Republicans expand their Hunter Biden investigation by seeking an interview with the lead prosecutor
House Republicans on Thursday requested voluntary testimony from nearly a dozen Justice Department officials involved in the investigation of President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden as GOP lawmakers widen their scrutiny into what they claim is improper interference by the agency. Leaders of the Republican-controlled House Judiciary, Oversight and Accountability, and Ways and Means committees asked in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland for nine officials from the Justice Department and two from the FBI to appear for the interviews to address recent allegations made by two IRS employees who worked on the federal investigation into Hunter Biden’s taxes and foreign business dealings. “Recent startling testimony from Internal Revenue Services whistleblowers raises serious questions about the Department’s commitment to evenhanded justice and the veracity of assertions made to the Committee on the Judiciary,” Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, James Comer of Kentucky, and Jason Smith of Missouri wrote in the letter obtained by The Associated Press. The individuals named in the letter include David Weiss, the U.S. attorney in Delaware in charge of the investigation, as well Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf of Delaware and the top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves. Garland said last week that the Justice Department will not object to Weiss testifying to Congress. A department spokesperson confirmed receipt of the letter but declined further comment. The request comes about a week after Biden, 53, reached an agreement with the government to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses. The plea deal would also avert prosecution on a felony charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user, as long as Biden adheres to conditions agreed to in court. Days later, the House Ways and Means Committee, led by Smith, voted to publicly disclose congressional testimony from the IRS employees. The testimony from Greg Shapley and an unidentified agent detailed what they called a pattern of “slow-walking investigative steps” and delaying enforcement actions in the months before the 2020 election won by Joe Biden. It is unclear whether the conflict they describe amounts to internal disagreement about how to pursue the investigation or a pattern of interference and preferential treatment. Department policy has long warned prosecutors to take care in charging cases with potential political overtones around the time of an election, to avoid influencing the outcome. The Justice Department has denied the claims and said Weiss, appointed to his job when Donald Trump was president, had full authority over the case. The letter provided a deadline of July 13 for the department to begin scheduling the individuals for transcribed interviews. It said that if the deadline is not met, the committee chairmen will resort to using a congressional subpoena to force cooperation. Beyond Hunter Biden, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee led by Comer has undertaken a broader review of the Biden family’s finances and foreign dealings, issuing dozens of subpoenas to business associates and financial institutions. Republicans have focused much attention on an unverified tip to the FBI that alleged a bribery scheme involving Joe Biden when he was vice president. The unsubstantiated claim, which first emerged in 2019, was that Biden pressured Ukraine to fire its top prosecutor in order to stop an investigation into Burisma, an oil-and-gas company where Hunter Biden was on the board. Democrats said in a letter Thursday to Comer that the Justice Department investigated the claim when Trump was president and closed the matter after eight months, finding “insufficient evidence” that it was true. Democrats highlighted the transcript of an interview with Mykola Zlochevsky, Burisma’s co-founder, in which he denied having any contact with Joe Biden while Hunter Biden worked for the company. “Mr. Zlochevsky’s statements are just one of the many that have debunked the corruption allegations,” said the committee’s top Democrat, Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Ted Cruz calls for special counsel to investigate Attorney General Merrick Garland
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is calling for a special counsel to investigate Attorney General Merrick Garland over perjury and obstructing justice claims. Cruz did so as U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-California, said the House would begin an impeachment inquiry into Garland after IRS whistleblowers came forward to members of Congress alleging Garland blocked an investigation into Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, and lied about it under oath. McCarthy tweeted, “We need to get to the facts, and that includes reconciling these clear disparities. U.S. Attorney David Weiss must provide answers to the House Judiciary Committee. If the whistleblowers’ allegations are true, this will be a significant part of a larger impeachment inquiry into Merrick Garland’s weaponization of the DOJ.” IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley testified before Congress that the U.S. Attorney in charge of an investigation into Hunter Biden, David Weiss, said he wanted to bring charges but was prevented from doing so by Garland. McCarthy also told Fox News the inquiries