US Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday appointed a special counsel in a probe of Hunter Biden, a surprise move that intensifies the investigation into the president’s son ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Garland spoke of the “extraordinary circumstances” of the matter as he named Delaware US Attorney David Weiss, who had already been probing Hunter Biden’s financial dealings, as special counsel after plea deal talks in the case broke down.
The sudden turn of events raises fresh questions about the case against Hunter Biden on tax evasion and a gun charge, deepening an investigation that was close to resolution just weeks ago. Weiss had asked to be named special counsel, gaining broad authority to investigate and report out his findings.
Photo: Reuters
It comes as the US Department of Justice has taken the unprecedented step of indicting former US president Donald Trump, who is US President Joe Biden’s chief rival in next year’s election, in two separate cases. It also puts questions about Biden’s family at the forefront of the election.
Speaking at the justice department, Garland said that he expects the special counsel to work expeditiously in an “even-handed and urgent” manner.
Garland said that Weiss, who had been appointed by Trump as US attorney, told him this week that the investigation had reached a stage in which he should continue as special counsel.
“Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel,” Garland said.
The announcement of a special counsel is a significant development from the typically cautious Garland, and provides Weiss with independence, authority and budget to pursue the investigation.
It is not fully clear why the attorney general took the step in appointing a special counsel for the Hunter Biden case, but prosecutors in Delaware also on Friday announced that plea deal talks Weiss was pursuing in the tax evasion case had hit an impasse.
In a court filing on Friday, Weiss’ team said that charges would be better filed in California or Washington.
The announcement ensures that the justice department’s probes of Trump, and now of Biden’s youngest son, who has used drugs and whose personal entanglements have trailed his father’s political career, would carry into election season.
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