The “Russian information operation” narrative, pushed by dozens of former intelligence officials and amplified by the Biden campaign weeks before the 2020 election, took a major blow this week when the federal government presented Hunter Biden's laptop as evidence for his gun trial.
After years of the laptop's authenticity being downplayed by former intelligence officials, prominent Democrats and the White House, Hunter's laptop was formally entered into evidence by the Justice Department of Biden and is used to try to prove that Biden was a drug addict at the time. the time he purchased a gun in 2018, a violation of federal law.
The laptop was presented by prosecutor Derek Hines and given to FBI agent Erika Jensen, who explained earlier this week how the FBI authenticated the laptop and extracted the data. For the gun trial, she testified about dozens of text messages, metadata, photos and short videos found on phones and iCloud accounts belonging to Biden.
One of the most significant denials of the laptop's authenticity came two weeks before the 2020 presidential election, when 51 former intelligence officials claimed in a letter that the laptop may have been fabricated by Russia to influence the presidential election.
HUNTER BIDEN'S WIFE ENVIOUS FORMER TRUMP AIDE DURING COURT APPEARANCE: 'PIECE OF S—'
President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. (Getty Images)
The drafting of that memo, which was ultimately published by Politico, involved coordination between the Biden campaign and former officials, House Republicans concluded in an investigation.
Fox News Digital previously reported that House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, sent a Iletter to Secretary of State Blinken last year saying: “Based on Morell's testimony, it is evident that the Biden campaign played an active role in the origins of the public statement, which had the effect of contributing to suppress the Hunter Biden story and prevent the United States from taking action. citizens to make a fully informed decision in the 2020 presidential election.”
Morell also said he received a call from Biden's White House adviser Steve Ricchetti, who was then chairman of the 2020 campaign, following the Oct. 22 debate. Morell said the call was to thank him for leading the letter.
DEMOCRATS Lost Something Valuable in Hunter Influence Peddling Hearing
Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, leaves federal court with his wife Melissa Cohen Biden on the second day of his trial on gun-related criminal charges in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., June 4, 2024. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
According to the Republican Party report, Nick Shapiro, a former senior CIA advisor, wrote a media speech and sent the letter to the Associated Press, the Washington Post and Politico. He then forwarded the letter to then-Biden campaign spokesperson Andrew Bates, who is currently White House deputy press secretary, warning them before publication and saying, “This is what I gave them. ”
“Hunter Biden story is Russian disinformation, dozens of former intelligence officials say,” Bates tweeted after the Politico article was published, including a link to the article.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, gets into a vehicle as he leaves federal court on the second day of his trial on gun-related criminal charges in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., June 4 2024. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
“Hunter Biden story is Russian disinformation, dozens of former intelligence officials say,” tweeted Jen Psaki, who would later become 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 disinformation,” Kate Bedingfield said. , Biden's deputy campaign manager, who later served as a white president. Director of house communications.
Indeed, Biden brought up the letter during his final debate against former President Donald Trump, saying the laptop was a “Russian factory” and a “pile of garbage.”
“There are 50 former national intelligence personnel who have said what he's accusing me of was a Russian factory,” Biden said at the time. “…Five former CIA chiefs, from both parties, say what he says is a bunch of garbage. No one believes it except his good friend Rudy Giuliani.”
Fox News legal editor Kerri Kupec Urbahn posted on social media Tuesday that the prosecution's introduction of the laptop was a key moment in the case.
“The biggest takeaway from the court today: The laptop is real, we saw it with our own eyes, it belongs to Hunter Biden, and the FBI/DOJ is using the information extracted from it in the case guns,” Urbah said. “Curious to know if the more than 50 intelligence experts plan to release an updated letter in time for this year's debates.”
The White House and the Biden campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Jessica Chasmar and Emma Colton of Fox News Digital contributed to this report