Special Counsel Appointed In Hunter Biden Investigation
Bowing to pressure from conservatives and anyone interested in not appearing like a banana republic, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed US Attorney David Weiss as special counsel in the ongoing probe of Hunter Biden, NBC News reports.
"On Tuesday of this week, Mr. Weiss advised me that in his judgment, his investigation had reached a stage at which he could should continue his work as a special counsel, and he asked to be so appointed," said Garland in a Friday press conference. "Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter. I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel."
Watch:
JUST IN: Biden AG Merrick Garland appoints U.S. Attorney David Weiss as a special counsel in the Hunter Biden criminal investigation pic.twitter.com/HBaNDUUkh9
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 11, 2023
More via NBC:
Weiss will be responsible for the “ongoing investigation" of President Joe Biden's son "as well as for any other matters that arose or may arise from that investigation," the Justice Department said in a statement. Weiss asked to be appointed special counsel on Tuesday and Garland agreed it was "in the public interest" to do so, the attorney general said.
DOJ noted that Weiss, who was already overseeing the Hunter Biden probe, was nominated by then-President Donald Trump in 2017 and confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate in 2018.
Hunter Biden agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor charges related to his failure to pay income taxes earlier this year. But while standing in court last month waiting to enter the plea, the agreement fell apart over confusion about a separate gun charge.
Recall that Weiss shocked IRS and FBI investigators in an October 22, 2022 meeting in which he told officials that he had a limited ability to investigate Biden despite Garland's repeated assurances that Weiss had total authority over his investigation.
In May, an IRS whistleblower, Gary A. Shapely Jr., told Congress he was so dismayed by Weiss’s statement and other admissions that he memorialized them in a communication to other team members.
Shapley and another whistleblower detail what they describe as a pattern of interference with their investigation of Hunter Biden, including the denial of searches, lines of questioning, and even attempted indictments.
Many have speculated that the appointment of Weiss as special counsel also means that the DOJ can block Congressional oversight of Hunter Biden's sweetheart deal until after the 2024 election.
This is fake and so now they can refuse to hand over documents to Congress as there’s an “ongoing investigation.” https://t.co/ePJjezdgjl
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) August 11, 2023
However, according to Jonathan Turley: "A Special Counsel investigation will not prevent the House from pursuing an impeachment inquiry, particularly if Garland is still refusing to expand the scope of the mandate to Weiss to include the influence peddling allegations against Joe Biden."
...The problem is the appointment of Weiss as special counsel despite the testimony of the whistleblowers. For those IRS agents, this seems a lot like sending “Shoeless Joe” Jackson back into the game after telling him “Say it ain’t so, Joe!”
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) August 11, 2023
...The question is, if Weiss always had this power to ask for an appointment, why didn't he when he was reportedly prevented from pursuing charges in two other jurisdictions?
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) August 11, 2023
...A Special Counsel investigation will not prevent the House from pursuing an impeachment inquiry, particularly if Garland is still refusing to expand the scope of the mandate to Weiss to include the influence peddling allegations against Joe Biden.
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) August 11, 2023
And there you have it...
