Judge Dismisses Case Against Two Former FBI Officials

A federal judge in Washington dismissed a criminal case on Monday against two former FBI officials accused of lying to Congress during investigations into Hunter Biden, citing a lack of probable cause.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui threw out the complaint against Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, ruling that the government failed to establish that they misled lawmakers in 2023.

The dismissal deals a setback to the Justice Department under President Donald Trump as prosecutors pursue high-profile cases ahead of the midterm elections.

Faruqui sharply criticized the proceedings during a hearing in federal court, describing the investigation as rushed and flawed.

"What transpired here cannot be described as anything other than weaponization," said Faruqui, according to The Times of India and NPR.

The judge noted that the inquiry began after FBI Director Kash Patel ordered it the day after Trump delivered a speech on election security.

Faruqui questioned why prosecutors waited until two weeks before the elections to bring charges over statements made three years earlier.

"I will not bury my head in the sand and pretend that I cannot read a calendar," said Faruqui, as reported by The Times of India and NPR.

The case was brought through a criminal complaint rather than a grand jury indictment, a method the judge noted is typically reserved for urgent situations.

An FBI agent testified last week that he worried the prosecution would be viewed as political, according to NBC News.

The Justice Department stated that it disagrees with the decision and is evaluating all options while maintaining that its actions are guided by the law.

"We are evaluating all options but cannot comment further on an ongoing criminal investigation," said the Justice Department in a statement.

Defense attorneys praised the ruling and criticized the prosecution.

"As the judge just laid out, this was a slap-dash complaint, spaghetti-at-the wall, Hunter Biden conspiracy fever dream," said Margaret Donovan, one of Floris' attorneys.

Prosecutors could theoretically still attempt to take the case to a federal grand jury.