WASHINGTON -- Sens.
Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) are seeking information from federal
law enforcement agencies regarding their reported role in an incident involving
a firearm belonging to Hunter Biden long after Biden’s U.S. Secret Service protection
had ended.
Biden’s
gun was discarded in a trashcan behind a grocery store near a high school,
POLITICO reports, and Secret
Service agents approached the owner of the store where Hunter bought the gun
and asked to take the paperwork involving the sale.
The
senators are asking why the Secret Service became involved in the incident
despite Biden’s elapsed status as a protectee, and seeking further information
from both the FBI and ATF.
Full
text of the senators’ letter to the Secret Service follows and can be found
HERE.
Full
text of the senators’ letter to the FBI can be found
HERE.
Full
text of the senators’ letter to the ATF can be found
HERE.
March 25, 2021
VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
Mr. James. M. Murray
Director
U.S. Secret Service
Dear Director Murray:
A recent press report detailed an October 2018 incident
where a firearm owned by Hunter Biden was discarded in a “trash can behind a
grocery store” across from a high school.
[1]
After the firearm was discarded, the U.S. Secret Service
(USSS) allegedly became involved and sought paperwork from the Federal Firearm
Licensee (FFL) connected to Hunter Biden’s purchase of the firearm.
[2]
The owner of the gun store reportedly “refused to supply the paperwork”
to the USSS agents due to suspicion that “the Secret Service officers wanted to
hide Hunter’s ownership of the missing gun in case it were to be involved in a
crime.”
[3]
The gun store owner reportedly provided the paperwork to the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
[4]
Notably, neither Joe Biden nor Hunter Biden were a Secret Service
protectee at that time.
[5]
However, according to this report, a “law enforcement official” claimed
that Secret Service agents in Delaware “kept an informal hand in maintaining
the former vice president’s security.”
[6]
If true, USSS must explain to Congress why such informal actions were
taken and whether they were necessary in light of the circumstances.
In addition, at the time of the October 2018 incident, the
FBI reportedly “responded to the scene”; however, it is unclear what actions,
if any, the FBI took.
[7]
In light of the recent press report, please provide all
records relating to your agency’s involvement in the alleged October 2018
incident with respect to Hunter Biden’s firearm no later than April 8, 2021.
Further, USSS failed to fully respond to our October 20, 2020, letter relating
to emails that reference travel plans for Hunter Biden involving USSS agents
one year after Hunter Biden’s protection ended.
We continue to expect a complete response to that letter and ask that
you produce all requested records no later than April x, 2021. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Should you have questions, please contact Joshua Flynn-Brown
of Senator Grassley’s Committee staff at 202-224-5225 and Brian Downey and
Scott Wittmann of Senator Johnson’s Subcommittee staff at 202-224-3721.
Sincerely,
[1] Tara Palmeri and Ben Schreckinger,
Sources:
Secret Service inserted itself into case of Hunter Biden’s gun, Politico
(March 25, 2021).
[5] According to USSS records, Hunter
Biden enrolled as a protectee starting in January 2009 and declined USSS
protection after July 8, 2014.
See
S. Comm. on Homeland Sec. and Governmental Aff. & S. Comm. on Fin.,
Hunter
Biden, Burisma, and Corruption: The Impact on U.S. Government Policy and
Related Concerns at 31 (Sept. 2020),
https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/HSGAC_Finance_Report_FINAL.pdf.
[6] Tara Palmeri and Ben Schreckinger,
Sources:
Secret Service inserted itself into case of Hunter Biden’s gun, Politico
(March 25, 2021).
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