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In a significant development that could impact President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign, a special counsel from the US Department of Justice has been appointed to oversee the federal investigation targeting Hunter Biden, the President’s son.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has granted greater independence to David Weiss, the US attorney for the district of Delaware, who was previously leading the criminal probe into Hunter Biden during the Trump administration.
Garland made this appointment owing to the “extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter,” as requested by Weiss himself.
The appointment comes after an initial plea deal reached between Hunter Biden and federal prosecutors fell apart last month in a Delaware court hearing. Prosecutors have stated that further negotiations are at an impasse, and they believe that the case will now go to trial.
In order to bring charges in the appropriate jurisdiction, prosecutors are seeking to dismiss the case in Delaware and pursue the charges in either California or Washington, DC.
Garland has confirmed that the investigation into Hunter Biden is still ongoing.
While there has been no comment from the US attorney’s office in Delaware or Hunter Biden’s lawyer, this unexpected turn of events has complicated what seemed to be the conclusion of the case, and has raised concerns for Joe Biden’s re-election campaign.
Hunter Biden’s legal and personal issues have previously caused controversy and have been the subject of questioning by Republican lawmakers and political opponents, including former President Donald Trump.
Earlier, Hunter Biden had agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanour counts of wilful failure to pay federal income tax. He was accused of not paying over $100,000 in income tax on earnings exceeding $1.5 million in 2017 and 2018.
Additionally, he had agreed to participate in a “pretrial diversion agreement” for a separate charge related to the possession of a firearm as an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
However, during the Delaware court hearing, questions were raised about the terms of the deal, including the firearm offence, and Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty.
Given Weiss’s appointment as special counsel, the DOJ aims to address concerns of partiality and ensure a fair investigation in this sensitive case, similar to the appointment of special counsels for investigations targeting Donald Trump.
Garland has reiterated his commitment to providing Weiss with the necessary resources and authority to conduct a thorough and independent investigation based solely on facts and the law.
While some Republicans, including Kevin McCarthy, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, have criticized Weiss’s appointment, accusing it of obstructing congressional investigations, the unfolding case will undoubtedly have significant implications for the Biden family.
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