A federal magistrate judge has dismissed criminal charges against two former FBI officials who were accused of lying about their roles in the Hunter Biden investigation. U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui criticized the Justice Department's prosecution, stating the case "cannot be described as anything other than weaponization."
Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides were charged with one count each of allegedly making false statements to Congress regarding their work on the FBI's Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF) and their involvement in the Hunter Biden probe. The charges were brought via criminal complaint, meaning a grand jury indictment had not yet been secured.
During a preliminary hearing, Judge Faruqui expressed strong disapproval of the prosecutors' handling of the case, labeling it "slapdash" and brought without sufficient evidence or motive. He told Justice Department lawyers that he was "deeply troubled by what has happened" in their attempt to prosecute the former FBI officials.
"This does not feel like an investigation," Faruqui stated, adding, "It feels like a broken, one-wish willow obsession."
The judge had previously questioned the timing of the charges, which were unsealed just 10 days before the November 3 midterm elections, raising concerns among the former agents' attorneys and the judge himself.