Category: US

FBI Director Christopher Wray said whistleblower allegations claiming FBI agents falsely labeled derogatory information on Hunter Biden as disinformation are “deeply troubling,” but Republicans are calling on him to further acknowledge broader “politicization” within the bureau.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday, Wray was asked by Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., about allegations “highly credible whistleblowers” at the Justice Department and FBI shared with Sen. Chuck Grassley’s office last week.

Grassley, in a letter to Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland last week, detailed the allegations and indicated that the whistleblowers said there was “a scheme in place among certain FBI officials to undermine derogatory information connected to Hunter Biden by falsely suggesting it was disinformation. “

The whistleblowers also alleged a “pattern of active public partisanship” at the agencies pertaining to investigations into the Trump campaign and suppression of information on the Hunter Biden probe.

GRASSLEY PRESSES DOJ, FBI FOR TRANSPARENCY ON ‘PARTISAN’ POLITICIZATION OF AGENCIES, HUNTER BIDEN PROBE

“When I read the letter that describes the kinds of things that you’re talking about, I found it deeply troubling,” Wray testified Thursday.

The whistleblowers alleged a “pattern of active public partisanship” by Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Thibault and others.

Grassley warned Wray and Garland in his letter last week that Thibault’s “partisanship likely affected investigations briefed to, and approved by, senior Justice Department and FBI officials.”

According to Grassley, the whistleblowers say that DOJ and FBI employees must follow strict substantial factual predication in order to open an investigation and that Thibault did not follow these policies.

Wray, during the hearing, promised that those whistleblowers would be protected.

Wray also removed Thibault from his supervisory role.

But Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., is calling for further action with regard to partisanship within the FBI.

“It’s about time Director Wray acknowledges that the politicization of the FBI is ‘deeply troubling,'” Johnson told Fox News Friday. “Unfortunately, this has been obvious during his entire tenure of him as director, and he’s done nothing about it.”

Johnson was referring to politicization related to the FBI’s investigation into whether President Trump’s first campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

“I suppose better late than never,” Johnson said. “But I’m not holding my breath.”

Johnson last week demanded that the Justice Department open an internal investigation or appoint a special counsel following the new whistleblower allegations and further claimed that the FBI had been “weaponized” against sitting members of the Senate.

Both Johnson and Grassley recounted events between July 2020 and October 2020, during which the FBI, including Thibault, FBI Supervisory Intelligence Analyst Brian Auten and Democratic senators gave Republicans investigating the Hunter allegations the runaround on information, falsely alleging that the GOP was advancing “foreign disinformation” regarding Biden’s son.

GOP senators allege an Aug. 6, 2020 meeting after whistleblower corroboration was explicitly intended to “undermine” their investigation into Hunter Biden.

“If these recent whistleblower revelations are true, it would strongly suggest that the FBI’s August 6, 2020, briefing was indeed a targeted effort to intentionally undermine a Congressional investigation,” Johnson wrote in a letter to Biden administration officials last week.

“The FBI being weaponized against two sitting chairmen of US Senate committees with constitutional oversight responsibilities would be one of the greatest episodes of Executive Branch corruption in American history.”

Johnson said that, for nearly two years, he has “sought to get information from the FBI and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) about the purpose of, and who ordered, this briefing.”

FLASHBACK: GOP-LED COMMITTEES RELEASE INTERIM REPORT ON HUNTER BIDEN, BURISMA PROBE

The Aug. 6, 2020, briefing, according to sources familiar with the meeting, was unsolicited. It was delivered by the FBI on behalf of the intelligence community and was “not specific” and “not connected” to Johnson and Grassley’s ongoing work.

Johnson and Grassley were working at the time on a joint investigation into Hunter Biden’s role on the board of Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings and his “extensive and complex financial transactions.”

At the time of the release of their investigation’s interim report in September 2020, Grassley and Johnson said their probe “faced many obstacles” from Democrats and executive agencies that “failed to comply with document requests.”

The 87-page report stated that Obama administration officials “knew” that Hunter Biden’s position on the board of Burisma was “problematic” and that it interfered “in the efficient execution of policy with respect to Ukraine.”

Hunter Biden joined Burisma in April 2014 and, at the time, reportedly connected the firm with consulting firm Blue Star Strategies to help the natural gas company fight corruption charges in Ukraine. During the time Biden was on the board of the company, Joe Biden was vice president and running US-Ukraine relations and policy for the Obama administration.

Grassley and Johnson’s report also revealed that they obtained records from the US Treasury Department that “show potential criminal activity relating to transactions among and between Hunter Biden, his family and his associates with Ukrainian, Russian, Kazakh and Chinese nationals.”

HUNTER BIDEN UNDER FEDERAL INVESTIGATION FOR ‘TAX AFFAIRS;’ LINKS TO CHINA FUNDS EMERGE, SOURCES SAY

Grassley and Johnson said they received records that Hunter Biden “sent thousands of dollars” to individuals who have “either been involved in transactions consistent with possible human trafficking; an association with the adult entertainment industry; or potential association with prostitution.”

