Matt Gaetz Enters Hunter Biden Laptop Into Congressional Record
Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz entered contents from the laptop believed to belong to Hunter Biden into the congressional record during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday.
The move followed a heated exchange between Gaetz and Bryan Vorndran, assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, who informed the congressman that he had no information about the status of the copy of the laptop hard drive the FBI has had in its possession since 2019 as the president’s son faces a federal investigation into his financial and foreign business affairs.
Rep. Matt Gaetz: "So where is it? The laptop."
Mr. Vorndran: "Sir, I'm not here to talk about the laptop. I'm here to talk about the FBI cyber program."
Rep. Matt Gaetz: "You are the assistant director of FBI cyber. I want to know where Hunter Biden's laptop is. Where is it?" pic.twitter.com/FAkTjvl1FZ
— The Hill (@thehill) March 29, 2022
“That is astonishing to me. Has the FBI [Cyber Division] assessed whether Hunter Biden’s laptop could be a point of vulnerability, allowing America’s enemies to hurt our country?” Gaetz asked Vorndran.
“Sir, FBI’s cyber program is based off of what’s codified in Title 18, Section 1030, which talks about computer intrusions,” Vorndran responded. “Sir, it’s not in the purview of my investigative responsibilities.”
The committee was holding a hearing with Vorndran to conduct oversight on the FBI’s Cyber Division. Most of the hearing centered on cyberthreats to the United States and steps law enforcement is taking to stave off such dangers.
Gaetz pressed Vorndran for a follow-up briefing on the laptop matter, and the assistant director agreed to take that request back to FBI headquarters. Appearing frustrated by the response, the congressman attempted to enter a copy of the laptop hard drive into the congressional record.
#BREAKING: At the House Judiciary Committee hearing, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) claimed to be in possession of the Hunter Biden laptop, and sought unanimous consent to enter into the Committee's record its contents.
Chair Jerry Nadler (D-NY) objected. pic.twitter.com/MeJouCkaXu
— Forbes (@Forbes) March 29, 2022
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler initially rebuffed the request from Gaetz but ultimately capitulated after the Florida congressman pressed further and claimed he had a “consultation with majority staff.”
Moments ago, I successfully entered the hard drive of Hunter Biden’s laptop into the Congressional Record.
SUBPOENA HUNTER BIDEN! pic.twitter.com/M800vm2pTY
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) March 29, 2022
The laptop and hard drive were left at a Delaware repair shop in late 2019. John Paul Mac Isaac, the owner of the store, claimed Biden never came to retrieve the hardware. The FBI eventually picked up the hardware, but a copy was given to then-Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, who shared copies of its contents with Republican operatives and conservative news outlets.
The contents from the computer detailed some of Biden’s business dealings and private activities.
Republicans used materials from the laptop, which emerged in the final weeks of the 2020 election, to accuse the Bidens of engaging in corrupt business practices in Ukraine.