A federal magistrate judge on Monday, Nov. 2, dismissed a criminal complaint against two former FBI officials accused of lying to Congress about Hunter Biden investigations, the Associated Press and NPR reported.
The ruling
U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui dismissed the complaint against Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides. According to the AP and Roll Call, he described the case as a rushed, flawed filing made about two weeks before the midterms and said it lacked probable cause. The AP's headline said the judge cited "weaponization."
The Justice Department's response
The department said it disagrees with the ruling and is evaluating its options, including a possible grand jury indictment.
What it does not decide
A dismissal of a complaint is not a finding on the underlying accusations, and the department can still try to bring charges in another form.
Sources: AP, NPR, NBC News, CNBC, Roll Call