Garland Defends Testimony on Hunter Biden Investigation Amid Coverup Accusations
The US Attorney General, Merrick Garland, has insisted that his testimony to Congress about the federal investigation of Hunter Biden was truthful, despite allegations made by an IRS whistleblower.
The journalist asked Garland if he still believed that the investigation was being conducted without any political interference, in light of the whistleblower's claim of a cover-up. Garland confirmed that this was still the case and referred the journalist to the attorney for the district of Delaware who was handling the case.
The whistleblower, who had supervised the IRS investigation of Hunter Biden for three years, had informed Congress that there had been preferential treatment and false testimony by an official, later revealed to be Garland. However, Garland stood by his testimony and reiterated that the Delaware US Attorney would be able to charge Hunter Biden even if potential crimes occurred outside of Delaware.
The whistleblower's letter to congressional committee leaders claimed that there had been "preferential treatment" and "politics improperly infecting decisions and protocols". The letter also contradicted sworn testimony to Congress by a senior political appointee and involved the failure to mitigate conflicts of interest in the case. The whistleblower has not been interviewed by the committees yet and had to first acquire permission from Congress to consult with lawyers about sensitive taxpayer issues.
The investigation into Hunter Biden reportedly began in 2018, and Delaware US Attorney David Weiss has been reviewing four possible charges, including two misdemeanor counts of failing to file taxes, a felony count of evading taxes, and a charge of lying about his drug use. It is unclear if authorities are still considering charges against Hunter for money laundering and failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Weiss, a Trump administration holdover, was recommended to his post in 2017 by Delaware's two Democratic senators. There has been "growing frustration" within the FBI over the fact that Weiss had not yet brought charges after the bureau concluded most of its work last year, according to NBC.
Hunter Biden had confirmed he was under investigation for tax fraud shortly after his father won the 2020 election. He reportedly borrowed about $2 million last year to pay off back taxes, but doing so doesn't legally absolve him of the original non-payment. The House Republicans are investigating President Biden's role in his family's overseas dealings during and after his vice presidency, through which Hunter Biden and first brother James Biden earned millions from partnerships with wealthy people in countries where their powerful relative held sway, such as China, Ukraine, and Russia.
