Category: fox-news/politics/justice-department

Hunter Biden ‘eager’ to testify in ‘public forum’ after Comer subpoena for testimony, lawyer says

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Hunter Biden's attorney said the president's son is "eager to have the opportunity" to testify "in a public forum," after House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer subpoenaed him, James Biden and his business associate Rob Walker for testimony. 

Comer, R-Ky., subpoenaed the president's son, the president's brother and Walker on Wednesday. 

He also requested transcribed interviews from James Biden’s wife, Sara Biden; President Biden’s daughter-in-law, Hallie Biden, the widow of President Biden’s son, Beau, who later was romantically involved with Hunter; Hallie Biden's older sister, Elizabeth Secundy; and Hunter Biden's wife, Melissa Cohen.

HOUSE OVERSIGHT SUBPOENAS HUNTER BIDEN, JAMES BIDEN, ROB WALKER FOR TESTIMONY AMID IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

The committee also requested a transcribed interview with Hunter Biden’s former business associate, Tony Bobulinski, who was also involved in Sinohawk Holdings.

Hunter Biden's attorney Abbe Lowell confirmed the receipt of the subpoena Wednesday, and blasted Comer for his "partisan" probe. 

HUNTER BIDEN'S ATTORNEY ASKS HOUSE SPEAKER JOHNSON TO STOP 'PARTISAN' PROBES INTO HIS CLIENT, BIDEN FAMILY

"This is a yet another political stunt aimed at distracting from the glaring failure of Rep. Comer and his MAGA allies to prove a single one of their wild and now discredited conspiracies about the Biden family," Lowell said in a statement. 

He added: "Nevertheless, Hunter is eager to have the opportunity, in a public forum and at the right time, to discuss these matters with the Committee."

Lowell, on Wednesday, also wrote a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson demanding he stop Comer, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., from continuing to pursue their "partisan" investigations into his client and President Biden and his family. 

Comer, Jordan and Smith are leading the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden. 

Johnson supports the inquiry, telling Fox News Digital he believes the president has engaged in a "cover-up" and continues to lie to the American people about whether he had knowledge of or benefited from his son's business dealings. 

The subpoenaed and voluntary testimony will likely feed into the larger impeachment inquiry as Republicans seek to determine whether President Biden abused his office or committed any type of high crime or misdemeanor.

Comer, in September, subpoenaed personal and business bank records belonging to both Hunter Biden and James Biden. Those subpoenaed records have revealed new lines of questioning with regard to whether President Biden knew about or was involved in his family’s business dealings.

Fox News' David Spunt contributed to this report. 

Special Counsel Weiss tells lawmakers politics ‘played no part’ in Hunter Biden probe

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Special Counsel David Weiss told the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday that he was not "blocked" or "prevented from pursuing charges" against Hunter Biden in his years-long probe, while maintaining that "political considerations played no part" in his decision-making. 

Weiss appeared for a voluntary and "unprecedented" transcribed interview before the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning in an effort to address "misunderstandings about the scope" of his "authority to decide where, when, and whether to bring charges."

In a statement after his hours-long testimony, Weiss said to the best of his knowledge, he is "the first Special Counsel to testify before the submission of the Special Counsel report."

"I have done so out of respect for the committee’s oversight responsibilities and to respond to questions raised about the scope of my authority," Weiss said.

DOJ TAX OFFICIAL SAYS WEISS NEEDED APPROVAL FROM HIS DIVISION BEFORE BRINGING HUNTER BIDEN CHARGES: TRANSCRIPT

Weiss stressed that he is "in the midst of conducting an ongoing investigation and prosecution," and said he was "limited as to what I can say at this point." Weiss did, though, say that at the conclusion of his work, he will prepare a report and "will be able to share more information at that time."

Weiss said that during his transcribed interview, he was "prepared to address misunderstandings about the scope of my authority to decide where, when, and whether to bring charges in this matter."

Weiss vowed, however, not to answer questions "that could jeopardize the ongoing litigation, our investigations, or the rights of defendants or other individuals involved in these matters."

"I am, and have been, the decision-maker on this case," Weiss said. "I do not, however, make these decisions in a vacuum. I am bound by federal law, the principles of federal prosecution and DOJ guidelines."

Weiss stressed that, as a result, "there are processes that I must adhere to in making investigative and charging decisions."

"These processes did not interfere with my decision-making authority," Weiss said. "At no time was I blocked, or otherwise prevented from pursuing charges or taking the steps necessary in the investigation by other United States Attorneys, the Tax Division or anyone else at the Department of Justice."

HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATORS LIMITED QUESTIONS ABOUT 'DAD,' 'BIG GUY' DESPITE FBI, IRS OBJECTIONS: WHISTLEBLOWER

Weiss also stressed that he "did not request Special Counsel status until August 2023."

"When I made that request, it was promptly granted," Weiss said.

Whistleblowers had alleged Weiss previously requested special counsel status and was denied. Attorney General Merrick Garland tapped Weiss in August to serve as special counsel with jurisdiction over the Biden investigation and any other issues that have come up, or may come up, related to that probe.

Weiss has been leading the Biden investigation since 2018.

"Throughout this investigation, the career prosecutors on my team and I have made decisions based on the facts and the law," Weiss said. "Political considerations played no part in our decision-making."

Weiss said his team’s "analysis has been moored to the principles of federal prosecution, and going forward, my team and I will continue to abide by the same principles as we try to bring this matter to a just conclusion."

HUNTER BIDEN PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO FEDERAL GUN CHARGES OUT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL DAVID WEISS' PROBE

Weiss' interview comes after a number of current and former Justice Department officials related to the Hunter Biden probe have testified voluntarily on the matter behind closed-doors at the committee, led by Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. 

IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler alleged that politics impacted prosecutorial decisions throughout the probe with regard to search warrants, decisions regarding lines of questioning during interviews of specific individuals, and more. Shapley also alleged that Weiss did not have "ultimate authority" to pursue charges against the president's son, and instead needed approval from Justice in Washington – something DOJ officials have confirmed in their voluntary transcribed interviews before the committee. 

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ Tax Division Stuart Goldberg participated in a transcribed interview before the House Judiciary Committee last month. Fox News Digital reviewed a copy of the transcript of Goldberg's interview, in which he said Weiss needed approval from his unit at the Justice Department before bringing charges in the Hunter Biden probe. Goldberg did say, however, that a prosecutor could appeal his division's decision if they disagreed. 

Shapley also alleged that Weiss was considering bringing charges against Hunter Biden in California but said the U.S. attorney there chose not to partner with him for prosecution. The charges were never filed. 

Martin Estrada, the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, told the House Judiciary Committee during his transcribed interview last month that he did, in fact, decline to partner with Weiss in bringing charges against Hunter Biden in his district. Estrada, though, did offer Weiss "administrative support." 

IRS OFFICIAL SAYS HE WAS FRUSTRATED DOJ DID NOT BRING CHARGES AGAINST HUNTER BIDEN FOR 2014, 2015 TAX YEARS

In his first move as special counsel, Weiss charged Biden with making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm; making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federal firearms licensed dealer; and one count of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

The president's son pleaded not guilty to all charges last month. 

Weiss' interview comes amid House Republicans' impeachment inquiry against President Biden. The impeachment inquiry is being led by Jordan, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo. 

Special Counsel David Weiss prepared for ‘unprecedented’ testimony at House Judiciary on Hunter Biden probe

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Special Counsel David Weiss will take part in an "unprecedented" transcribed interview before the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning, when he will answer questions about his yearslong investigation into Hunter Biden, the Justice Department said.

Weiss, who is leading the investigation into the president’s son, will voluntarily testify behind closed doors at the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m.

HUNTER BIDEN PROSECUTOR DAVID WEISS TO APPEAR FOR CLOSED-DOOR HOUSE JUDICIARY INTERVIEW

"Special Counsel Weiss is appearing voluntarily to testify before the House Judiciary Committee about the scope of his authority," Weiss spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle told Fox News. "Mr. Weiss is prepared to take this unprecedented step of testifying before the conclusion of his investigation to make clear that he’s had and continues to have full authority over his investigation and to bring charges in any jurisdiction." 

HUNTER BIDEN PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO FEDERAL GUN CHARGES OUT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL DAVID WEISS' PROBE

"Consistent with department policy and the law, he will be unable to address the specifics of his investigation," Hornbuckle said. "At the close of this matter, Special Counsel Weiss will prepare a report, which the Attorney General has committed to making public to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the law, department policy and the public interest."

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, has been negotiating with the Justice Department to have Weiss and other federal prosecutors involved in the Biden investigation to testify before his committee for months. He initially requested Weiss meet with the committee on Oct. 11. 

The DOJ initially offered Weiss for public testimony back in July. 

Attorney General Merrick Garland tapped Weiss in August to serve as special counsel with jurisdiction over the Biden investigation and any other issues that have come up, or may come up, related to that probe.

HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATORS LIMITED QUESTIONS ABOUT 'DAD,' 'BIG GUY' DESPITE FBI, IRS OBJECTIONS: WHISTLEBLOWER

Weiss, the U.S. attorney for Delaware, has been leading the Biden investigation since 2018. His appointment as special counsel came amid allegations that politics had influenced or hampered prosecutorial decisions in the yearslong investigation into the president’s son. 

In his first move as special counsel, Weiss charged Biden with making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm; making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federal firearms licensed dealer; and one count of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

The president's son pleaded not guilty to all charges last month. 

Weiss has said the investigation into the president's son is ongoing. 

Weiss' interview comes amid House Republicans' impeachment inquiry against President Biden. 

Fox News' David Spunt contributed to this report. 

Hunter Biden’s ex-partner Bobulinski calls on Bidens to join him for testimony after claim he lied to FBI

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EXCLUSIVE: Hunter Biden’s ex-business associate, Tony Bobulinski, suggested he and the Biden family appear together for public testimony before Congress after lawyers for the president's son alleged Bobulinski lied to the FBI about the nature of his business relationship.

Fox News obtained a copy of a 10-page letter Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, sent to U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves, claiming Bobulinski lied to the FBI during an interview Oct. 23, 2020, about his business dealings with the president’s son.

Lowell called for Graves to investigate Bobulinski for "false" statements regarding his work. Bobulinski worked with Hunter Biden to create the joint venture SinoHawk Holdings with Chinese energy company CEFC.

An attorney for Bobulinski provided Fox News Digital a statement on behalf of his client, denying Lowell’s allegations.

BOBULINSKI OFFERED TO TESTIFY AT HUNTER BIDEN GRAND JURY BUT 'NEVER HEARD BACK': SOURCE

"All of the allegations contained in Mr. Lowell’s 10-page letter to U.S. Attorney Graves are patently false, and I look forward to exposing these lies and laying out the facts in a public forum in short order," Bobulinski said in the statement. 

"The sad thing for our country is that Hunter, Jim and Joe Biden along with Abbe Lowell know they are all false and are trying to weaponize the DOJ against me.

"If Hunter Biden and the Biden family are so determined to ensure that the full truth is put before the American people, Hunter, Jim, Joe and I should all appear together before Congress, publicly and under oath," he continued. "They can name the date, time and place, and I would certainly be willing to do that for the American people."

Lowell, in the letter, claimed Bobulinski "lied about the business discussions among the partners involved" in the joint venture.

"The materials reveal the extraordinary lengths Mr. Bobulinski and other individuals were willing to go to implicate Mr. Biden or members of his family in some false and meritless allegations of wrongdoing," Lowell wrote. 

"Even in an era in which people peddle knowing lies with the goal of their falsehoods being repeated and disseminated for their political advantage, these statements by Mr. Bobulinski cannot and must not go unchecked."

Lowell also alleged Bobulinski was never in Miami in 2017 for initial discussions with Hunter Biden, CEFC chairman Ye Jianming and other associates.

EXCLUSIVE: HUNTER BIDEN BUSINESS ASSOCIATE'S TEXT MESSAGES INDICATE MEETING WITH JOE BIDEN

Lowell references an infamous May 13, 2017, email that includes a breakdown of the "financial capitalization of the joint venture with CEFC."

The email, first reported by Fox News Digital in October 2020, shows a proposed equity split with references "20" for "H" and "10 held by H for the big guy?" with no further details.

Bobulinski has repeatedly said "the big guy" was Joe Biden. IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, who claimed politics influenced the years-long federal investigation into Hunter Biden, also said "the big guy" was known to be Joe Biden.

HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATORS LIMITED QUESTIONS ABOUT 'DAD,' 'BIG GUY' DESPITE FBI, IRS OBJECTIONS: WHISTLEBLOWER

Lowell, in the letter, claimed Bobulinski was "making things up" and claimed Bobulinski "has no basis in fact by which to assert that there was a reference to the ‘big guy’ or that it was not his own musing or that it was a reference to Vice President Joe Biden."

Lowell said Bobulinski’s "false statements are obviously made to greatly exaggerate Mr. Bobulinski’s short-lived business relationship" with Hunter Biden "in order to create a false narrative that Mr. Biden and Jim Biden were somehow involved in off-the-books business with CEFC Chairman Ye while Joseph Biden was still Vice President."

Lowell said Bobulinski’s "lie" is the "same false narrative that serves as the improper and illusory basis of an impeachment inquiry by House Republicans and the justification for Mr. Bobulinski’s testimony."

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

The House Oversight Committee, which is jointly leading the investigation with the House Judiciary and House Ways & Means Committees, reacted to Lowell’s request on "X," formerly Twitter, Friday afternoon.

"Hunter Biden and his legal team are once again attacking anyone who speaks out against the Bidens," the Oversight Committee wrote. "This time, their target is Tony Bobulinski, a potential witness in our investigation.

"We will not tolerate witness intimidation. The truth will come out soon enough despite the Biden team’s threatening tactics. We will give Hunter the opportunity to clear the air and speak with us soon."

FBI received ‘criminal information’ from over 40 confidential sources on Joe Biden, Hunter, James: Grassley

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EXCLUSIVE: The FBI maintained more than 40 confidential human sources on various criminal matters related to the Biden family, including Joe Biden, dating back to his time as vice president, according to information obtained by Sen. Chuck Grassley.

The confidential human sources "provided criminal information to the FBI relating to Joe Biden, James Biden, and Hunter Biden." Those confidential human sources were managed by multiple FBI field offices across the nation—including the FBI’s Seattle Field Office.

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

But Grassley learned that an FBI task force within the Washington Field Office sought to, and in some cases, successfully, shut down reporting and information from those sources by falsely discrediting the information as foreign disinformation. That effort "caused investigative activity to cease."

However, despite those efforts by the FBI task force, Grassley said in at least one instance, a confidential human source and its information had been vetted by multiple U.S. attorney’s offices, which found "no hits to known sources of Russian disinformation."

The revelations were laid out in a letter Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray late Tuesday night. The letter was exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital.

