Main Topic: Appointment of David Weiss as special counsel for the Hunter Biden probe
Key Points:
1. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed David Weiss as special counsel for the Hunter Biden probe.
2. Weiss, who was already overseeing the probe, requested the special counsel title.
3. The appointment confirms Weiss's authority to conduct a thorough investigation independently.
Republicans are continuing their investigations into Hunter Biden, with two IRS employees testifying privately about the federal probe into President Biden's son, raising concerns of interference from the Biden White House or Justice Department.
House Republicans accuse Hunter Biden's legal team of intimidating and harassing IRS whistleblowers involved in the Hunter Biden tax probe.
An FBI agent involved in the Hunter Biden probe testified that the prosecutor leading it faced hurdles and lack of cooperation from other U.S. attorneys, but still had the authority to bring tax charges against Hunter Biden; the testimony comes amid investigations into the Biden family and Republicans' push for an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley's former superior, IRS Special Agent Darrell Waldon, recommended removing him from the federal investigation into Hunter Biden, confirming key parts of Shapley's claims about the limited scope of the probe.
The FBI has established a dedicated unit to investigate threats against agents and prosecutors involved in the Hunter Biden case, as right-wing individuals accuse them of being too lenient, despite the recent indictment of Hunter Biden on federal felony charges for lying on a gun form; however, critics argue that Hunter Biden's alleged crimes would never have been prosecuted if he weren't the president's son.
Hunter Biden has sued the IRS, claiming that two agents shared his personal information and sought to embarrass him, while the agents argue that any information released came under whistleblower authorization and the suit is a "frivolous smear."
New testimony from FBI and IRS officials contradicts the claims of an IRS whistleblower, who alleged political interference in the investigation of Hunter Biden's taxes, undermining Republican accusations of political influence and protecting Hunter Biden in the investigation.
Attorney General Merrick Garland appears before the House Judiciary Committee, defending himself against Republican accusations that the Justice Department is protecting President Biden and his son Hunter Biden, while also facing questions about the investigation into Hunter Biden and the indictments against former President Trump.
The U.S. Department of Justice ordered investigators to remove any reference to President Biden in a search warrant related to the Hunter Biden probe, according to new documents released by the House Ways & Means Committee.
House Republicans released documents suggesting that IRS agents investigating Hunter Biden faced obstacles whenever President Joe Biden's name came up in the probe, though senior Justice Department prosecutors believed the investigators had legitimate reasons to avoid the elder Biden, and there is no evidence that DOJ officials acted at the request of senior leadership.
