The Justice Department investigation into former President Donald Trump and now Biden’s youngest son, Hunter, has moved into the 2024 election season, as the sudden turn of events raises new questions about the tax evasion and gun charge against Hunter, deepening an investigation that was close to being resolved before. Just weeks ago, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel in the “Hunter” investigation, a surprising step that intensified the investigation into the president’s son before the upcoming elections.
Garland cited the “extraordinary circumstances” of the matter, so he hired David Weiss, a Delaware attorney who was already investigating Hunter Biden’s financial dealings, as special counsel in the investigation, after plea bargain talks broke down in the case.
This comes as the Justice Department took the unprecedented step of convicting Trump, the current president’s main rival, in two separate cases.
The independence of the investigation
The announcement of the appointment of special counsel in the Hunter investigation is a significant development from the usually cautious Garland, who provides Weiss with the autonomy, authority and budget to pursue the investigation.
It is not entirely clear why the attorney general took the step of hiring a special counsel for the Hunter Biden case. But Delaware prosecutors also announced that plea bargain talks, which Weiss had been pursuing in the tax evasion case, had reached a dead end.
In a lawsuit, Vice’s team said it would be better to file charges in California or Washington.
difference of charges
While federal cases vary greatly, Trump has been charged and is awaiting trial in two separate cases brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith. One concerned his refusal to hand over secret documents stored in the Mar-a-Lago estate. The second includes charges of fraud and conspiracy to overturn the 2020 elections in the lead-up to the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
And in the case of Hunter Biden, the president will not be charged or charged with wrongdoing by prosecutors investigating his son.
His attorney, Chris Clark, said little had changed in their understanding of the situation and the role of the attorney general. He talks to his son about business.
While the Trump team questioned the independence of Special Adviser Weiss, who was appointed by the former president himself. But Trump’s spokesman said the attorney general must act quickly, and anyone found guilty of wrongdoing “should face the required consequences.”
welcome penny
Mike Pence, another Republican contender for the presidency in 2024, told reporters at the Iowa state fair that he welcomed the appointment of the special counsel, as he delved into the Biden family.
He stated, “To be honest with you, I can’t speak for what his son was doing when I was vice president. When I was vice president my son was flying an F-35 in the Marine Corps, to defend this country.
criminal family
Trump, the frontrunner in the crowded Republican presidential nomination battle, seized the opportunity to put his potential general election opponent on the defensive, referring to the “Biden crime family” and the “Biden cartel.”
In a statement, the Trump campaign said Hunter and their aides, including the media outlets that colluded with the 51 intelligence officials who knowingly misled the public about Hunter’s laptop, should face the required consequences.
resource processing
Garland said Weiss would have “every resource he asks” to investigate.
Last month, a plea deal with Hunter Biden over tax evasion and a gun charge collapsed after Trump-appointed US District Judge Marilyn Norica raised multiple concerns about the details.
House Republicans derided the agreement, calling it a “dear” deal, when they pushed their own investigation into Hunter Biden’s business dealings.
House Republicans are struggling to link the son’s work to his father, and so far have not been able to provide evidence of wrongdoing.
Representative James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, is leading the congressional investigation into Hunter Biden’s financial dealings and relationships.
Biden capabilities
On the other hand, as Biden prepares for re-election, he faces questions about his ability to convince voters that the economy is doing well. While there are doubts about the ability of the 80-year-old president to manage a second term.
Biden’s challenges pale in comparison to his predecessor and potential future rival (Trump), who faces three criminal indictments, with additional charges expected soon. The appointment of the special counsel was nonetheless a reminder of Biden’s vulnerabilities, as he launches another campaign in a highly uncertain political climate.
AP-NORC Poll:
It consistently showed that Democratic voters weren’t enthusiastic about re-electing Biden even before Garland’s announcement.
Only 47% of Democrats wanted Biden to run again in 2024.
Democrats’ enthusiasm for Biden’s presidential campaign has consistently lagged behind Republicans’ enthusiasm for Trump.
Fifty-five percent of Republicans said they want Trump to run again.
Biden’s approval ratings are at 40%, lower than almost any other president in modern times, with the exception of Jimmy Carter.
