The US attorney in Delaware denied retaliation against an IRS official who leaked details of the Hunter Biden investigation, and denied being blocked from pursuing serious charges against Mr Biden, the son of Mr. president, in Los Angeles and Washington.
David C. Weiss, an appointee of former President Donald J. Trump held by the Biden administration, defended the integrity of his investigation in a two-page letter to Party members. Republican in the House of Representatives late on Friday, in which he gave the most detailed explanation yet of the five-year poll that culminated in a plea agreement last month that would rule out jail time for Mr. Biden, who is facing a misdemeanor tax charge and a separate gun charge.
The Justice Department “did not retaliate” Gary Shapley, who claimed Mr Weiss helped block a promotion he had sought after contacting congressional investigators, Weiss wrote in the letter. letter to Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio, chairman of the Department of Justice. House Judiciary Committee.
Mr. Weiss goes on to address, hypothetically, the core of Mr. Shapley’s allegations: that Biden-appointed U.S. attorneys in California and Washington prevented Mr. Weiss from prosecuting Hunter Biden on tax felony charges during a time when the president’s youngest son made millions representing the presidents. foreign-controlled enterprises.
Mr Shapley, who testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in May in what Republicans say is whistleblower protection, also said he and other investigators witnessed him. Weiss said last year that he would not be the “deciding official” on whether to prosecute Biden, and that Mr Weiss was turned down when he sought special counsel status after being cleared by prosecutors The local official said he could not press charges. House Republicans released testimony last month.
While Mr. Weiss did not deny that those offices denied his request to bring more serious charges, he supported Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s public statement that he had been given full authority. in the case and that he has the right to choose. about dismissing prosecutors simply by contacting Mr. Garland or his top aides.
As a U.S. attorney in Delaware, “my jurisdiction is geographically limited to my home county,” Weiss wrote.
He added: “If the venue for the case is located elsewhere, it is common practice for the department to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the county in question and determine if it wants to cooperate in the case. work or not”. “If not, I can request special attorney status.”
Appointing a federal prosecutor as special counsel is different from appointing them as special counsel. In essence, the special counsel provision is an alternative that allows outsiders to intervene in cases that span multiple jurisdictions or have special conditions. In contrast, the special counsel regulations contain internal reporting requirements by the Department of Justice and provisions for congressional oversight.
Mr. wreath said Mr. Weiss never asked him to be named special advisor.
Mr Weiss did not explicitly address those issues in his letter to Mr Jordan on Friday. But he said if he wanted to prosecute Mr. Biden in California or Washington, he would do it without worrying about being stopped by department leaders.
“I have been assured that, if necessary after the above process, I will be granted Agency § 515 in the District of Columbia, the Central District of California or any other county where charges can be brought in this regard. ,” he wrote, in reference to federal law section that defines the role of a special counsel.
The letter follows a June 7 letter he sent to Republicans on the committee that made many of the same points in less specific terms.
Mr Weiss was deeply frustrated by what he believed to be unwarranted attacks on his character and motives, and was eager to give his response to Mr Shapley’s allegations ahead of the holiday day July 4, according to two people familiar with the situation.
An email to Mr. Weiss’ spokesman was not immediately answered.
Mr. Jordan, along with Representative James R. Comer of Kentucky, who heads the Oversight Committee, and Representative Jason Smith of Missouri, who heads the Ways and Means Committee, sent a letter on Thursday to Mr. Weiss and other officials regarding the investigation Hunter Biden asked for their testimony on this matter.
Weiss said the Justice Department’s legislative affairs office had reached out to Jordan’s staff “to discuss the appropriate timing and scope” for his public testimony as it deems appropriate.
In a statement announcing Biden’s plea agreement, Weiss said the investigation was “ongoing,” which prevented him from legally testifying about the details.
