programs; potential vulnerabilities of the United States and its allies to military attack; and plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack," according to the indictment. 

The special counsel alleges that Trump showed classified documents to individuals without a security clearance on two separate occasions in 2021. The indictment cites an audio recording of Trump showing off classified documents to several people in July 2021 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, with Trump acknowledging the materials were still "a secret." 

The indictment states that on several occasions Trump "endeavored to obstruct the FBI and grand jury investigations and conceal his continued retention of classified documents" by suggesting that his attorney "falsely represent to the FBI and grand jury" that he "did not have documents called for by the grand jury subpoena." Trump is also accused of suggesting that his attorney "hide or destroy documents called for by the grand jury subpoena" and instructing his aide, Waltine Nauta, to move boxes of documents while claiming to be cooperating with investigators. 

Nauta was indicted on six federal counts as a "co-conspirator." 

EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP SAYS INDICTMENT IS ‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL’ 

Schiff said he was "stunned" that the documents included secret details of military plans and other information that would put U.S. national security at risk if leaked. 

"But I think this is the way of special counsel and a speaking indictment, letting all the American people know that this isn’t a paperwork violation," he said. "These are national secrets that present real national security risks to the country."

Schiff said the indictment shows that Trump is not above the law. 

"He should be treated like any other lawbreaker. And today, he has been," Schiff said. 

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.