The Republican-led House Oversight Committee on May 3 subpoenaed the FBI for a file alleging that a whistleblower linked President Joe Biden to a “criminal scheme” that involved money for policy decisions while he was the vice president.
“We have received legally protected and highly credible unclassified whistleblower disclosures,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Senate Budget Committee ranking GOP member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) told Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray in a letter dated (pdf) on May 3.
“Based on those disclosures, it has come to our attention that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) possess an unclassified FD-1023 form that describes an alleged criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Biden and a foreign national relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions,” the letter reads.
Comer’s office said it issued a subpoena to Wray (pdf) on May 3 following the whistleblower disclosures to Grassley’s office. It said the FBI now must produce all FD-1023 forms that were created in June 2020 involving the word “Biden.”
Neither Comer nor Grassley elaborated on what those policy decisions were or how much money was allegedly provided, if any. The White House hasn’t yet publicly commented on the matter.
“It has been alleged that the document includes a precise description of how the alleged criminal scheme was employed as well as its purpose,” the letter reads. “Based on the alleged specificity within the document, it would appear that the DOJ and the FBI have enough information to determine the truth and accuracy of the information contained within it. However, it remains unclear what steps, if any, were taken to investigate the matter.”
Citing financial records and Biden’s public comments, Republicans have for years alleged that Biden and members of his family were involved in shady deals with foreign nationals of Ukraine, China, and other countries. In late 2020, after a laptop that allegedly belonged to his son surfaced, a former Hunter Biden associate, Tony Bobulinski, alleged that Joe Biden was involved in a deal with a Chinese state energy company, and former President Donald Trump accused him of official corruption when he was vice president.
