Biden Campaign Accused of Lawbreaking for Failing to Report Collusion with Intel Officials in Laptop Story Discrediting
The attempt by former intelligence officials to discredit reporting about Hunter Biden’s laptop ahead of the 2020 election has sparked a lawsuit alleging that it violated federal law and served as an undisclosed contribution to Joe Biden’s presidential campaign.
America First Legal (AFL) has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Election Commission (FEC), claiming that the letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials was designed to help Joe Biden win the election and therefore should have been reported as a campaign contribution. AFL had previously filed a complaint with the FEC in October, accusing the Biden campaign of failing to disclose these alleged contributions. The FEC has yet to respond to the complaint, according to the lawsuit.
“Biden for President, Biden Victory Fund, DNC Services Corp/Democratic National Committee, and Biden Action Fund (collectively, the ‘Respondents’) failed to report the direct contributions, indirect contributions, and coordinated communications made in connection with the ‘Letter of 51’ to the Federal Election Commission,” states the lawsuit.
In April 2023, House Republicans released testimony from Michael Morell, a former deputy director of the CIA who signed the letter, revealing that then-Biden campaign official and now-Secretary of State Antony Blinken had reached out to him to discuss the Hunter Biden laptop story. Morell confirmed that Blinken’s call influenced the issuance of a public statement claiming the laptop was part of a Russian disinformation campaign.
During the investigation, Morell also revealed that Biden campaign chair Steve Ricchetti personally thanked him for putting out the statement. Biden himself used the ”Letter of 51″ to discredit the reporting during a debate with Trump.
“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.
An email included in AFL’s lawsuit shows Morell seeking signatures from intelligence officials before the letter’s release, confirming The Federalist’s report about the agency’s involvement in its development.
“Can I add your name to this list?” Morell wrote to former CIA Director John Brennan on Oct. 19, 2020. “Trying to give the [Biden] campaign, particularly during the debate on Thursday, a talking point to push back on Trump on this issue.”
Brennan, along with former Obama Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former CIA Director Leon Panetta, were among the signatories of the statement.
Morell also testified that the Biden campaign “helped to strategize about the public release” of the letter, informing his former deputy chief of staff and senior adviser at the CIA, Nick Shapiro, that the campaign wanted the letter sent first to a specific reporter at The Washington Post. Shapiro later sent the email content to the Biden campaign’s Director of Rapid Response, Andrew Bates.
In his congressional testimony, Morell stated that the release of the statement had two motives: to express concerns about Russian interference and to help Vice President Biden win the election.
“You wanted to help the vice president, why?” asked Ohio GOP Rep. Jim Jordan, to which Morell replied, “Because I wanted him to win the election.”
“Because Morrell, Brennan, Clapper, and the other signatories were supposedly ‘nonpartisan’ national security and intelligence experts, their public statement was a campaign contribution of substantial value to the Respondents, who solicited the ‘Letter of 51’ from them for the express purpose of influencing the 2020 Presidential election,” states AFL’s lawsuit. “Yet, the Respondents failed to report the contribution and to identify the individuals who made it.”
AFL has petitioned the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to address the FEC’s failure to act on their complaint, seeking legal conformity, costs, and other appropriate relief.
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How does the lawsuit allege that former intelligence officials’ attempt to discredit reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop violated federal law?
The Attempt to Discredit Reporting on Hunter Biden’s Laptop Sparks Lawsuit Alleging Violation of Federal Law
Former intelligence officials’ attempt to discredit reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop ahead of the 2020 election has resulted in a lawsuit alleging that it violated federal law and served as an undisclosed contribution to Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. America First Legal (AFL) filed a lawsuit against the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), claiming that the letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials was designed to help Joe Biden win the election and should have been reported as a campaign contribution. AFL had previously filed a complaint with the FEC in October, accusing the Biden campaign of failing to disclose these alleged contributions. The FEC has yet to respond to the complaint, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit states, “Biden for President, Biden Victory Fund, DNC Services Corp/Democratic National Committee, and Biden Action Fund (collectively, the ‘Respondents’) failed to report the direct contributions, indirect contributions, and coordinated communications made in connection with the ‘Letter of 51’ to the Federal Election Commission.”
In April 2023, House Republicans released testimony from Michael Morell, a former deputy director of the CIA who signed the letter, revealing that then-Biden campaign official and now-Secretary of State Antony Blinken had reached out to him to discuss the Hunter Biden laptop story. Morell confirmed that Blinken’s call influenced the issuance of a public statement claiming the laptop was part of a Russian disinformation campaign.
During the investigation, Morell also revealed that Biden campaign chair Steve Ricchetti personally thanked him for putting out the statement. Biden himself used the “Letter of 51” to discredit the reporting during a debate with Trump.
“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.
An email included in AFL’s lawsuit shows Morell seeking signatures from intelligence officials before the letter’s release, confirming The Federalist’s report about the agency’s involvement in its development.
“Can I add your name to this list?” Morell wrote to former CIA Director John Brennan on Oct. 19, 2020. “Trying to give the [Biden] campaign, particularly during the debate on Thursday, a talking point to push back on Trump on this issue.”
Brennan, along with former Obama Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former CIA Director Leon Panetta, were among the signatories of the statement.
Morell also testified that the Biden campaign “helped to strategize about the public release” of the letter, further implicating their involvement.
The lawsuit filed by AFL raises important questions about the actions of former intelligence officials and their potential impact on the election. If the allegations are proven true, it would raise concerns about the manipulation and influence of political campaigns. The FEC must thoroughly investigate these claims to ensure transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
Regardless of one’s political stance, the need for fair and honest elections is paramount in any democracy. The potential violation of federal law and undisclosed campaign contributions should be taken seriously, as they undermine the integrity of the democratic process. The outcome of this lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for future elections, highlighting the importance of maintaining transparency and upholding the rule of law.
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