Secretary of State Antony Blinken should resign, some Republicans in Congress are beginning to say, after the bombshell revelation that the nation’s top diplomat may have been a driving force behind a bid to discredit reporting about Hunter Biden — in particular a laptop that allegedly contained information about his shady business dealings and personal life — weeks before the 2020 election.

Calls for Blinken to step down followed the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee releasing a small excerpt of a deposition with former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell during an interview with the judiciary panel and the House Intelligence Committee.

A portion of a transcript shows Morell said “yes” when asked if a call around mid-October 2020 from Blinken, who was then an adviser to President Joe Biden’s campaign at the time, triggered a statement signed by 51 intelligence veterans suggesting the Hunter Biden laptop story could be part of a Russian disinformation operation. Morell also testified that Steve Ricchetti, chairman of the Biden campaign, called Morell following a presidential debate to thank him for helping to put together the statement and admitted he wanted Biden to win the election.

#BREAKING: Testimony Reveals Secretary Blinken and the Biden Campaign Were Behind the Infamous Public Statement from Former Intel Officials on the Hunter Biden Laptop @Jim_Jordan and @RepMikeTurner reveal HUGE news here: pic.twitter.com/bX3fpqJKPo

— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) April 21, 2023

“This, in my opinion, probably disqualifies him to serve as the secretary of state,” Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) told Just the News on Friday. “Tony Blinken, you should resign,” he also said in addition to floating the prospect of impeachment.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), a lead congressional investigator of the Biden family, said Blinken should resign if he is proven to be the “impetus” of the statement. “And if he doesn’t resign, he should be impeached,” Johnson told The Star News Network. “Again, so many members of the Biden administration have this level of deceit, dishonesty and corruption. This is a lawless administration.”

A more blunt assessment came from Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX). “Anthony Blinken is a disgrace,” he tweeted. “He has now lost ALL credibility. He’s damaged our country irreparably. He needs to RESIGN NOW!!”

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee say Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) released cherry-picking excerpts from the interview with Morell and released a different part of the transcript showing Morell said he could not remember Blinken asking or even suggesting that a statement about the laptop be put together.

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“To be clear, no part of that interview demonstrates that Tony Blinken or any other Biden campaign official asked Mike Morell to write a letter about Hunter Biden’s laptop,” said a statement from a spokesperson for the Judiciary Democrats.

The October 19, 2020, statement signed by 51 retired intelligence officials said the laptop’s alleged contents have “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.” After POLITICO, the news outlet that first reported the statement, published a headline that said the former intelligence officials were claiming the story was “Russian disinfo,” then-candidate Joe Biden, Hunter’s father, used the statement to cast doubt on the laptop story during one of his debates with then-President Donald Trump weeks before the election.

Over the past two years, many of the laptop’s contents have been analyzed and shown to be authentic. Hunter Biden’s lawyers recently began to send letters to state and federal officials demanding investigations into individuals involved in disseminating the contents of the laptop, including to the media. His attorney, Abbe Lowell, insisted the letters do not “confirm” the laptop was his client’s device.

One of the statement’s most prominent signees, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, recently accused POLITICO of “deliberately” misrepresenting its message. POLITICO defended its reporting about the statement.

Hunter Biden is separately under investigation by federal prosecutors looking into potential crimes related to his tax affairs, foreign business dealings, and a gun purchase. The president’s son has said he expects to be cleared of wrongdoing. A meeting with Justice Department officials is scheduled for next week.

"Does [Secretary Blinken] dispute the accuracy of the GOP letter sent to him on Hunter Biden?"

Blinken spokesman: "I don’t have a comment for you on that"

"Do you know who we can ask about it?"

Blinken spokesman: "I don’t really have a comment on this" pic.twitter.com/yg7IJRQ5t0

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 22, 2023

In conducting an investigation into the laptop controversy, Jordan and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Michael Turner (R-OH) have sent letters seeking information from each of the 51 intelligence veterans who signed the October 2020 statement. Portions of Morell’s testimony appeared in a letter to Blinken seeking information and records tied to the Hunter Biden issue. A deadline of May 4 is listed.

Asked by a reporter if Blinken disputes the accuracy of what is written in the Republicans’ letter, a State Department spokesperson declined to engage. “That is not a State Department issue, so I don’t have a comment for you on that,” said Deputy Press Secretary Vedant Patel.

Disney plans to eliminate thousands of jobs next week, dismissing as many as 15% of entertainment staffers, according to a recent report from Bloomberg.

Disney CEO Bob Iger announced two months ago that the company would dismiss 7,000 workers as part of a “strategic realignment” meant to reduce costs. The layoffs will impact employees in the conglomerate’s television, film, theme parks, and corporate divisions, in addition to the entertainment unit, with some workers slated to lose their positions on Monday.

“For our employees who aren’t impacted, I want to acknowledge that there will no doubt be challenges ahead as we continue building the structures and functions that will enable us to be successful moving forward,” Iger informed staff members last month. “In tough moments, we must always do what is required to ensure Disney can continue delivering exceptional entertainment to audiences and guests around the world, now, and long into the future.”

The company’s entertainment unit serves as a primary area for the headcount reductions as Iger pivots toward focusing on franchise properties and well-known brands. He elevated veteran executives Alan Bergman and Dana Walden to serve as co-chairs of Disney Entertainment, the restructured department created earlier this year.

Disney will also restructure the firm’s finance department such that staffers managing accounts for Disney Entertainment and ESPN are more closely consolidated. Bryan Castellani will serve under Disney CFO Christine McCarthy as the finance lead for the two business units, according to a memo obtained by Business Insider.

“I am confident that we are building an even more aligned and collaborative team that will enable our businesses and functions and help the company achieve its stated goals. Please join me in supporting the leaders who are taking on new roles and additional responsibilities. Each will be sharing more about their respective teams and structure in the near future,” McCarthy wrote in the memo. “While our changes are necessary to set the company up for future success, I acknowledge that change can be filled with tough decisions, conversations, and realities. There is more work to be done, and I appreciate your continued efforts, resiliency, and outstanding contributions through this time.”

Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, who Iger handpicked to serve as his successor in February 2020, was dismissed by the board of directors after lackluster financial performance under his leadership and replaced with Iger in November 2022. The company’s stock price has declined 17% over the past year, and several other prominent entertainment and technology companies have been forced to dismiss large shares of their employees.

Disney has also lost trust among some consumers after Chapek and other executives involved the firm in contentious culture war battles last year. Disney publicly opposed a parental rights law in Florida that bans instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity to children between kindergarten and third grade. Some 64% of Americans, including 62% of Democrats and 57% of independents, nevertheless supported the law, according to an exclusive poll from The Daily Wire.

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Iger expressed regret about the company’s opposition to the policy upon his return and promised that leadership would more carefully listen to consumers in the future. “I was sorry to see us dragged into that battle, and I have no idea exactly what its ramifications are in terms of the business itself,” he told employees. “What I can say is that the state of Florida has been important to us for a long time, and we have been very important to the state of Florida.”

Disclosure: The Daily Wire has announced plans for kids entertainment content.