Significant controversy surrounds statements regarding the legal authority over Hunter Biden’s criminal investigation and potential charges, which places a U.S. Attorney David Weiss, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley in the crosshairs. d
Weiss stated to the House Judiciary Committee on June 7, 2023, that he had “been granted ultimate authority” over decisions related to Hunter Biden’s investigation. However, this statement seems to be at odds with what Weiss previously conveyed to senior members of his investigation team. Either Weiss was untruthful with his investigators or he, along with Garland, provided misleading information to Congress.
This discrepancy surfaced after the release of IRS Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley’s testimony and associated exhibits by the House Ways and Means Committee. Shapley testified that Weiss, during an October 7, 2022 meeting, said that he was not the deciding person on whether charges are filed against Hunter Biden. This revelation directly contradicted Weiss’s June 7 letter and Garland’s earlier testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee that Weiss had “full authority” to charge Hunter Biden.
Shapley’s testimony indicates that Weiss was denied the ability to charge Hunter Biden outside the Delaware district, which led to the statute of limitations on felony tax charges expiring for the years 2014 and 2015. An email from Shapley, sent after the October meeting, summarized Weiss’s statements and expressed concern that these were inconsistent with Garland’s testimony.
However, in a press conference, Garland contradicted Shapley’s testimony, insisting Weiss had full authority to proceed with any prosecution he deemed necessary, anywhere he wished. Garland echoed this point during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on March 1, 2023, confirming that Weiss had the authority to bring charges outside the Delaware district.
Further complicating matters, Weiss’s letter of June 7, 2023, reiterated the Attorney General’s assertions that Weiss had ultimate authority over the Hunter Biden investigation. The issue is whether Weiss’s letter was truthful, or if his comments to his senior investigation team were accurate.
Sources suggest the wording of Weiss’s letter appears to have been influenced by someone linked to the DOJ’s Office of Legislative Affairs, raising the question of whether Weiss was pressured into signing the letter. These circumstances have led the House Judiciary Committee to request additional information from Weiss about the drafting and signing of his June 7 letter.
As the situation evolves, it remains unclear who holds the truth in this tangled narrative. The investigation into Hunter Biden’s activities is taking on a new dimension, moving from the original alleged crimes to a potential cover-up of those actions by top government officials.