“Some recipients of those funds are Ukrainian or Russian citizens,” the report states, adding that “the records note that it is a documented fact that Hunter Biden has sent funds to nonresident alien women in the United States who are citizens of Russia and Ukraine and who have subsequently wired funds they have received from Hunter Biden to individuals located in Russia and Ukraine.

“The records also note that some of these transactions are linked to what ‘appears to be an Eastern European prostitution or human trafficking ring,'” the report stated.

Meanwhile, the report states that Senate investigators found millions of dollars in “questionable financial transactions” between Hunter Biden and his associates and foreign individuals, including the wife of the former mayor of Moscow as well as individuals with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

According to the report, an investment firm co-founded by Hunter Biden, Rosemont Seneca Thornton, “received $3.5 million in a wire transfer” from Elena Baturina, the wife of the former mayor of the Russian capital.

The report went even further and alleged that not just Hunter Biden but other members of the Biden family “were involved in a vast financial network that connected them to foreign nationals and foreign governments across the globe.”

Following the 2020 presidential election, Hunter Biden himself revealed he was under federal investigation for his “tax affairs.”

Hunter Biden has been under federal investigation since 2018, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News.

Fox News has learned that the investigation has now reached a “critical stage,” as officials are looking into whether to charge President Biden’s son with various tax violations, possible foreign lobbying violations and more.

A separate source told Fox News that the federal grand jury looking into Hunter Biden’s business dealings wrapped up its latest term late last month but said no charges have been filed.

The investigation is being conducted by Delaware US Attorney David Weiss, a prosecutor appointed by former President Donald Trump.

HUNTER BIDEN REQUESTED KEYS FOR NEW ‘OFFICE MATES’ JOE BIDEN, CHINESE ‘EMISSARY’ TO CEFC CHAIRMAN, EMAILS SHOW

The source told Fox News Wednesday that Weiss and Justice Department officials were looking into whether to charge Hunter Biden with various tax violations and, more seriously, possible foreign lobbying violations. The source said Hunter Biden could face possible false statements charges.

Fox News first reported in December 2020 that Hunter Biden was a subject/target of the grand jury investigation, according to a well-placed government source. According to the source, a “target” means that there is a “high probability that person committed a crime,” while a “subject” is someone you “don’t know for sure” has committed a crime.”

The federal investigation into Hunter Biden was predicated, in part, by suspicious activity reports (SARs) regarding suspicious foreign transactions.

Another source familiar with the investigation told Fox News in December 2020 that the SARs related to funds from “China and other foreign nations.”

A Treasury Department official, who did not comment on the investigation, spoke broadly about SARs, telling Fox News that SARs are filed by financial institutions “if there is something out of the ordinary about a particular transaction.”

The official told Fox News that the mere filing of a SAR does not mean there has been a criminal act or violation of regulations. Instead, it’s a flag that a transaction is “out of the ordinary” for the customer. The official noted, though, that an SAR could be part of a money laundering or tax investigation.

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“I take this matter very seriously, but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors,” Hunter Biden said in December 2020.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.—

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of a new Florida Supreme Court judge while in West Palm Beach on Friday morning.

Latest: WPBF 25 News coverage on Politics

It happened at 11 am at the Richard & Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum

Judge Renatha Francis accepted the appointment with her family and will start the new position in September.

“I know I’ve said this before on prior occasions, but I’ll say it again,” Francis said as she accepted the role, “I am the epitome of the American dream.”

Francis will fill a vacant role left by Judge Al Lawson. To be considered, a Judicial Nominating Commission agrees and selects qualified names, which are then investigated before being presented to the governor. The governor then has 60 days to choose from that list.

“Judge Renatha Francis has an incredible life story that epitomizes the American dream and proves that those who come to our country have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and, through hard work and the application of their God-given talents, reach the highest heights of whatever field they choose,” said DeSantis.

Video below: DeSantis announces appointment

DeSantis had chosen Francis for the same job in 2020, but she did not meet the requirements of being a member of the Florida Bar for a decade.

The appointment was struck down, and Judge Jamie Grosshans was chosen for the role.

Stay informed: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News

“I’m incredibly honored and humbled by Governor DeSantis’ unwavering support for my ascension to the Florida Supreme Court,” said Francis. “I may be taking my seat on the bench two years later than anticipated, but as a student of history I continue to be in awe of this country’s respect for the rule of law and the freedoms guaranteed in the text of the United States Constitution. As a Supreme Court Justice I will apply the law as written by the people’s duly-elected representatives, knowing that I am a member of the judiciary in a system with separation of powers.”

Francis is currently a judge in the 15th Circuit, which is Palm Beach County. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of The West Indies and her Juris Doctorate from Florida Coastal Law School. Francis has a husband and two young sons.

There will now be a 4-3 majority for DeSantis-appointed judges on the Florida Supreme Court.

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This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.

The White House is defending the Inflation Reduction Act against a report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that suggests the legislation will not meaningfully lower inflation in the coming years.

“Could you address the new CBO analysis about the Inflation Reduction Act that says it would have almost no impact or negligible impact on inflation in 2022 and 2023,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked during a Friday briefing.

Jean-Pierre responded, “You know, leading economists have said that this Inflation Reduction Act that’s been analyzed by them, that’s been looked at by these economists, will indeed reduce inflation.”

Jean-Pierre was then asked if her answer means she is “dismissing” the CBO report and whether it is fair to call the legislation the “Inflation Reduction Act” when the CBO is saying inflation will not be meaningfully reduced.

SOARING INFLATION DRIVES MORE AMERICANS TO LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK DESPITE 5.1% INCREASE IN WAGES

“Well, if you think about the Inflation Reduction Act, it will have an effect also on drug costs,” she explained. “Lowering prices on pharmaceutical costs, which is going to make a difference in a big way to seniors to families.”

Jean-Pierre went on to say that the legislation will lower energy costs, the cost of utility bills and Medicare, while also putting $300 billion toward lowering the deficit.

JULY JOBS BREAKDOWN: WHICH INDUSTRIES HIRED THE MOST WORKERS LAST MONTH?

“That is going to make a difference,” Jean-Pierre said. “That is going to fight inflation, and so it should be called the Inflation Reduction Act, because that’s exactly what it’s going to do.”

Jean-Pierre was reacting to a report this week from the CBO that said the bill would have a “negligible” effect on inflation.

“In calendar year 2022, enacting the bill would have a negligible effect on inflation, in CBO’s assessment,” the office said. In calendar year 2023, inflation would probably be between 0.1 percentage point lower and 0.1 percentage point higher under the bill than it would be under current law, CBO estimates.

Jean-Pierre’s defense of the legislation comes the same day Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., said that a group of 230 economists who are warning that the legislation will increase inflation are “wrong.”

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“They’re wrong..I don’t know who that list was… it’s as plain as the nose on your face,” Schumer told reporters.

The economists wrote in the letter that the US economy is at a “dangerous crossroads” and the “inaptly named ‘Inflation Reduction Act of 2022’ would do nothing of the sort and instead would perpetuate the same fiscal policy errors that have helped precipitate the current trouble economic climate.”

US job growth unexpectedly accelerated in July, defying fears of a slowdown in hiring even as the labor market confronts the twin threats of inflation and rising interest rates.

Senate Democrats are attempting to rein in the price of insulin through their social spending bill which will raise $739 billion in tax revenues.

The 100-year-old drug has tripled in price over the last two decades, forcing diabetics to pay thousands of dollars a year or ration supplies.

And capping the price of insulin may continue to grow as more Americans use the treatment.

A Congressional Budget Office analysis of a bill proposed earlier this year found an insulin cap would cost approximately $23 billion over the next decade and increase government costs and premiums charged by Medicare and private insurers.

SCHUMER CALLS ECONOMISTS ‘WRONG’ WHO ARE CAUTIONING MANCHIN’S SPENDING BILL WILL INCREASE INFLATION

According to the American Diabetes Association, about 11% of Americans live with diabetes. Of those, approximately 8.4 million use insulin — and for one million of them, the drug is lifesaving.

“People require insulin, it’s not an option and nobody should have to decide between life-sustaining medication or food and rent,” Dr. Robert Gabbay, the chief scientific and medical officer for the American Diabetes Association, told the Associated Press.

The cost of insulin varies depending on healthcare coverage.

People with private health insurance could potentially pay hundreds of dollars a month. Most Medicare beneficiaries pay $54 per prescription. Others live in one of the 22 states where the copay for a 30-day supply has been capped between $25 to $100, according to the Associated Press.

Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisck and Sanofi are the only insulin manufacturers — allowing them to control much of the market.

ticker	Security	Last	Change	Change %
LLY	ELI LILLY & CO.	301.32	-4.47	-1.46%
NVO	NOVO NORDISK A/S	103.20	-1.27	-1.22%
SNY	SANOFI	49.71	+0.53	+1.08%

“They’ve been historically raising their list prices for their respective products in lockstep with one another,” Dr. Jing Luo, a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, told the Associated Press. “There hasn’t been a lot of pricing pressure.”

A generic drug for insulin has not been produced yet due to regulatory hurdles and questions about drug classification, according to Luo.

OVER 230 ECONOMISTS WARN MANCHIN’S SPENDING BILL WILL PERPETUATE INFLATION

Multiple attempts to lower the price of insulin have failed in the Senate. Democrats previously attempted to cap the price of insulin at $35 in the Build Back Better bill. More recently, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Susan Collins are co-sponsoring a bill to reduce the cost of insulin at $35 per month.

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“If your health insurance company says, voluntarily, nobody who buys insulin in our plan will have to pay more than $25, the question is who is paying the balance of that?” Luo told the Associated Press. “That then means their cost will go up, which means they’ll raise premiums on everyone.”