FBI Furious Grassley Released Doc With Unverified Claims About Bidens
Category: News & Politics
Via: vic-eldred • 2 years ago • 59 commentsBy: Sonam Sheth, Brent D. Griffiths (Business Insider)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The FBI on Thursday blasted two top Republican lawmakers for supporting the release of an internal investigative document that contains unverified allegations that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter accepted bribes from a Ukrainian gas company — claims the White House called "dishonest" and which even some Republicans have cast doubts on.
"The safeguards the FBI placed on the production of this information are necessary to protect the safety of confidential sources and the integrity of sensitive investigations," the bureau said in a statement to Insider. "Today's release of the 1023 [form] - at a minimum - unnecessarily risks the safety of a confidential source."
Earlier Thursday, Sen. Chuck Grassley, who has helped lead the Senate's probes of Hunter Biden, decided to publish a sparingly redacted copy of the FBI document, which details claims made by a confidential informant who said a Burisma executive boasted about how he used Hunter Biden to protect the company.
The informant also claimed that Burisma CEO Mykola Zlochevsky claimed that he was "coerced" into discussing $10 million bribes to the Bidens, though the informant was unclear if the money was ever paid or how; Joe Biden was the US vice president at the time.
The informant also claimed, without evidence, that Zlochevsky made 17 recordings and kept documents that would substantiate the bribery allegations. Last month, Sen. Ron Johnson, who has teamed up with Grassley on the Biden probes, cautioned that such recordings may not exist.
"This could be coming from a very corrupt oligarch who could be making this stuff up," Johnson said on the Vicki McKenna Show, per PunchBowl News. "You have to suspend your judgment until you know more."
Grassley's office disputed the bureau's claim that the release could endanger the confidential informant.
" Democrats and the media sought to link the FD-1023 to the Bidens' activity in Ukraine long before this document became public, citing information that only the FBI and DOJ could have known," Grassley spokesperson Taylor Foy said in a statement to Insider. "The FBI can't cite risks to sources while thwarting congressional oversight in one breath and leak selective information to the news media in another."
The release of the FBI document come days after former President Donald Trump, the 2024 GOP frontrunner, got a letter informing him that he's a target in the DOJ's investigation into the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
The FBI initially turned over the document to Republicans in June in response to a subpoena. At the time, House Oversight Chairman James Comer had pressured the bureau to turn over information even though it involved a confidential source.
The FBI allowed only a few lawmakers and their aides access to the document. It is unclear how Grassley obtained the copy. In a statement, the Iowa Republican said it came to him "via legally protected disclosures by Justice Department whistleblowers." Both Grassley and Comer argued Thursday that publicly releasing the document was a necessary step.
"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," Grassley said in a statement.
Republicans have long alleged that when he was vice president, Joe Biden inappropriately meddled in a criminal investigation into Burisma Holdings — whose board Hunter Biden served on from 2014 to early 2019 — led by Viktor Shokin, who was then Ukraine's prosecutor general.
When he visited the country in March 2016, Joe Biden pressed hard for Shokin to be fired for corruption.
Biden represented the US's official position on the matter, one that was shared by many other Western governments and anticorruption activists in Ukraine. But Republicans have alleged, without evidence, that Biden pushed for Shokin's ouster because he wanted to stymie the investigation into Burisma.
However, government officials and Ukrainian anticorruption advocates point out that Shokin had hampered the investigation into Burisma long before Biden even stepped into the picture, The Wall Street Journal reported.
In other words, Biden was doing the opposite of what Republicans have implied: he was trying to oust a prosecutor who was slow-walking the investigation into Burisma, rather than actively targeting the company.
Bloomberg also reported that the Burisma investigation was largely dormant when Biden called for Shokin to be fired.
The White House put out a statement after Republicans released the document, saying that the claims in it "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," the statement added.
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BREAKING: Senator Chuck Grassley released the FD-1023 form, alleging that Mykola Zlochevsky, Burisma's founder, paid a $5,000,000 bribe each to Vice President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden to have Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin fired.
The American people should be able to judge for themselves:
The cheese is finally beginning to bind on the Biden crime syndicate.
I really think thats why Susan Rice left
Perhaps.
I think she knows, that like Obama, she can still tweak the strings on the puppet from afar.
Yep, that time has come.
How do you figure this changes anything?
The truth most certainly will not set them free and the truth is starting to come out. Time will tell if we can get past the smoke screens ….
The question you should be asking is why has this taken 6-7 years.
There is nothing on this document we haven't already heard about so what truth are you talking about?
How much time do these committees need?
No the question I'm asking is if it's been 6 or 7 years how come there isn't something these committees can point to and go to court on? So far it's all conjecture and innuendo. I would truly love it if they had enough to get rid of Uncle Joe. Even enough just to make him go away...
This is the first time I’ve seen it in an official document. Perhaps you have better access.
Ask the Dem’s who were in charge of those committees until 2022. Maybe they will give you an answer.
See above
Okay. I'll give you that, but again it's not new information.
Same shit, different sandwich... Did they convict anyone? You think these new clowns will?
So...again, nothing.
You asked a question and I gave you an answer. Time will tell but one things for sure. The new clowns are actually looking into it.
No evidence they say!
I would say that it's ample and enough. The way the hearings are going, it's likely to become overwhelming.
That's why the Dems are trying so desperately trying to discredit the whistleblowers, and failing to do so in a spectacular fashion.
