The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has rejected the recent accusations made by House GOP impeachment investigators. These investigators had claimed that the agency interfered in the probe of Hunter Biden by preventing an interview with one of his associates.
The investigation into Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son, has faced another setback with the receipt of this letter. It adds to a growing list of criticisms that claim law enforcement has neglected to pursue Hunter Biden, who currently faces criminal charges in two states for tax and gun-related offenses.
In February, the Justice Department indicted an FBI informant on charges of fabricating a claim, countering the accusations made by Republicans that the FBI had failed to investigate bribery allegations against President Biden.
The episode undermined a crucial route for the GOP’s investigation into the president, and in the weeks that followed, Republican colleagues have expressed more doubt about whether they have discovered any conduct that warrants impeachment. This lukewarm response has raised concerns about whether the issue will ever be brought to a vote on the House floor.
In their initial March letter, Comer and Jordan claimed that the CIA had intervened in the investigation.
In August 2021, the whistleblower revealed that the CIA intervened to halt the interview of Patrick Kevin Morris, an associate of Hunter Biden, by IRS investigators. As per the whistleblower’s account, two officials from the DOJ were called to the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, for a briefing on Mr. Morris. During the meeting, it was conveyed that Mr. Morris would not be able to serve as a witness in the ongoing investigation. Representatives Jordan and Comer addressed this matter in a letter to CIA Director Bill Burns.
According to an IRS whistleblower who initially raised concerns about the Hunter Biden investigation, they had a conversation with Morris and expressed their disappointment at the briefness of the interview.
Gary Shapley, an IRS investigator involved in the Hunter Biden case, recounted his interaction with Morris during the committee hearing. Morris initially expressed willingness to be interviewed at his residence but later requested his lawyer’s presence early on in the discussion.
In a scathing response, Representative Raskin expressed his concern about the serious allegation made in the letter. He pointed out that despite numerous requests from his staff, they were not given the opportunity to review the information that supposedly served as the basis for the letter. By denying access to Committee material, the implication is that this information, like previous unsubstantiated claims, would not withstand even a brief examination by Democratic Members of the Committee.
Raskin emphasized the importance of sharing all the information with the full Committee. He stated that it is necessary to review the information, understand if any vetting was done, and assess whether the Committee is unintentionally becoming involved in foreign attempts to influence American elections.
According to Dye, Democrats were cautioned against sharing the information as it could potentially compromise the whistleblower’s identity, thereby endangering their safety and professional future.