would start by July 6. In his podcast, “Verdict with Ted Cruz,” on Monday, Cruz said, “The evidence is mounting and mounting and mounting … it is getting so bad even the corrupt corporate media cannot ignore this anymore.” Cruz played a clip of Garland saying at a news conference, “I certainly understand that some have chosen to attack the integrity of the Justice Department … by claiming that we do not treat like cases alike,” referring to what senators have argued when comparing how President Biden and former President Donald Trump have been treated by the department. “Nothing could be further from the truth. We make our cases based on the facts and the law,” Garland said. Cruz said Garland is “the one who has politicized this process and is burning down the integrity of the Department of Justice to the ground. The people accusing him work for him … they are his own … employees, and they’re … mad.” Cruz said Garland’s response was self-righteous and compared him to a despot. He also said what Garland said was “objectively false: ‘We use the same standards for everyone.’ Well, OK, you’re name is Biden you can have classified documents everywhere … but if you’re Trump, we’re sending in the stormtroopers.” “It’s time the Department of Justice needs to appoint a special counsel to investigate Merrick Garland for obstruction of justice and perjury,” he said. Cruz cited Shapley’s testimony, which indicated that Garland committed perjury and lied under oath to Congress. Garland then removed him from the case, which Cruz said is illegal and needs to be investigated. Cruz called for an investigation after he previously called out the deputy director of the FBI over bribery allegations related to both the president and his son, and is still demanding answers. Cruz also welcomed the House impeachment inquiry, saying, “There is serious evidence that Merrick Garland lied to me, under oath, when I questioned him about his role in obstructing the Hunter Biden probe.” When asked by Newsmax’s James Rosen about the accusations, White House spokesman John Kirby walked out of the room and wouldn’t answer questions. At another press briefing, when similar questions were asked, another White House spokesperson said she didn’t know what the reporters were referring to and didn’t have a comment. When asked if the White House believed Garland committed perjury, she smirked and made several facial expressions, shaking her head, and said, “I don’t have any comment on this.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Rep. Gary Palmer says Hunter Biden deal exposes ‘glaring double standard of justice’ at DOJ
On Tuesday, it was announced that President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, had negotiated a plea deal with the Department of Justice in which he will plead guilty to tax crimes. According to the court, he has also reached a diversion agreement on a weapons charge. The plea deal, which a judge must accept, will likely help Hunter Biden avoid serving any time in jail. Following the announcement of the Department of Justice and Hunter Biden’s plea deal regarding tax evasion and gun crimes, Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL06) expressed his disappointment with the deal. “The Department of Justice continues to show just how politicized it has become with plea deals like the one Hunter Biden received,” said Rep. Palmer. “His crimes were serious, but he was given punishment reeking of political favoritism. All of this is happening while the Biden Administration pushes gun rules to make law-abiding veterans and other innocent civilians into felons overnight, while Hunter Biden knowingly broke the law to purchase a gun. Tax evasion and the illegal purchase of a gun are felonies with penalties that would not be waived for the average American. While Hunter Biden may have been given a plea deal version of a “Get Out of Jail Free” card, he still faces far more serious allegations. The House Committee on Oversight will continue to investigate the alleged bribery schemes using his father’s influence as Vice-President to make millions for the Biden family. Unlike the politicized Justice Department’s unserious investigation, the Oversight Committee will continue to follow the evidence, and the evidence will speak for itself.” Congressman Jerry Carl (R-AL01) agreed. “Broken Justice system,” Carl wrote on Twitter. “Our best hope for holding the Bidens accountable for their years of corruption and involvement in pay for play schemes is through the investigation being done by @RepJamesComer and @GOPoversight.” Broken Justice system. Our best hope for holding the Bidens accountable for their years of corruption and involvement in pay for play schemes is through the investigation being done by @RepJamesComer and @GOPoversight. https://t.co/Zq9po2CJPX — Rep. Jerry Carl (@RepJerryCarl) June 20, 2023 Carl shared a tweet by Rep. James Comer in which the Kentucky Republican wrote: “Hunter Biden is getting away with a slap on the wrist when growing evidence uncovered by the House Oversight Committee reveals the Bidens engaged in a pattern of corruption, influence peddling, and possibly bribery.” Former President Donald Trump was even more forceful in his response. “Wow! The corrupt Biden DOJ just cleared up hundreds of years of criminal liability by giving Hunter Biden a mere ‘traffic ticket.’ Our system is BROKEN!