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Politics · November 2, 2026

Judge dismisses complaint against 2 ex-FBI officials accused of lying to Congress about Hunter Biden

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On November 2, 2026, U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui dismissed a criminal complaint against former FBI officials Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides. The two were accused of making false statements to Congress regarding their knowledge of the Hunter Biden laptop investigation and related probes. In a bench ruling, Faruqui described the prosecution as a "weaponization" of the legal system, citing a lack of direct evidence and expressing concern over the case's timing. The Department of Justice disagreed with the ruling, stating it would evaluate its options for appeal or a grand jury indictment while maintaining that the case is guided by law rather than politics.

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Reported across the spectrum

  • U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui dismissed the criminal complaint against Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides
  • The former FBI officials were accused of lying to Congress about their knowledge of the Hunter Biden investigation
  • Judge Faruqui characterized the prosecution's effort as 'weaponization'
  • The Department of Justice issued a statement disagreeing with the judge's decision

Reported by only some outlets

  • Judge Faruqui described the case as a 'rush job' directed by Donald Trump and Kash Patel
  • Bradley Benavides allegedly told a committee he learned of the particulars of the case on Wikipedia
  • The Justice Department claimed the ruling suggests high-ranking officials are immune from accountability
  • The officials were formerly part of the FBI's Foreign Influence Task Force
  • The dismissal followed a two-day probable cause hearing

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