Story perspectives

DOJ Charges Nikki Floris, Bradley Benavides With Lying to Congress

By Drooid · Oct 23, 2026, 10:00 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The U.S. Department of Justice charged former FBI officials Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides with lying to Congress.
Floris and Benavides testified in 2023 that the task force was not involved in the Hunter Biden probe.
Prosecutors cite emails, messages and witness accounts that contradict Floris’s denial and Benavides’s Wikipedia claim.
Their lawyers argue the charges aim to influence the November 3 midterm election.

History

Historical Context

The 1973 Watergate scandal, culminating in the Senate hearings that exposed President Richard Nixon’s aides lying to Congress, reshaped American politics. The Department of Justice prosecuted John Dean and six other conspirators, securing convictions for seven of eight defendants and a $25,000 fine each. Today's DOJ indictment of former FBI officials Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides for deceiving Congress mirrors the Watergate prosecutions’ focus on accountability for false testimony. The precedent set in 1973 warns that systematic congressional deception can trigger extensive investigations, potential convictions, and lasting erosion of public trust.

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Story summary

The U.S. Department of Justice charged former FBI officials Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides with lying to Congress.
Floris and Benavides testified in 2023 that the task force was not involved in the Hunter Biden probe.
Prosecutors cite emails, messages and witness accounts that contradict Floris’s denial and Benavides’s Wikipedia claim.
Their lawyers argue the charges aim to influence the November 3 midterm election.

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