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump was recently indicted by the DOJ for 37 counts of mishandling classified documents. Hunter Biden, age 53, has been under investigation for tax issues for over five years and reportedly paid off his tax debt in 2020 to avoid harsher consequences. “With the announcement of two agreements between my client, Hunter Biden, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware, it is my understanding that the five-year investigation into Hunter is resolved,” Biden attorney Christopher Clark said in a statement. “Hunter will take responsibility for two instances of misdemeanor failure to file tax payments when due pursuant to a plea agreement. A firearm charge, which will be subject to a pretrial diversion agreement and will not be the subject of the plea agreement, will also be filed by the Government.” “I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life,” Clark said. “He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Hunter Biden will plead guilty in a deal that likely averts time behind bars in a tax and gun case
President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden will plead guilty to federal tax offenses but avoid full prosecution on a separate gun charge in a deal with the Justice Department that likely spares him time behind bars. Hunter Biden, 53, will plead guilty to the misdemeanor tax offenses as part of an agreement made public Tuesday. The agreement will also avert prosecution on a felony charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user, as long as he adheres to conditions agreed to in court. The deal ends a long-running Justice Department investigation into the taxes and foreign business dealings of President Biden’s second son, who has acknowledged struggling with addiction following the 2015 death of his brother Beau Biden. It also averts a trial that would have generated days or weeks of distracting headlines for a White House that has strenuously sought to keep its distance from the Justice Department. The president, when asked about the development at a meeting on another subject in California, said simply, “I’m very proud of my son.” The White House counsel’s office said in a statement that the president and first lady Jill Biden “love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life.” While the agreement requires the younger Biden to admit guilt, the deal is narrowly focused on tax and weapons violations rather than anything broader or tied to the Democratic president. Nonetheless, former President Donald Trump and other Republicans continued to try to use the case to shine an unflattering spotlight on Joe Biden and to raise questions about the independence of the Biden Justice Department. Trump, challenging President Biden in the 2024 presidential race, likened the agreement to a “mere traffic ticket,” adding, “Our system is BROKEN!” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy compared the outcome to the Trump documents case now heading toward federal court and said, “If you are the president’s son, you get a sweetheart deal.” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another presidential challenger, used the same term. Two people familiar with the investigation said the Justice Department would recommend 24 months of probation for the tax charges, meaning Hunter Biden will not face time in prison. But the decision to go along with any deal is up to the judge. The people were not authorized to speak publicly by name and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. He is to plead guilty to failing to pay more than $100,000 in taxes on over $1.5 million in income in both 2017 and 2018, charges that carry a maximum possible penalty of a year in prison. The back taxes have since been paid, according to a person familiar with the investigation. The gun charge states that Hunter Biden possessed a handgun, a Colt Cobra .38 Special, for 11 days in October 2018 despite knowing he was a drug user. The rarely filed count carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, but the Justice Department said Hunter Biden had reached a pretrial agreement. This likely means as long as he adheres to the conditions, the case will be wiped from his record. Christopher Clark, a lawyer for Hunter Biden, said in a statement that it was his understanding that the five-year investigation had now been resolved. “I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life,” Clark said. “He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.” The agreement comes as the Justice Department pursues perhaps the most consequential case in its history against Trump, the first former president to face federal criminal charges. The resolution of Hunter Biden’s case comes just days after a 37-count indictment against Trump in relation to accusations of mishandling classified documents on his Florida estate. It was filed by a special counsel, appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to avoid any potential conflict of interest in the Justice Department. That indictment has nevertheless brought an onslaught of Republican criticism of “politicization” of the Justice Department. Meanwhile, congressional Republicans continue to pursue their own investigations into nearly every facet of Hunter Biden’s business dealings, including foreign payments. Rep. James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said the younger Biden is “getting away with a slap on the wrist,” despite investigations in Congress that GOP lawmakers say show — but have not yet provided evidence of — a pattern of corruption involving the family’s financial ties. Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, on the other hand, said the case was thoroughly investigated over five years by U.S. Attorney David Weiss, a Delaware prosecutor appointed by Trump. Resolution of the case, Coons said, “brings to a close a five-year investigation, despite the elaborate conspiracy theories spun by many who believed there would be much more to this.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was scheduled to campaign with the president Tuesday evening, reaffirmed his support for Biden’s reelection. “Hunter changes nothing,” Newsom told the AP on Tuesday. Misdemeanor tax cases aren’t common, and most that are filed end with a sentence that doesn’t include time behind bars, said Caroline Ciraolo, an attorney who served as head of the Justice Department’s tax division from 2015 to 2017. An expected federal conviction “is not a slap on the wrist,” she said. Gun possession charges that aren’t associated with another firearm crime are also uncommon, said Keith Rosen, a past head of the criminal division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Delaware. For people without a significant criminal history, the total number of multiple types of illegal possession cases filed every year in Delaware amounts to a handful, he said. The Justice Department’s investigation into the president’s son burst into public view in December 2020, one month after the 2020 election, when Hunter Biden revealed that he had received a subpoena as part of the department’s scrutiny of his taxes. The subpoena sought information on the younger Biden’s business dealings with a number of entities, including
Treasury Department agrees to hand over Hunter Biden files
The House Oversight Committee said Tuesday that the U.S. Treasury Department is providing the investigatory committee with access to Hunter Biden’s Suspicious Activity Reports after months of delay. The revelation is the latest chapter in the committee’s ongoing investigation into the president’s son and his associates. The lawmakers concerned with the issue argue the president could be compromised if foreign sources have knowledge of his or his son’s alleged wrongdoing. “According to bank documents we’ve already obtained, we know one company owned by a Biden associate received a $3 million wire from a Chinese energy company two months after Joe Biden left the vice presidency,” House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, R-Ky, said. “Soon after, hundreds of thousands of dollars in payouts went to members of the Biden family.” Lawmakers are also looking into Hunter’s associates. They sent letters to James Biden, and Eric Schwerin demanding they hand over documents concerning their foreign dealings. Now, the committee has reportedly issued subpoenas to some of Hunter’s business associates as well. “We are going to continue to use bank documents, and suspicious activity reports to follow the money trail to determine the extent of the Biden family’s business schemes, if Joe Biden is compromised by these deals, and if there is a national security threat,” Comer said. The committee still blasted the Biden administration, saying the Treasury Department delayed in providing access to the files. “After two months of dragging their feet, the Treasury Department is finally providing us with access to the suspicious activity reports for the Biden family and their associates’ business transactions,” Comer said. “It should never have taken us threatening to hold a hearing and conduct a transcribed interview with an official under the penalty of perjury for Treasury to finally accommodate part of our request. For over 20 years, Congress had access to these reports, but the Biden Administration changed the rules out of the blue to restrict our ability to conduct oversight.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
House Republicans to target border crisis, IRS funding, more with new majority
Now that U.S. House Republicans have a leader in Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., they are turning their eyes toward an agenda with investigations and a few key legislative goals. McCarthy gave a window into those plans during his acceptance speech over the weekend, taking aim at the border crisis, IRS funding, and education. The new Republicans’ rules package included a promise to vote on those issues as well as abortion and others as part of the deal that got McCarthy the needed Speaker votes over the weekend. “This is what we’ve been fighting for,” U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., one of McCarthy’s most vocal opponents, wrote on Twitter, referring to the rules package. While the Republican holdouts will see some rules changes because of their resistance, they are still a small minority in the House and will likely be unable to steer the legislative ship. One of the items that does seem most promising for broader support is the push to undo President Joe Biden’s aggressive expansion of the IRS, a move that sparked controversy as Biden promised to partially pay for his rash of recent spending by auditing more Americans. “According to CBO, Democrats’ supercharged IRS will cause audit rates to ‘rise for all taxpayers, ’ and a conservative analysis shows that returning audit rates to 2010 levels would mean 1.2 million more audits with over 700,000 of those falling on taxpayers making $75,000 or less,” the Republican press office for House Ways and Means said in a statement. Other tax items that could see legislative action are a bill to make the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent, a vote