A top House Democrat conceded on Aug. 13 that President Joe Biden’s son did a “lot of really unlawful” things, after the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it had named a U.S. attorney to head a special counsel investigation into the matter.
Hunter Biden, Mr. Raskin said, “did a lot of really unlawful and wrong things” and was, at one point, addicted to drugs.
Mr. Weiss, the U.S. attorney for Delaware, was tapped last week to be the special counsel in the investigation. Meanwhile, Mr. Biden has pleaded not guilty to tax charges.
“From my perspective, it is the rule of law and the justice system working itself out the way that it does and, obviously, it’s bumpy, and this side or that side doesn’t necessarily prefer this course of events,” Mr. Raskin said. “But our job, I think, as political people is to allow the justice system to run its course.”
While there was an announcement weeks ago that a plea deal was made between Mr. Biden’s lawyers and prosecutors, that deal fell apart. Last week, prosecutors wrote in court filings that they were at an impasse with his attorneys over any deal.
“I don’t know what factors went into the calculus to appoint [Weiss as special counsel]. Obviously, there had to be some public interest rationale for it. The material change in circumstance that I can discern is simply the collapse of the plea agreement,” Mr. Raskin said. “But when that agreement appeared to evaporate, then I suppose they wanted to formalize that the U.S. attorney for Delaware had the authority that he needed in order to prosecute the case.
“And, certainly, there was political pressure being brought on it, which I don’t approve of myself. I think it’s not our job as politicians to be second-guessing and trying to micromanage.”
Some top Republicans publicly questioned the rationale for appointing Mr. Weiss as special counsel. They included House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who said that Mr. Weiss’s previous involvement in the botched plea agreement raised red flags.
Meanwhile, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said the recent DOJ moves were an attempt to cover up the Biden family’s dealings.
“Let’s be clear what today’s move is really about,” Mr. Comer said in a statement last week. “The Biden Justice Department is trying to stonewall congressional oversight as we have presented evidence to the American people about the Biden family’s corruption.”
In making the announcement last week, Attorney General Merrick Garland said he expects the special counsel to work quickly and in an “even-handed and urgent” manner.
“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.”