"Based on the information provided to my office over a period of years by multiple credible whistleblowers, there appears to be an effort within the Justice Department and FBI to shut down investigative activity relating to the Biden family," Grassley wrote to Garland and Wray. "Such decisions point to significant political bias infecting the decision-making of not only the Attorney General and FBI Director, but also line agents and prosecutors."

He added: "Our Republic cannot survive such a political infection and you have an obligation to this country to clear the air."

Grassley has been investigating for years information, records, and allegations from multiple Justice Department whistleblowers that indicate "there is—and has been—an effort among certain Justice Department and FBI officials to improperly delay and stop full and complete investigative activity into the Biden family, including but not limited to FD-1023s referencing the Biden family."

An FD-1023 is an FBI-generated form used to document confidential human source reporting.

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

"An essential question that must be answered is this: did the FBI investigate the information or shut it down?" Grassley wrote, noting that if those sources were "improperly shut down, it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for the FBI."

One critical FD-1023 in question was first reported on by Fox News Digital earlier this year. That form included reporting from a "highly-credible" confidential human source who alleged a criminal bribery scheme between then-Vice President Joe Biden, his son Hunter Biden, and the founder and CEO of Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings, Mykola Zlochevsky.

The form details multiple meetings and conversations the source had with a top executive of Burisma Holdings over the course of several years starting in 2015. Hunter Biden, at the time, sat on the board of Burisma.

The source told the FBI that Joe Biden and Hunter Biden allegedly "coerced" Zlochevsky to pay them millions of dollars in exchange for their help in getting the Ukrainian prosecutor investigating the company, Viktor Shokin, fired.

The White House has denied the allegations.

But that form and those allegations are "part of an ongoing investigative matter," which Grassley says indicates "its investigative credibility and authenticity."

In the letter transmitted to the DOJ and FBI late Tuesday, Grassley revealed that in December 2019, the FBI Washington Field Office closed a "205B" Kleptocracy case into Zlochevsky. That probe had been opened in January 2016 by a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act squad based out of that same field office—a squad that included agents from FBI headquarters.

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

At the time of the closing of the probe, in December 2019, Hunter Biden’s role on the board of Burisma was heavily under the microscope amid the first impeachment of former President Trump. The impeachment proceedings were based on a request from Trump to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the Biden family’s business dealings in Ukraine and why the prosecutor investigating Burisma had been fired.

Months later, in February 2020, Grassley said a meeting took place at the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, which involved discussion about investigative matters relating to the Hunter Biden investigation and related inquiries. By March 2020, a "guardian" assessment was opened in that office to analyze information about the Bidens provided by then-Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani.

During the course of that assessment, DOJ and FBI officials located an FD-1023 from March 1, 2017, relating to the kleptocracy investigation of Zlochevsky. That document included a reference to Hunter Biden being on the board of Burisma, which "the handling agent deemed at the time non-relevant information to the ongoing criminal financial case." 

"When that FD-1023 was discovered, Justice Department and FBI officials asked the handler for the Confidential Human Source to re-interview that CHS," Grassley said.

Eventually, that re-interview took place, Grassley said, and the aforementioned FD-1023 alleging a criminal scheme between then-Vice President Biden, Hunter Biden, and Zlochevsky, was created in June 2020.

But federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh were "limited in their investigative abilities." Grassley said because it was merely an "assessment." Prosecutors were not able to issue subpoenas and search warrants, but instead, only able to conduct "database checks."

"My office has been informed that the FBI agents and DOJ officials working the Pittsburgh Assessment had to pause their work for weeks at a time because the assessment had to be re-approved every 30 days by multiple DOJ and FBI officials," Grassley wrote in the letter.

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

Several months later, in August 2020, FBI Supervisory Intelligence Analyst Brian Auten opened an assessment, which was used by the Foreign Influence Task Force, to seek out confidential human source information at FBI field offices across the country relating to the Biden family. Grassley said he then worked to "falsely discredit them as foreign disinformation."

The task force "attempted to shut down" the investigative steps on the FD-1023 in question, saying it "was subject to foreign disinformation." 

"It should be emphasized that the basis for trying to shut down the Biden family 1023 has been described to my office as highly suspect and is contradicted by other documents my office has been told exist within the Foreign Influence Task Force, FBI Seattle Field Office, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and FBI HQ holdings," Grassley wrote.

During that same time period, in August 2020, that task force traveled to Capitol Hill and "improperly briefed" Grassley and Johnson on their investigation into the Biden family after "pressure from congressional Democrats."

"That improper briefing was used by Democrat’s and the partisan media to falsely claim our investigation, which was based on Obama/Biden administration records, was impacted by foreign disinformation," Grassley wrote.

The Pittsburgh assessment was ultimately closed weeks later, in Sept. 2020, and a final report of its findings was transmitted by U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Scott Brady to the main Justice Department—specifically directed to Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Rich Donoghue.

DOJ ORDERED HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATORS TO 'REMOVE ANY REFERENCE' TO JOE BIDEN IN FARA PROBE WARRANT: HOUSE GOP

The subject line of that report, dated Sept. 21, 2020, was: "VETTING."

