FBI informant accused of lying about Bidens agrees to plead guilty
PoliticoSmirnov agreed to plead guilty to one count of obstruction of justice and three tax evasion charges. He reached the deal with special counsel David Weiss, who began investigating allegations against Hunter Biden during President Donald Trump’s first term and was allowed to continue the probe after Joe Biden came into office. Smirnov, who was arrested in February and has been in custody since, was facing a jury trial in Los Angeles next month on charges of obstruction and providing false information to the FBI. Smirnov’s plea deal suggests the tenure of Weiss, who was given special counsel status by Attorney General Merrick Garland in August 2023, is nearing its conclusion. The younger Biden pleaded guilty to the tax crimes and was convicted by a jury of the gun-related crimes, but earlier this month, Joe Biden issued an unusually broad pardon for his son, breaking his repeated promise that he would not grant his son any clemency.