FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday. Senator Blackburn asked him about the FD-1023 relating the statement of a confidential source passing on information from a foreign national. The foreign national told the FBI source that he had bribed Joe and Hunter Biden. In Senator Grassley’s summary, the foreign national also told the FBI source that he had a total of 17 audio recordings with his payees, 15 with Hunter and two with Joe.
Abbate conceded that the FD-1023 shown to the House Oversight Committee had been redacted. Abbate explained, “We often redact documents to protect sources and methods…the document was redacted.”
Why was the reference to audio recordings redacted? “We have exceptional people,” Abbate responded. “The work relentlessly every day to keep this country safe…”
What about the reference to recordings? “I have no idea if there are voice recordings or not,” Abbate told Senator Blackburn. But why the redaction? “This is a question of life and death potentially.”
I’m beginning to wonder if the FBI is investigating the Biden family business or if that is just a rumor. Senator Cruz actually asked: “Did you investigate in any way shape or form these allegations?” Abbate would not comment.
The committee hearing was directed to reauthorization of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Republican Senators took the opportunity to inquire regarding the FD-10123. Senator Hawley picked up the questioning where Senator Blackburn left off. With respect to abuses of section 702, readers will be pleased to know: Progress has been made. Reforms have been implemented.
The New York Post covers Senator Blackurn’s exchange with Abbate in a brief story here. Senator Blackburn has posted an item on her questioning of Abbate here. I pulled the quotes above from videos of Senators Blackburn, Hawley, and Cruz at the hearing on YouTube.
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