In that report, Brady noted that investigators "had limited ability to verify all information," due to their lack of authorization for a grand jury. Investigators were unable to issue subpoenas for relevant documents or for interviews. The report, though, included a recommendation that "additional investigative activity be done." 

Brady’s office, did, however, coordinate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in 2020 on the Biden FD-1023. Both U.S. attorneys offices "found no hits to known sources of Russian disinformation" related to the FD-1023 in question.

The report was eventually transmitted to now-Special Counsel David Weiss, who has been investigating Hunter Biden since 2018. That probe was launched initially as a money laundering investigation and a Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) case. That investigation is ongoing.

Meanwhile, on a call in early October 2020, it became clear that FBI agents in Delaware "were in possession of email evidence that contradicted denials made by Joe Biden that he was never aware of or involved in Hunter Biden’s business arrangements."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf was briefed in late October 2020 on the contents of the FD-1023 in question, but Grassley said she "prevented investigators from seeking information about Joe Biden’s involvement in Hunter Biden’s criminal arrangements." IRS whistleblowers involved in the investigation have also made that allegation.

Grassley also noted that in October 2020, an "avenue of derogatory Hunter Biden reporting was ordered closed" at the direction of Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Thibault— a move that whistleblowers said was made "in furtherance of Auten’s assessment."

Grassley said publicly released portions of Thibault’s interview with the House Judiciary Committee confirmed those allegations and reveals that an FBI headquarters and "Baltimore element wanted the Hunter Biden reporting closed which Thibault followed through on." 

DOJ REVEALS HUNTER BIDEN STILL UNDER FEDERAL INVESTIGATION FOR POTENTIAL FARA VIOLATIONS

Weeks later, after the 2020 presidential election, Grassley and Johnson made public their final report out of their probe, detailing their findings based on hundreds of Treasury Department Suspicious Activity Reports, interviews, and thousands of pages of government records dating back to the Obama administration.

"Our findings indicated potential criminal activity, to include money laundering, with respect to members of the Biden family and their business associates as well as strong financial connections to questionable foreign nationals and foreign government-linked corporate entities," Grassley wrote.

HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATORS LIMITED QUESTIONS ABOUT 'DAD,' 'BIG GUY' DESPITE FBI, IRS OBJECTIONS: WHISTLEBLOWER

Since, Grassley has been in touch with Weiss’ team, and has provided hundreds of pages of bank records "connecting the Biden family to Chinese-government linked entities."

Grassley demanded the FBI and DOJ provide answers to his letter by Nov. 17.

DOJ prosecutors to answer questions on Hunter Biden probe behind closed doors at House Judiciary

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Federal prosecutors will appear for transcribed interviews behind closed doors at the House Judiciary Committee this week amid the panel’s investigation into alleged politicization of the Hunter Biden probe.

Fox News has learned that U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, Martin Estrada, will sit for a transcribed interview on Tuesday, and DOJ Tax Division attorney Stuart Goldberg is expected to sit for his interview Wednesday.

The requests for DOJ officials to answer questions before the committee come after allegations of politicization and misconduct at the Justice Department agencies throughout the years-long probe into the president’s son.

HUNTER BIDEN PROSECUTOR DAVID WEISS TO APPEAR FOR CLOSED-DOOR HOUSE JUDICIARY INTERVIEW NEXT MONTH

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, has been negotiating with the Justice Department to have federal prosecutors involved in the Biden investigation to testify before his committee for months.

Special Counsel David Weiss, who is overseeing the government's investigation into Biden, is now expected to appear for his transcribed interview on Nov. 7 behind closed doors.

HUNTER BIDEN PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO FEDERAL GUN CHARGES OUT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL DAVID WEISS' PROBE

The Justice Department had initially offered Weiss for public testimony back in July. A Justice Department source told Fox News that they would prefer Weiss testify in public.

Attorney General Merrick Garland tapped Weiss in August to serve as special counsel with jurisdiction over the Biden investigation and any other issues that have come up, or may come up, related to that probe.

HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATORS LIMITED QUESTIONS ABOUT 'DAD,' 'BIG GUY' DESPITE FBI, IRS OBJECTIONS: WHISTLEBLOWER

Weiss, the U.S. attorney for Delaware, has been leading the Biden investigation since 2018. His appointment as special counsel came amid allegations that politics had influenced or hampered prosecutorial decisions in the yearslong investigation into the president’s son. 

HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATORS LIMITED QUESTIONS ABOUT 'DAD,' 'BIG GUY' DESPITE FBI, IRS OBJECTIONS: WHISTLEBLOWER

In his first move as special counsel, Weiss charged Biden with making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm; making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federal firearms licensed dealer; and one count of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

The president's son pleaded not guilty to all charges earlier this month. 

Weiss has said the investigation into the president's son is ongoing. 

Weiss' interview comes amid House Republicans' impeachment inquiry against President Biden. 

The status of the impeachment inquiry is unclear, however, after the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as House speaker. 

Comer demands answers on whether Biden classified records mention countries related to family business deals

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FIRST ON FOX: House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is demanding answers from Special Counsel Robert Hur on whether the sensitive, classified documents President Biden retained were related to specific countries— countries that were involved in his family’s lucrative foreign business deals.

