FBI defends redactions in document alleging Biden bribery scheme given to Congress.

The FBI has admitted to redacting parts of a document related to alleged audio recordings between a Burisma executive and President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate made the admission during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on June 13 while being questioned by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).

We often redact documents to protect sources and methods. What I will tell you with respect to the document, the document was redacted to protect the source, as everyone knows—and this is a question of life and death, potentially.

Republicans have claimed that the unclassified document contained a redacted reference to the recordings, which allegedly include 15 phone conversations between the executive of Burisma Holdings and Hunter Biden, who sat on the board of the Ukrainian natural gas firm. It also included two phone calls between the executive and then-Vice President Joe Biden, according to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

Redactions Made to ‘Protect Source’

Blackburn repeatedly questioned Abbate over the redactions during Monday’s hearing, which took place on the same day that former President Donald Trump appeared in a Miami court and pleaded not guilty to 37 counts of charges in the federal government’s classified document case.

Abbate defended the decision to limit what Republicans saw in the document while also dismissing Blackburn’s claims that the FBI has become politicized.

“Is your job to defend and shield Joe Biden or is your job to protect this country and the constitution of the United States? Which is it?” Blackburn asked, to which Abbate responded that the agency’s job was to “protect the country, keep people safe, and uphold the constitution of our great country … objectively.”

“I think it would be helpful when you came before us if you were willing to answer the questions, it would help to remove the perception that the American people have—they see you do it every day—and that is politicizing the FBI and using it against the American people who don’t happen to be named Biden, Clinton, or one of the elites,” Blackburn responded.

‘Where’s the Money?’

Following Tuesday’s hearing, Blackburn led a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland calling on him to appoint a special counsel to investigate any potential wrongdoing by Biden and his family in their business dealings. The letter was co-signed by Sens. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and accused the Department of Justice of having “blatantly ignored the credible allegations of President Biden’s and his family’s corruption.”

The FBI informant claims that the owner of Burisma paid $5 million in a bribery scheme with a foreign national in exchange for certain actions. The informant alleged that another $5 million payment was also made to Hunter Biden.

Key Takeaways:

• The FBI has admitted to redacting parts of a document related to alleged audio recordings between a Burisma executive and President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.
• Republicans have claimed that the unclassified document contained a redacted reference to the recordings, which allegedly include 15 phone conversations between the executive of Burisma Holdings and Hunter Biden.
• Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to appoint a special counsel to investigate any potential wrongdoing by Biden and his family in their business dealings.