Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley has accused the FBI and the Biden Justice Department of withholding information from Congress and the American public during a Senate Floor speech on Monday.
The Republican Senator detailed an allegation involving the FBI-generated 1023 document, which he claims contains information about a bribery scheme allegedly involving then-Vice President Biden, Hunter Biden, and a foreign national.
“The FBI showed but didn’t provide possession of that 1023 to the House Oversight Committee last week,” Grassley said.
“As the public knows, that 1023 involves an alleged bribery scheme between then-Vice President Biden, Hunter Biden, and a foreign national.”
At the center of Senator Grassley’s allegations is a claim that the 1023 document contained redacted references to audio recordings.
According to Grassley, “The 1023 produced to that House Committee redacted reference that the foreign national who allegedly bribed Joe and Hunter Biden allegedly has audio recordings of his conversations with them. Seventeen total recordings.”
Detailing the contents of the redacted document, the Senator stated, “According to the 1023, the foreign national possesses fifteen audio recordings of phone calls between him and Hunter Biden. According to the 1023, the foreign national possesses two audio recordings of phone calls between him and then-Vice President Joe Biden. These recordings were allegedly kept as a sort of insurance policy for the foreign national in case he got into a tight spot.”
Furthermore, Grassley accused the FBI of hypocrisy, alleging that an unclassified document was treated with more secrecy than a classified one that was leaked to the New York Times.
The Senator insisted that transparency is key to holding the Justice Department and the FBI accountable.
“This senator will do all that he can to fight that political infection. And you fight it by bringing transparency to what the government does. The public’s business ought to be public. Transparency brings accountability,” Grassley proclaimed.
Senator Grassley, who claims to have read the unredacted version of the 1023 document, criticized the FBI and Justice Department for unequal scrutiny in investigations involving former President Trump and the Biden family.
“Based on the facts known to Congress and the public, it’s clear that the Justice Department and FBI will use every resource to investigate candidate Trump, President Trump, and former President Trump. Based on the facts known to Congress and the public, it’s clear that the Justice Department and FBI haven’t nearly had the same laser focus on the Biden family,” he claimed.
Grassley concluded his remarks by calling on Congress to continue fighting for transparency and to make the 1023 document public without unnecessary redactions.
“Congress owes it to the American people and the brave and heroic whistleblowers to continue to fight for transparency in this matter and make this document public without unnecessary redactions,” he said.
Watch the full speech below: