US judge dismisses charges against 2 ex-FBI officials over Hunter Biden laptop probe, calls prosecution 'weaponisation'

Hunter Biden, the son of former US President Joe Biden/Image: AP A US federal judge has dismissed criminal charges against two former FBI officials accused of making false statements to Congress about the investigation into a laptop belonging to Hunter Biden, citing serious flaws in the Justice Department's handling of the case and concerns over its political timing.US Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui dismissed the complaint against Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides on Monday, saying the investigation was rushed and marked by procedural errors. He described the prosecution as an instance of “weaponization” and questioned the circumstances under which the case was opened.“What has transpired here cannot be described as anything other than weaponization,” Faruqui said during the hearing as cited by AP.The judge noted that the investigation began a day after President Donald Trump delivered a televised speech revisiting his grievances over the 2020 election. He also pointed to FBI Director Kash Patel's involvement, saying the investigation had been mandated by Patel and closely monitored by him.Faruqui questioned why prosecutors had waited until two weeks before the midterm elections to ...