Judge accuses DOJ of 'weaponization,' tosses case against ex-FBI officials
A federal judge dismissed a criminal case against two former FBI officials, labeling the Justice Department's prosecution as 'weaponization.' The judge cited significant errors and a rushed investigation into the officials' alleged false statements to Congress.
Why it matters
The ruling highlights intense political friction within the U.S. justice system and concerns regarding the politicization of federal law enforcement.
A federal magistrate judge on Monday dismissed the Justice Department's criminal case against two former FBI officials charged in connection with the bureau's investigations into former President Joe Biden's son.
Bradley Benavides and Nikki Floris were charged around two weeks ago with lying to Congress in 2023 about their knowledge of the FBI's investigations into Biden's son, Hunter Biden. It is one of several politically charged actions by the Justice Department under President Trump in the run-up to the midterm elections on Tuesday.
At a hearing in federal court in Washington, D.C., U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui castigated the government's investigation into Floris and Benavides, describing it as rushed and riddled with errors.
"I am deeply troubled by what has happened here," Faruqui said in a scathing ruling from the bench. "What transpired here cannot be described as anything other than weaponization."
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