Comer, R-Ky., is investigating the Biden family’s foreign business dealings as part of the House impeachment inquiry, as well as Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents.

Comer, in a letter to Hur, who is investigating Biden’s alleged improper retention of classified records, said his committee has "developed significant evidence regarding President Biden’s retention of classified materials at Penn Biden Center."

BIDEN INTERVIEWED BY SPECIAL COUNSEL ABOUT CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS

"As detailed in the Oversight Committee’s bank memoranda and Impeachment Inquiry Memorandum, evidence suggests President Biden may have used certain members of his family — particularly his son, Hunter Biden — to accumulate millions of dollars from foreign individuals and entities for the benefit of his family and himself," Comer wrote to Hur. "Indeed, the Biden family received millions of dollars from foreign sources while President Biden served in public office and afterwards."

Comer added, "If any of the classified documents mishandled by President Biden involved countries or individuals that had financial dealings with Biden family members or their related companies, the Committee needs access to that information to evaluate whether our national security has been compromised."

Comer noted that Biden family members, their business associates and their "related companies" received "significant payments from individuals and companies in China, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Romania." He also referred to "other evidence recently released by the Ways & Means Committee identified over 20 different countries with ties to the Biden family’s influence peddling schemes."

DOJ ORDERED HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATORS TO 'REMOVE ANY REFERENCE' TO JOE BIDEN IN FARA PROBE WARRANT: HOUSE GOP

Comer said the House Oversight Committee has learned throughout its investigation that the Biden family and their business associates brought in more than $24 million between 2014 and 2019 by "selling Joe Biden as ‘the brand’ around the world."

"The Committee is concerned that President Biden may have retained sensitive documents related to specific countries involving his family’s foreign business," Comer wrote.

Meanwhile, Comer also questioned Hur on information to help the committee to "understand whether the White House or President Biden’s personal attorneys placed any limitations or scoping restrictions during the interview that would have precluded a line of inquiry regarding evidence (emails, text messages, or witness statements) directly linking Joe Biden to troublesome foreign payments."

"President Biden’s retention of certain classified documents begs the question as to why he kept these particular materials," Comer wrote. "Of the many classified documents he reviewed over his lengthy career, why did President Biden keep these specific documents in his home and office?"

He added, "The sensitive nature of the information contained in the documents may answer that question for the Committee, which is why we seek to review those materials."

HUNTER BIDEN'S $250K WIRE FROM CHINA LABELED AS A 'PERSONAL INVESTMENT'

Comer requested that Hur determine a "mutually agreed upon secured location" and provide information without redactions to the committee, including "any terms, agreements or scoping limitations" related to his office’s review of the president.

Comer also requested a list of the countries named in any documents with classification markings recovered from Penn Biden Center, Biden’s residence, including the garage, in Wilmington, Delaware, or elsewhere; and a list of all individuals named in those documents with classification markings; and all documents found with classified markings.

Comer is also asking if Hur was "permitted" to ask about evidence obtained by the U.S. Attorneys’s Office for the district of Delaware — which has been investigating Hunter Biden — and on any information released by IRS whistleblowers related to the Biden family’s business dealings.

Comer also asked for the copy of the report and agents’ notes following the special counsel’s interview of the president and any interview with former White House counsel Dana Remus.

Comer’s letter comes just days after President Biden was interviewed by Hur.

The White House Counsel’s Office confirmed the voluntary interview took place earlier this month at the White House over the course of two days — last Sunday and Monday and concluded Monday.

HUNTER BIDEN RECEIVED $250K WIRES ORIGINATING IN BEIJING WITH BENEFICIARY ADDRESS LISTED AS JOE BIDEN'S HOME

"As we have said from the beginning, the president and the White House are cooperating with this investigation, and as it has been appropriate, we have provided relevant updates publicly, being as transparent as we can, consistent with protecting and preserving the integrity of the investigation," White House spokesperson for investigations Ian Sams said. 

Hur’s investigation comes after a batch of records from President Biden's time as vice president, including a "small number of documents with classified markings," were discovered at the Penn Biden Center by the president's personal attorneys on Nov. 2, 2022. 

Additional classified records were discovered at President Biden’s Wilmington home in January. After that discovery, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Hur as special counsel to investigate the matter.

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team negotiated with lawyers for then-President Trump for an interview, but Trump never sat for one. His lawyers instead submitted answers to written questions.

President George W. Bush sat for a 70-minute interview as part of an investigation into the leak of the identity of a CIA operative. President Clinton in 1998 underwent more than four hours of questioning from independent counsel Kenneth Starr before a federal grand jury.

Five takeaways from Merrick Garland’s hours-long testimony at House Judiciary

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Attorney General Merrick Garland testified before the House Judiciary Committee for nearly a half-dozen hours on Wednesday, fielding questions from lawmakers on the alleged politicization within the Justice Department under his leadership.

The hearing on Capitol Hill began at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday and lasted through the late afternoon.