to repeal the inflation tax on capital gains as well as the 1099-K IRS paperwork provision. With a divided Senate and a Democratic president, though, Republicans will have trouble pushing through any conservative legislation. What they can do and have made clear they will focus on are using their investigatory powers to unearth more information on a string of controversies in recent years. After taking the majority in November, House Republicans on the Judiciary and Oversight Committees were quick to announce their plans to investigate Hunter Biden, the president’s son. Lawmakers at a news conference argued that Hunter Biden in particular used his father’s influence to negotiate business deals overseas that may have used federal resources and even compromised the Biden family. “Evidence obtained by Committee Republicans reveals Joe Biden lied to the American people about his involvement in his family’s business schemes,” said House Oversight Committee Ranking Member James Comer, R-Ky. “The Biden family business model is built on Joe Biden’s political career and connections with Joe Biden as the ‘chairman of the board.’ Biden family members sold access for profit around the world to the detriment of American interests. If deals compromise President Biden with foreign adversaries and they are impacting his decision making, this is a threat to national security.” House Republicans have also put Big Tech in their sight, as a string of news reports have shown that the White House, federal law enforcement, and tech companies have apparently worked together for years to censor Americans on a range of issues, most notably COVID-19. House Oversight Republicans recently sent a letter to Facebook and Twitter on that very issue, demanding more information. “Committee Republicans continue to investigate whether U.S. government officials have participated in suppression and censorship of lawful speech in violation of the U.S. Constitution,” the letter said. “Reports continue to surface that social media companies acted on the behest of government agencies and officials when removing, restricting, or disclaiming content. The American people and their elected representatives must know the extent to which their government has engaged in prohibited censorship to expose and prevent this unlawful conduct.” Despite these ambitions, this legislative term is effectively shorter than most. Soon, it will be a presidential election year. Both parties will become focused on campaigning and fundraising, which means legislating will largely take a back seat. Committee investigations, though, could be used to push for media attention. “Aside from the House’s policy agenda, conservatives will have new opportunities to carry out the much-needed oversight investigations into the administration’s incompetence at the southern border, the origins of COVID-19, Hunter Biden’s laptop and shady business dealings, and the Big Tech censorship of these stories,” said Heritage Action Executive Director Jessica Anderson. “These investigations need to both expose the truth and follow through with accountability measures.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Alabama’s Republican Congressmen support Kevin McCarthy
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted six times to pick the next Speaker of the House, and Republicans have failed to reach a consensus on who will lead the body for the 118th Congress. Six times Republicans have been divided on who they want to lead the body and have been unable to come to a conclusion. Most of the Republicans in the body, including all six Republican members of the Alabama congressional delegation, have voted for California Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-California), but 19 members led by Reps. Andy Biggs, Matt Gaetz, and Bob Good have staunchly opposed McCarthy’s nomination. Republicans hold a majority in the House of 222 to 212 (one Democratic member died post-election). It takes 218 votes to secure the speakership. McCarthy got 203 votes on the first two votes but has failed to sway any of the 19 ultra-conservative holdouts who have opposed him. Democrats, including Congresswoman Terri Sewell, have been united in their support of Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Democrats could side with either of the squabbling Republican factions to create a “unity” government, but Republicans on both sides of this inner GOP feud have publicly rejected any negotiations with Democrats to find a resolution. Former President Donald Trump has endorsed McCarthy. “VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY, & WATCH CRAZY NANCY PELOSI FLY BACK HOME TO A VERY BROKEN CALIFORNIA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. Former State Rep. Perry Hooper Jr. told Alabama Today that the former President should come to D.C. to negotiate a settlement. “All of these 19 or 20 come from big MAGA districts,” Hooper explained. “He is a great negotiator.” McCarthy has been the House Minority/Majority leader for years. He was the leading candidate to be Speaker of the House in 2015 when members of the House Freedom Caucus forced out then-Speaker John Boehner. Members of the Freedom Caucus refused to support McCarthy then, leading to the elevation of Rep. Paul Ryan to Speaker. Ryan left Congress in 2018. This public spat between angry House Republicans is the first time since 1923 that the House failed to choose a speaker on the first ballot. Republicans had been planning to announce a number of initiatives, including investigations of Hunter Biden’s alleged influence peddling, the chaotic American withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Biden administration’s handling of the southern border situation. All of those plans are on hold and have been overshadowed by the back-and-forth personal attacks by rival Republican congress members and have called into question the ability of the Republican House members to govern effectively. “The American people are expecting us to work to stop inflation, deal with the crisis at our southern border and hold the Biden Administration accountable,” Congressman Robert Aderholt said. “The sooner we elect a Republican Speaker, the sooner we can start.” As of press time, there has been no agreement on who will lead the House for the next two years. