Special counsel David Weiss, who has been conducting the more than five-year federal investigation into Hunter Biden’s eldest son, appeared Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee to answer questions about the investigation.
“Special Counsel Weiss is appearing voluntarily to testify before the House Judiciary Committee regarding the scope of his authority,” Weiss spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle said in a statement.
“Mr. Weiss is willing to take the unprecedented step of testifying before the end of his investigation to make it clear that he has and continues to have full authority over his investigation and to bring charges in any jurisdiction.
“In accordance with department policy and the law, he will not be able to address the details of his investigation. At the conclusion of this matter, Special Counsel Weiss will prepare a report, which the Attorney General has committed to making public to the extent possible, consistent with the law, department policy and the public interest.”
Weiss’ appearance comes months after congressional Republicans first sought answers about the extent of his authority over the Hunter investigation — and whether President Biden’s Justice Department improperly intervened in the case.
Special counsel David Weiss, who has been conducting a more than five-year investigation into Hunter Biden’s eldest son, will testify Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee. Saquan Stimpson – CNP “Special Counsel Weiss is appearing voluntarily to testify before the House Judiciary Committee about the scope of his authority,” Weiss spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle said in a statement.AP
Two IRS whistleblowers — Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley and Special Agent Joseph Ziegler — testified before the House Ways and Means and House Oversight committees that the investigation was “moving slowly.”
US attorneys appointed by President Biden for Washington, DC, and Los Angeles declined to assist in bringing charges, but a letter from Weiss and sworn congressional testimony from Attorney General Merrick Garland argued that Delaware’s US attorney was given “ultimate authority.”
Whistleblowers, Justice Department officials, other IRS officials and US attorneys – Matthew Graves and Martin Estrada – have all testified that Weiss needed to work with prosecutors to bring the case outside of Delaware and needed to get final sign-off on the charges from the DOJ’s Tax Division.
The revelation comes months after congressional Republicans demanded answers from Weiss about the extent of her authority over the Hunter.AP investigation
The whistleblower also claimed that Weiss’ team in Delaware prevented investigators from taking certain steps to develop their tax fraud case against the eldest son — and discouraged lines of inquiry that could lead to the president.
Shapley and Ziegler were initially interviewed behind closed doors weeks before Weiss slapped the president’s son with a plea deal only to be tried on June 20 for two misdemeanor tax crimes.
It also allowed Hunter to take a diversion deal for lying on a federal gun purchase form about his drug use in 2018, when he was heavily addicted to cocaine, according to his 2021 memoir, “Beautiful Things.”
A letter from Weiss and sworn congressional testimony from Attorney General Merrick Garland prove that the Delaware US attorney was given “ultimate authority.” AP
But the “sweetheart” deal, as Republicans called it, imploded in federal court on July 26 under sustained questioning from US District Judge Maryellen Noreika.
The judge pressed federal prosecutors and Hunter’s defense team about a provision contained in the diversion agreement that would have given the first child sweeping immunity from charges related to his overseas business dealings.
The immunity would protect against possible charges of money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, with the Hunter family and associates earning $17.3 million between 2014 and 2019.
Hunter’s former business partner Devon Archer told members of the House Oversight Committee in July that the first son contacted his father at least 20 times with associates.REUTERS
Garland elevated Weiss to special counsel to complete the investigation on August 11, and the prosecutor’s office withdrew its tax charges in Delaware. Weiss is expected to bring further charges in other jurisdictions.
Prosecutors also slapped Hunter Biden with three counts of illegal possession and false statements he made when he bought a Colt Cobra revolver in October 2018 — charging him with possessing a weapon his eldest son said was “unloaded” and in his possession “for 11 days.”
In a Nov. 2 USA Today op-ed, the first son called the allegations unprecedented and said the “weaponization” of his alcohol and drug addictions “represents a real threat to those desperate for sobriety.”
Their first congressional testimony took place behind closed doors weeks before Weiss slapped the president’s son with a trial-only plea deal on June 20 on two tax offenses.AP
“My struggles and my mistakes have been fodder for a vile and persistent disinformation campaign against [President Biden]and the complete obliteration of my reputation through a high-profile but fruitless congressional investigation,” Hunter also wrote.
The congressional inquiry included testimony from Hunter’s former business associate Devon Archer, who told members of the House Oversight Committee in July that the first son contacted his father with business associates at least 20 times.
Archer also claims Hunter took a position on the board of Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings – worth $1 million annually – to promote the Biden “brand” while his father oversaw US policy in Kyiv.
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) earlier this year released a classified FBI whistleblower file from a “reliable” source that alleged Burisma owner Mykola Zlochevky paid $10 million in bribes to Hunter and Joe Biden to drop an investigation into the gas company. by Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin.
Biden boasted during a 2018 panel at the Council on Foreign Relations that he had withheld $1 billion in US loan guarantees from Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to oust Shokin.
Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) has also obtained bank records showing at least $260,000 from one of Hunter’s China associates was connected to the president’s Delaware address.Getty Images
Comptroller Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) has also obtained bank records showing at least $260,000 from one of Hunter’s China associates was wired to the president’s Delaware address.
Another $40,000 from Chinese government-related energy ventures was “laundered” to the president through James Biden’s first cousin, which was part of a deal with CEFC China Energy, Comer alleged.
House Republicans launched an impeachment inquiry into Biden, 80, on September 12 to determine whether he abused his position as vice president or president, violated public trust or obstructed an investigation into his son.
Weiss, who began his investigation into Hunter Biden in 2018, was nominated by former President Donald Trump to the US Attorney’s Office in Delaware on the recommendation of the state’s Democratic senators, Chris Coons and Tom Carper — both Biden allies and protégés.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