AG GARLAND SLAPS DOWN 2 TIERS OF JUSTICE NARRATIVE IN OPENING STATEMENT AHEAD OF HOUSE TESTIMONY

Here are highlights from the hearing.

Garland was pressed by Republicans, as they lead an impeachment inquiry against President Biden and investigate allegations of corruption within the Biden family and surrounding the federal investigation into the First Son, on his involvement in the Hunter Biden investigation.

Garland stressed that he is "not the president’s lawyer," and that the Justice Department’s "job is to follow the facts and the law, and that is what we do."

"I promised the Senate that I would not interfere… I would not influence the investigation," Garland said. "I do not intend to discuss internal Justice Department deliberations, whether or not I had them."

Garland also said he does not know "the specifics of the investigation." 

AG GARLAND TESTIFIES THAT WEISS HAD FULL AUTHORITY IN HUNTER BIDEN PROBE, BUT NEVER DISCUSSED SPECIFICS

Garland repeatedly said during the first hours of his testimony that he never had discussions with Weiss about the investigation, and said the prosecutor had the necessary tools to continue his years-long probe into President Biden’s son.

But whistleblowers testified to Congress that Weiss had requested special counsel authority from the Justice Department back in 2022, but was denied.

In August, Garland ultimately granted Weiss that authority.

"Mr. Weiss asked to be made special counsel. I had promised that I would give him all the resources he needed, and I made him special counsel," Garland testified Wednesday.

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, highlighted Hunter's business dealings with Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings and noted that the DOJ had allowed the statute of limitations to lapse on any potential tax crimes Hunter may have committed during the time he served on the board of that company.

The DOJ had been considering tax charges against Hunter Biden for failing to pay income tax for 2014 and 2015—the years he served on the board. At the time, Hunter Biden did not report "approximately $400,000" in income he collected from his position on the board of Burisma Holdings.

JIM JORDAN GRILLS AG GARLAND OVER ALLOWING HUNTER BIDEN'S POTENTIAL BURISMA CHARGES TO 'LAPSE'

Garland refused to answer Jordan's questions directly, instead deflecting to future statements by Special Counsel David Weiss.

"Mr. Weiss was the supervisor of the investigation at that time and at all times," Garland repeated. "He made the appropriate decisions. You'll be able to ask him that question."

"We all know why they did it," Jordan said. "Everyone knows why they did it … those tax years, that involved the president. It's one thing to have a gun charge in Delaware. That doesn't involve the President of the United States. But Burisma? Oh, my, that goes right to the White House."

Jordan was referring to information House Republicans have gleaned from their investigation into Biden’s alleged corruption and involvement in his son’s business dealings.

Garland had a contentious exchange with Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, R-N.J., regarding the Justice Department's handling of investigations into Catholic and pro-life groups.

"Do you agree that traditional Catholics are violent extremists, yes or no?" Van Drew asked, referring to an anti-Catholic memo that circulated in the FBI and led to agents undercover at Catholic Churches.

"Attorney General … I ask you do you agree that traditional Catholics are violent extremists?" Van Drew repeated.

"I have no idea what ‘traditional’ means here," Garland said before becoming animated. "The idea that someone with my family background would discriminate against any religion is so outrageous – so absurd that you would ask me that question."

Garland comes from a family of Jewish immigrants who fled antisemitism in Eastern Europe in the early 20th century.

AG GARLAND FLIPS OUT AT GOP LAWMAKER OVER ACCUSATIONS OF ANTI-CATHOLIC BIAS: 'OUTRAGEOUS'

"It was your FBI that did this. It was your FBI that was sending – and we have the memos, we have the emails – undercover agents into Catholic churches," Van Drew asserted.

"Both I and the director of the FBI have said that we were appalled by that memo," Garland said.

The pair then spoke over each other for an extended period, with Van Drew repeatedly asking, "Are they extremists or not, attorney general?"

"Catholics are not extremists, no," Garland ultimately said in a frustrated tone.
 

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, grilled Garland on whether the Justice Department has stopped its alleged targeting of parents at school board meetings.

Roy was referring to Garland’s October 2021 memo that directed the FBI and federal officials to address violence and threats of violence against those on school boards and school administrators.

AG GARLAND DEFENDS DOJ FROM ACCUSATIONS OF TARGETING PRO-LIFE GROUPS, PARENTS IN FIERY TESTIMONY

When asked if that memo had been rescinded, Garland said: "There's nothing to rescind," while stressing it said "nothing about parents being terrorists, nothing about attending school boards."

Roy went on to note that the DOJ had prosecuted 126 instances of alleged crimes by pro-life groups but only four instances of alleged crimes by pro-choice groups under Garland's tenure.

Roy turned to the case of Mark Houck, a pro-life activist who was arrested "in front of his wife and children" by heavily armed FBI agents. Houck faced 11 years in prison for demonstrating outside an abortion clinic, but he was later acquitted.

Roy noted that the jury in Houck's case met for just one hour before acquitting him. He then asked whether Garland had investigated why his department wasted resources on such a case.

