No retirement! Hunter investigation follows Biden at Camp David as president declines to comment on appointing special counsel to his son amid collapse of plea deal as he stood by allies asian
- President Joe Biden was asked about the Hunter Biden investigation during Friday’s trilateral summit at Camp David with the leaders of South Korea and Japan
- A week ago, Attorney General Merrick Garland elevated U.S. Attorney David Weiss to special counsel
- “I do – I have no comment on an ongoing investigation. It depends on the Department of Justice. And that’s all I have to say,’ Biden said
President Joe Biden gave a “no comment” when asked on Friday for his reaction to Attorney General Merrick Garland elevating US attorney-in-charge Hunter Biden to special counsel status.
Garland’s announcement came last Friday, but the president has avoided getting into situations where reporters might ask him questions this week.
But on Friday, Biden brought together Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol for a historic trilateral summit at Camp David, which ended with the traditional press conference.
“I do – I have no comment on an ongoing investigation. It depends on the Department of Justice. And that’s all I have to say,’ Biden said.
An American journalist had slipped in a question about Hunter Biden after asking each of the three leaders about regional issues.
President Joe Biden (center) was asked about the Hunter Biden investigation during his historic summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (left) and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) on Friday
Garland held a press conference a week ago and announced that Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss would be elevated to special counsel.
Weiss, a Trump appointee, had previously been put in charge of the investigation.
But those credentials haven’t appeased Republicans, especially after IRS whistleblowers alleged Weiss lacked the authority to complete the tax and weapons probe. to fire on the first son.
Garland said Weiss himself requested the designation, which is typically undertaken to provide protections against political pressure or the appearance of pressure.
“In his view, his investigation has reached a stage where he should continue his work as special counsel, and he has asked to be named,” Garland said.
GOP lawmakers also pointed to what they considered a love plea deal the first son was receiving.
Hunter Biden’s plea deal officially collapsed last Friday.
Several Republicans have suggested that Weiss’s promotion was a move to hamper ongoing GOP congressional investigations into Biden’s trade deals.
“This Biden DOJ action cannot be used to impede congressional investigations or whitewash Biden family corruption,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said.
Sen. Chuck Grassley — an Iowa Republican who previously led an investigation into Biden’s trade deals — initially reacted positively to the development.
“It was about time,” he told DailyMail.com while touring the Iowa State Fair last Friday.
Upon hearing Weiss was brought up as opposed to appointing a new person, Grassley became more skeptical.
“Did they make him a special advocate so he wouldn’t have to testify before the United States Congress?” he thought. “If that’s your game, then I would say there are ulterior motives.”
He also pointed out that the way the Senate confirms each state’s U.S. attorneys is for state senators to sign, meaning two Democrats greenlighted Weiss’ nomination during the Trump years.
“What I know today, I don’t want to say what he did in his job, but you can see that plea deal that the judge didn’t accept raises a lot of questions about him,” Grassley said. “Didn’t you put the government and the culprits on the same side of the table?
