Attorney General Merrick Garland was put on the spot during a recent Judiciary Committee hearing regarding the investigation into Hunter Biden’s business dealings.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, grilled Garland on the independence of the investigation and the possibility of political interference.
Despite Garland’s assurances that the investigation would be free from political influence, Grassley pointed out that if Weiss needed to pursue the case against Biden outside his Delaware jurisdiction, it could be up to a Biden appointee to pursue the case outside Delaware.
This raises questions about the independence of the investigation and whether the investigation can truly be free from political interference.
Garland has previously pledged not to interfere in the federal and congressional investigations into Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings.
However, he has come under scrutiny for not elevating Weiss to special counsel status to ensure his independence. During the hearing, Grassley asked if Weiss could more effectively bring charges against Hunter Biden if he were made a special counsel.
Garland replied that such a decision would have to be brought to him first and that he would authorize it and permit it to be brought in the jurisdiction.
Despite the complicated nature of the question, Garland assured Grassley that he would ensure Weiss had the full authority to carry out the investigation, including the ability to refer the case to another district.
Grassley also asked Garland if he believed “improper or unlawful” payments from a foreign government to “elected officials or other politically-exposed persons” would constitute a national security concern. Garland replied that if it’s an agent of a foreign government asking someone and paying someone to do things to support that foreign government in secret, then it would be a national security problem.
Overall, the hearing raises concerns about the independence of the investigation into Hunter Biden’s business dealings and whether it can truly be free from political influence. As the investigation continues, it will be important to ensure that the investigation is conducted fairly and impartially.
