The authenticity of Hunter Biden’s laptop, previously dismissed by former intelligence officials and Democrats, gained significance as it was entered into evidence by the Department of Justice for his gun trial.
The laptop is being used to support claims of Biden’s drug addiction during a gun purchase in 2018, violating federal law.
FBI authentication and data extraction were detailed in court, with text messages, metadata, photos, and videos from Biden’s devices presented as evidence.
Two weeks before the 2020 presidential election, 51 former intelligence officials disputed the legitimacy of Hunter Biden’s laptop, alleging it was a Russian fabrication to sway the election.
An investigation by House Republicans revealed collaboration between the Biden campaign and these officials in crafting the memo published by Politico.
The House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, sent a letter to Secretary of State Blinken that read, “Based on Morell’s testimony, it is apparent that the Biden campaign played an active role in the origins of the public statement, which had the effect of helping to suppress the Hunter Biden story and preventing American citizens from making a fully informed decision during the 2020 presidential election.”
After the October 22 debate, Biden’s White House counselor Steve Ricchetti, who chaired the 2020 campaign, called Michael Morell to express gratitude for leading the letter.
The GOP report revealed that Nick Shapiro, a former CIA senior adviser, pitched the letter to media outlets like The Associated Press, The Washington Post, and Politico.
Shapiro then shared the letter with Andrew Bates, the former Biden campaign spokesperson and current White House deputy senior press secretary, before its publication, indicating, “This is what I gave them.”
“Hunter Biden story is Russian disinfo, dozens of former intel officials say,” Bates tweeted after the Politico story was published, including a link to the article.
“Hunter Biden story is Russian disinfo, dozens of former intel officials say,” tweeted Jen Psaki, who later became Biden’s White House press secretary.
“If we see tonight from Donald Trump these attacks on Vice President Biden’s family, I think we need to be very, very clear that what he’s doing here is amplifying Russian misinformation,” said Kate Bedingfield, Biden’s deputy campaign manager who later served as White House communications director.
“There are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what he’s accusing me of is a Russian plant,” Biden said at the time. “… Five former heads of the CIA, both parties, say what he’s saying is a bunch of garbage. Nobody believes it except his good friend Rudy Giuliani.”
During his last debate with former President Trump, Biden referred to the letter, dismissing the laptop as a “Russian plant” and “garbage.” Fox News Legal editor Kerri Kupec Urbahn highlighted the significance of the prosecution presenting the laptop as a crucial moment in the case.
“Biggest takeway from court today: the laptop is real, we saw it with our own eyes, it belongs to Hunter Biden, and the FBI/DOJ are using information extracted from it in the gun case,” Urbah said. “Curious if the 50+ intel experts plan to put out an updated letter in time for this year’s debates.”
