U.S. Attorney David Weiss stands by Hunter Biden investigation amidst GOP accusations

Washington — David Weiss, the U.S. attorney in Delaware appointed by President Trump, recently reached a plea deal with Hunter Biden and has now spoken out for the first time. In a letter sent to House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, Weiss addressed claims that the investigation was hindered.

Weiss wrote the letter in response to House Republicans’ request for information related to accusations made by IRS agents involved in the Hunter Biden case. The agents alleged irregularities in the investigation and claimed that retaliatory measures were taken against them.

“As the U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, I have limited charging authority to my home district. If the case needs to be pursued in another district, it is common practice to contact the appropriate U.S. Attorney’s Office and consider partnering on the case. If that option is not possible, I can request Special Attorney status from the Attorney General,” explained Weiss. “In this matter, I have been assured that I would be granted § 515 Authority in the District of Columbia, the Central District of California, or any other district where charges could be brought.”

Recently unsealed court filings revealed that Weiss’ office charged Hunter Biden with two misdemeanor tax counts to which he agreed to plead guilty, as well as a felony gun charge for which he will enter into a diversion program. The plea deal will need to be approved by a judge at a hearing scheduled for July 26.

One of the IRS agents involved in the case, Gary Shapely, testified that he believed more severe charges were warranted based on the evidence he saw. He also claimed that Weiss informed him that prosecutors in Delaware were prohibited from filing charges in other jurisdictions, including California and Washington, D.C., and that Weiss was denied special counsel status by the Justice Department.

In his letter on Friday, Weiss reaffirmed his defense of the investigation, stating, “I have been granted ultimate authority over this matter, including the decision of where, when, and whether to file charges in order to preserve the integrity of the prosecution, in compliance with federal law, the Principles of Federal Prosecution, and Departmental regulations.”

“Weiss told Jordan, “I stand by what I wrote.” Attorney General Merrick Garland, who retained Weiss to complete the Biden probe, previously stated that Weiss had the authority and discretion to bring a case anywhere.

Shapely, when asked about his testimony, defended his allegations and said, “I provided my perspective based on my 14 years of experience. If anyone wants to refute it, they can.” In his letter, Weiss also denied claims of retaliation and said, “the Department of Justice did not retaliate against an Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Criminal Supervisory Special Agent and whistleblower, as well as his entire investigative team, for making protected disclosures to Congress.”

Jordan and other members of the House Oversight and Ways and Means Committees have requested closed-door interviews with Weiss and other investigators, but Weiss has not made any commitments prior to the July 26 hearing. He expressed his willingness to discuss the allegations with the committee at the appropriate time.

Weiss stated that due to the ongoing investigation, he is unable to provide specific information related to the Hunter Biden investigation at this time.

Hunter Biden’s attorney accused House Republicans of trying to derail the plea deal by promoting false allegations from IRS whistleblowers. The attorney wrote to House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, criticizing the release of selective false allegations.

The IRS whistleblowers began coming forward months before their testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee. When asked about Shapely’s testimony, the White House referred to a previously-released statement, emphasizing the independence of the Justice Department in handling the case.