A Dem's 'Friendly Fire' Incident at IRS Whistleblower Hearing Caused 'Dresden-Level' Damage to Biden (townhall.com)
None of the gop's so called whistleblowers gave one bit of new evidence of any crimes. They were just unhappy with how quickly and how severely Hunter was investigated and charged. That he was allowed to pay his back taxes, plead guilty to misdemeanors and settle his tax case the same as millions of others who filed and paid late. Nothing about the President...
Got a meme for that?
Only to someone that didn't listen to the testimony. Hunter lied on his 2018 tax refiling. That is still a punishable crime. They know he did it. Also, the DOJ allowed the statute of limitation to run out on Hunter's 2014 and 2015 taxes that he misrepresented and didn't declare millions in Burisma money.
Quickly? What is your idea of quickly? They investigated Hunter since Nov 2018. The plea deal just came now. Of course they had to hide/stop the investigation as not to influence the 2020 elections. Then again in 2022 for midterms. Finally just stretch it long enough to let the statute of limitations run out on Hunter's 2014/2015 misfilings.
Severely? He didn't even get a slap on the damn wrist. The gun charge that rappers have received 3 years in prison for Hunter got wiped. He gets probation so long as he keeps his nose clean. The judge had better have him drug tested before agreeing to the plea deal.
When you spew BS you really spew BS. Again, tell that to the rappers that are serving prison time for the exact same charge.
Democrats/leftists much have had their heads stuck in a hole during the testimony.
How many times does it need to be drilled into Democrats'/Leftists' heads that Brandon and his family received illegal money from foreign countries through LLC's. Pay for play all the way. Garland/DOJ/FBI/IRS obstructed the investigation. A special prosecutor (not special counsel) needs to be appointed. One that Garland has no control over.
The denial among Democrats/leftists is insane. There is far more evidence Brandon is a paid for foreign operative than Trump. But only Trump gets appointed a special prosecutor/investigator in the Russia collusion hoax.
It would have been more fun if they dropped this a few weeks before the 2024 election. We would have seen the MSM trip over themselves denying it and calling it disinformation of some sort or just not reporting on it at all and silencing anyone that tried to disseminate the information.
If that were even remotely true then it wouldn't be an UNCLASSIFIED DOCUMENT.
So the question remains - Why didn't the FBI investigate this? Oh, wait, we know. Could it be their lack of competence to do their job is a result of protecting a crackhead and his geriatric father?
You have proof they didn't?
Did you not read the article? Start there.
I read it. Perhaps you can point out the pertinent information?
If you read it then you already know the answer. If you don't understand the article, that's not my problem.
Thanks for confirming you have nothing.
You're in deep denial
No. I'm asking you guys for actual real evidence of your claims. IF you have it, then show it to me. Per the article this document is not proof, it's a claim from one person that has no verification. I really don't want Biden on next year's reelection ticket so help a brother out.
Just do me, and everybody else a favor. Before you comment read the article, understand the article then comment. It saves you from asking questions that are already answered in the article.
Before you make a claim have something to back it up with. Then we can have a discussion.
The White House put out a statement after Republicans released the document, saying that the claims in it "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," the statement added.
OK, so if that is the case exactly what is the problem with letting the public see them?
It is amazing that the very same people who have been talking about the Steele Dossier being garbage for 6 1/2 years are now embracing their own version of it.
I guess all that matters is to try and "win".
The Steele Dossier is proven garbage.
Is this? Please provide proof if yes.
Steel Dossier is not garbage. It is info acquired by MI6. As it stands at this moment it has never been officially vetted. Some of it may be true. Some of it may not.
Lol.
You didn't believe the Steele Dossier was fake. Neither did the Democrats. Some leftists still think it is real and are frantically trying to find the "pee tapes".
How many years of bullshit House investigations, and a special counsel investigation into Russian Collusion, did Democrats subject this country based on a damn lie?
Damaged Trump's presidency for at least 2 years- which is all that mattered to Democrats.
You are correct.
You are just pissed Republicans are trying to win now.
The lies that many democrats would not see if it dropped from the sky and hit them on the head. But I will give you a hint since I am in a giving mood. The Steel Dossier that was proven to be bullshit.
This would only be true if the republicans hired a foreign operative to gather this information from the Russian intelligence services, this is an American IRS investigator coming forward to right a wrong like Vindman felt he was doing about the Ukraine call.
well, when you have a phone call recording of Biden like Vindman had with Trump we can talk
It's amazing the same people who publicized the bullshit Steele dossier and used it as a political weapon are so upset by this.
The FBI is pissed.
Only they, and Democrats, are allowed to release or leak unverified documents- or even documents that are proven to be completely untrue.
Only they and Democrats get to decide who gets hurt with these releases/leaks.
Republicans need to learn their place!
The FBI collects all sorts of data and information from a variety of sources, foreign and domestic. By the FBI's own admittance they realize some of the information and data are false by design or mere allegations. Just because the FBI has files of information on any given subject does not mean the information is accurate or true.
If it weren't for the 'specter of Trump' there would not be an investigation into the Bidens'. This is a political witch hunt. For nearly a decade the GOP, led by the fears of Trump have been searching for a resurrection of 'the Kraken'.
Are you saying that the 'specter of Trump' has caused a serious inquiry into the Bidens?
Yes.