"The Justice Department respects the jury's verdict. The accusations in that case were made by agents and prosecutors on the ground," Garland responded.

White House blasts House Judiciary for holding ‘circus of a hearing’ grilling Garland

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The White House blasted the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee for holding an hours-long "circus of a hearing full of lies and disinformation" featuring testimony from Attorney General Merrick Garland, saying it is part of a "not-so-sophisticated distraction campaign."

Garland testified before the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday as part of the panel’s annual oversight work. The hearing was focused on the alleged politicization of the Justice Department under Garland’s leadership.

AG GARLAND TESTIFIES THAT WEISS HAD FULL AUTHORITY IN HUNTER BIDEN PROBE, BUT NEVER DISCUSSED SPECIFICS

Garland fielded questions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, but defended his work at the Justice Department, and maintained he has remained independent and uninvolved in the years-long federal investigation into Hunter Biden.

But the White House slammed Republicans, who are leading an impeachment inquiry against President Biden, and once again cast blame for the potential of a looming government shutdown on House GOP lawmakers.

"Extreme House Republicans are running a not-so-sophisticated distraction campaign to try to cover up their own actions that are hurtling America to a dangerous and costly government shutdown," White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations Ian Sams said Wednesday. "They cannot even pass a military funding bill because extreme House Republicans are demanding devastating cuts like slashing thousands of preschool slots nationwide and thousands of law enforcement jobs including border agents, so they cranked up a circus of a hearing full of lies and disinformation with the sole goal of baselessly attacking President Biden and his family."

WHITE HOUSE HAMMERS UPCOMING BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY HEARING AS 'EVIDENCE-FREE' STUNT

"Don’t be fooled: they want to distract from the reality that their own chaos and inability to govern is going to shut down the government in a matter of days, hurting our economy and national security and jeopardizing everything from troop pay to fighting fentanyl," Sams continued.

He added: "These sideshows won’t spare House Republicans from bearing responsibility for inflicting serious damage on the country."

Sams was referring to a possible government shutdown.

Congress is currently negotiating a continuing resolution to extend the current year’s funding, but without passing a deal by Sept. 30, they risk sending the government into a partial shutdown.

House Republicans are set to hold their first impeachment inquiry hearing to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of power against Biden on Thursday, Sept. 28.

AG Garland flips out at GOP lawmaker over accusations of anti-Catholic bias: ‘Outrageous’

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Attorney General Merrick Garland was visibly outraged by accusations that he has operated the Justice Department with an anti-Catholic bias on Wednesday.

Garland testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, facing questions from Republicans relating to the investigation of Hunter Biden and other hot-button issues. Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, R-N.J., had a particularly contentious exchange regarding the Justice Department's handling of investigations into Catholic and pro-life groups.

"Do you agree that traditional Catholics are violent extremists, yes or no?" Van Drew asked after listing a series of incidents of alleged anti-Catholic or anti-Christian bias.

"I would be happy to answer all of those," Garland began before being cut off.

PURPORTED FBI DOCUMENT SUGGESTS AGENCY MAY BE TARGETING CATHOLICS WHO ATTEND LATIN MASS

"Attorney General, I control the time. I'm gonna ask you to answer the questions I ask," Van Drew said.

"You control time by asking me a substantial number of things?" Garland scoffed.

BIDEN ADMIN HIRES SCAR TO MONITOR SCHOOL BOOK BAN: ‘THREAT’ TO STUDENTS

"Attorney General, though the chair, I ask you do you agree that traditional Catholics are violent extremists?" Van Drew repeated.

"I have no idea what ‘traditional’ means here," Garland said before becoming animated. "The idea that someone with my family background would discriminate against any religion is so outrageous – so absurd that you would ask me that question."

Garland comes from a family of Jewish immigrants who fled antisemitism in Eastern Europe in the early 20th century.

"It was your FBI that did this. It was your FBI that was sending – and we have the memos, we have the emails – undercover agents into Catholic churches," Van Drew asserted.

GOP REP. CALLS FOR MERRICK GARLAND'S IMPEACHMENT OVER ROLE IN BIDEN'S ‘COVERUP’: HE'S THE ‘HEAD OF THE SNAKE’

"Both I and the director of the FBI have said that we were appalled by that memo," Garland said.

The pair then spoke over each other for an extended period, with Van Drew repeatedly asking, "Are they extremists or not, attorney general?"

"Catholics are not extremists, no," Garland ultimately said in a frustrated tone.

Garland went on to say that parents attending school board meetings should "of course" not be considered a domestic terror threat, as they had apparently been categorized in a past memo.

The heated exchange arose from an internal FBI memo that leaked to the public earlier this year. The memo suggested there may be a public threat posed by Catholics who attend Latin Mass, express a preference for pre-Vatican II teachings, or endorse Catholic doctrine on sex and marriage.

Garland had several tense exchanges with lawmakers during his testimony before the Judiciary Committee. Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, grilled the Biden appointee over the DOJ's handling of the investigation into Hunter Biden's dealings with Burisma in Ukraine.

The hearing focused on GOP allegations of bias by Biden's DOJ, allegations that Garland fervently denied.