2026-10-27 · contested story
DOJ files new charges against 2 ex-FBI officials in Hunter Biden case
On October 23, 2026, the Justice Department charged two former FBI officials — Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, former leaders of the now-disbanded Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF) — with lying to Congress in 2023 testimony about their involvement in the bureau's Hunter Biden investigations, including matters surrounding his laptop. Each faces a single count of making false statements. The case was brought by criminal complaint (not a grand jury indictment) just 10 days before the November 3 midterm elections, prompting U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui to call charges 'this old' of 'this nature' unusual. FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro framed the charges as accountability for weaponization; defense attorneys called them 'nonsense' and politically timed.
How each side frames it
left
"It’s no coincidence the government is filing these nonsense charges now, years later, on the eve of an election"
"the entire investigation fell apart in 2024 after its star witness, Alexander Smirnov, admitted the conspiracy was in fact Russian disinformation"
"I’m amazed that the administration is focused on this, fighting imaginary adversaries of the past and perceived political grievances"
"a possible Russian agent to escape punishment for conning the FBI and attempting to interfere in two US elections"
"the latest in a series of splashy and politically charged actions the Justice Department has undertaken ahead of next month’s midterm contests"
center
"rare that we have charges this old coming in this nature"
"Did you have any involvement in the Hunter Biden investigation?" to which she responded, "I did not"
"Lying to Congress by anyone strikes at the heart of our democratic system"
"breaking with longstanding DOJ guidance discouraging actions that could affect upcoming political races"
"I heard they were bad people. Yeah, they are crooked people ... they are dirty cops"
right
"it’s time to bring the hammer of justice down on them"
"One of these individuals is on record privately claiming to be ‘running a shadow government’ during the 2020 election"
"numerous pieces of documentary evidence, contemporaneous communications, and witness accounts contradict their testimony"
"This is where the plumbers are. This is where the operatives are. This is where the people are that are doing the worst things at the Justice Department"
"Morell told the committee his purpose was twofold, to warn Americans about the danger of Russian influence in the elections and to help Joe Biden politically"
What each side left out
The left left out — covered by the CBS News & Fox News & Just The News
- Specific testimony exchanges from the complaint showing alleged lies
- Patel's 'shadow government' allegation detail
- IRS whistleblower (Shapley/Ziegler) backstory alleging DOJ interference
The right left out — covered by the The New Republic & NPR & Mother Jones
- Alexander Smirnov's admission the bribery conspiracy was Russian disinformation
- That no evidence showed Joe Biden financially gained from Hunter's dealings
- DOJ's own later authentication conclusions had been assessed as possible Russian operation
The center left out — covered by the Just The News & Mother Jones
- Deep editorial analysis of whether the charges are 'essential accountability' vs 'retaliation'
- The IRS whistleblower interference allegations in detail
The left left out — covered by the CBS News
- The specific defensive briefings to Grassley and Johnson on Aug 6, 2020 and 'Round River' operation details
What's actually true?
[verified] Two former FBI officials, Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, were charged with lying to Congress about their involvement in investigating Hunter Biden's laptop and surrendered Friday.
[verified] The case was filed via criminal complaint, not a grand jury indictment, 10 days before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
[verified] Benavides allegedly told Congress he learned the FBI had Hunter Biden's laptop from a Wikipedia page.
[verified] The Foreign Influence Task Force was established in the first Trump administration and disbanded in February 2025 by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi.
[verified] Hunter Biden was convicted of federal gun charges and pleaded guilty to tax offenses, then was pardoned by his father in late 2024.
[verified] FBI informant Alexander Smirnov admitted fabricating the Biden-Burisma bribery allegation and acknowledged ties to Russian intelligence; he was sentenced to six years.
[verified] Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui described the charges as rare and said a 'Sword of Damocles' hangs over the defendants, setting a preliminary hearing for Tuesday over prosecutors' objections.
[contested] The Justice Department special counsel (David Weiss) did not recommend additional charges beyond gun and tax offenses, and no evidence showed Joe Biden financially gained from Hunter's business dealings.
The narrative clash
Whether Hunter Biden's laptop was Russian disinformation or authenticated as genuine
Left: the entire investigation fell apart in 2024 after its star witness, Alexander Smirnov, admitted the conspiracy was in fact Russian disinformation
Right: the Justice Department is planning on using “self-authenticating” data from the laptop at Biden’s upcoming federal gun trial
Whether the intel officials' letter was legitimate caution or a deception operation
Left: Dozens of former U.S. intelligence officials signed a letter saying that the laptop bore the “classic earmarks of an Russian information operation”
Right: the planning, drafting, and dissemination’ of the Hunter Biden laptop letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials ‘exhibit characteristics consistent with coordinated intelligence deception operations
Whether the Hunter Biden probe faced political interference
Left: A special counsel thoroughly investigated the Republicans’ allegations against Hunter Biden and didn’t recommend any additional charges past the gun and tax charges
Right: the Biden-appointed U.S. Attorneys in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles blocked Weiss’ efforts to charge Hunter Biden for tax crimes in their jurisdiction
Intent of the prosecution: settling political scores vs. deterring perjury
Left: The charges are a politically motivated act timed to the election, not a genuine enforcement decision.
Right: Anyone who lies under oath to Congress must be charged, regardless of who they are or when it happened.
Process legitimacy: how and when the case was brought
Left: Bypassing a grand jury and filing days before the vote shows the process itself was irregular.
Right: Delay was the real scandal; the urgency is overdue accountability, not improper timing.
78 sources analyzed
The New Republic Al Jazeera LiveNOW from FOX Boston Herald Fox News The Daily Beast CNN Yahoo Just The News National Review HuffPost The Guardian MS NOW Just The News National Review The Boston Globe NPR CNBC Just The News Washington Examiner MSNBC Los Angeles Times ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos The Dispatch National Review The Boston Globe The Washington Post CBS News Just The News National Review Mother Jones Los Angeles Times KEYC News Now Reason The Spectator World MSNBC Los Angeles Times Anchorage Daily News Reason The Spectator World The Daily Beast NPR The Independent Reason The Daily Beast The Washington Post KSL News The Dispatch The Daily Beast NPR The Jerusalem Post Reason The Boston Globe NPR ABC7 Bay Area The Dispatch Vox The Washington Post WTOP News The Dispatch Vox Newsweek Investor's Business Daily Vox Breakingthenews.net Investor's Business Daily Mother Jones New York's Power 105.1 FM Investor's Business Daily Mother Jones Spectrum News NY1 Investor's Business Daily The New Republic Modern Ghana The Boston Globe Vox The New Republic The New Republic