GOP senators seek Hunter Biden gun incident information from law enforcement
Secret Service alleged to have responded to incident but denies any involvement
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Two Republican senators are asking multiple law enforcement agencies about their alleged involvement in a 2018 incident when a gun belonging to Hunter Biden, the son of President Biden, temporarily went missing.
Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Johnson, R-Wis., sent letters inquiring about the involvement of the United States Secret Service (USSS), FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in the aftermath of the incident. Their queries are in response to Politico reporting that the Secret Service inserted itself into the response, which the Secret Service denied in a statement to Fox News.
"On Feb. 24, in response to a query from Politico, the Secret Service provided an on the record statement clearly denying agency involvement in an alleged Delaware gun store incident," the Secret Service said in a statement to Fox News. "The agency maintains there was no Secret Service involvement in the matter described."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HUNTER BIDEN GUN INCIDENT AT MARKET IN 2018 LED TO POLICE INVESTIGATION
A source with knowledge of the police report about the Oct. 23, 2018 incident told Fox News that it indicated that Hallie Biden, the widow of President Biden's late son Beau, who was in a relationship with Hunter at the time, threw a gun owned by Hunter in a dumpster behind a market that is near a school.
FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2020, file photo, President-elect Joe Biden, right, embraces his son Hunter Biden, left, in Wilmington, Del. Biden’s son Hunter says he has learned from federal prosecutors that his tax affairs are under investigation. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)
A firearm transaction report reviewed by Fox News indicates that Hunter Biden purchased a gun earlier that month.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The owner of the market confirmed to Fox News that the Delaware State Police were called to the market on Oct. 23, 2018, and that it shared surveillance footage with police.
"We did the right thing and called the police," the market's owner said.
"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," Grassley and Johnson wrote. "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.'"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The senators continued: "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.' If true, USSS must explain to Congress why such informal actions were taken and whether they were necessary in light of the circumstances."
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The Secret Service protects the former vice presidents and their spouses for six months after they leave office, which means at this time no Biden family members would have been under the agency's protection. The agency maintains this was the case and denies any involvement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Delaware State Police referred Fox News to the Delaware Attorney General's Office when asked about an Oct. 23, 2018 incident involving Hunter Biden, saying that the investigation had been referred to the state AG. The state police said Fox News would need to file a public records request to obtain the police report.
The Blaze first reported on the incident last year. Both The Blaze and Politico reported that nobody was charged or assaulted as a result of the incident.
Politico reported that the gun was eventually found by a man who searches the market's trash for items to recycle.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Kelly Phares and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.