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
New ‘Twitter files’ allege Biden administration worked with Twitter to control COVID conversation
A new batch of “Twitter files” released Monday allegedly indicates the Biden administration worked with Twitter to control the public conversation about COVID, which included censoring accounts skeptical of the vaccine. This update is the latest in a string of internal Twitter revelations since billionaire Elon Musk took over Twitter and vowed to make public any wrongdoing previous to his ownership that might have gone on behind the scenes. Since then, Musk has released a trove of troublesome information, including evidence federal law enforcement worked closely with the social media giant to censor Americans. The Biden administration has pushed back against these allegations, but the Twitter files are not the only source giving evidence to that collusion. Musk shared a Twitter thread Monday posted by author and journalist David Zweig, where Zweig laid out some introductory points, though Musk said more details are coming soon. Zweig said Twitter “rigged the COVID debate” by “censoring info that was true but inconvenient to U.S. govt. Policy” and “by discrediting doctors and other experts who disagreed” as well as “suppressing ordinary users, including some sharing the CDC’s *own data*.” “So far, the Twitter Files have focused on evidence of Twitter’s secret blacklists; how the company functioned as a kind of subsidiary of the FBI; and how execs rewrote the platform’s rules to accommodate their own political desires,” he said. “The United States government pressured Twitter and other social media platforms to elevate certain content and suppress other content about Covid-19.” Zweig, who says he personally reviewed internal documents, said both the Trump and Biden administration participated in the collusion. He said Donald Trump’s team was more worried about “panic buying” at grocery stores, while Biden was interested in shutting down accounts skeptical of the vaccine. “When the Biden admin took over, one of their first meeting requests with Twitter executives was on Covid. The focus was on ‘anti-vaxxer accounts,’” he said. “In the summer of 2021, president Biden said social media companies were ‘killing people’ for allowing vaccine misinformation.” “But Twitter did suppress views – many from doctors and scientific experts – that conflicted with the official positions of the White House,” he added. “As a result, legitimate findings and questions that would have expanded the public debate went missing.” The Twitter files have sparked calls for accountability. House Oversight Committee Republicans, who will have the majority come January, promised an investigation into the Twitter censorship and the Biden administration’s role earlier this month. This latest dump will likely only add fuel to that fire. “Committee Republicans continue to investigate whether U.S. government officials have participated in suppression and censorship of lawful speech in violation of the U.S. Constitution. Reports continue to surface that social media companies acted on behest of government agencies and officials when removing, restricting, or disclaiming content,” the House Republicans wrote in a letter earlier this month. “The American people and their elected representatives must know the extent to which their government has engaged in prohibited censorship to expose and prevent this unlawful conduct.” As The Center Square previously reported, critics have also lambasted the FBI after Musk’s document release appeared to show the FBI gave social media companies information leading them to believe the Hunter Biden story could be part of a disinformation campaign. Social media companies banned or shadow-banned the Hunter Biden story just before the last presidential election. Two years later, more and more details of the Hunter Biden story have been verified by leading news outlets. But the idea of law enforcement pressuring social media companies on COVID is not new. House Oversight Republicans launched an investigation last month into a “taxpayer-funded censorship campaign” after media reports indicated the Department of Homeland Security had been pressuring big tech companies to censor certain viewpoints on several issues, including COVID. The lawmakers sent a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas calling out DHS in particular, saying it “leverages partnerships with left-leaning private organizations – who have received millions of dollars in federal money – to identify and then take action against political speech unfavorable to the Administration, especially around its handling of COVID-19 policy.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Donald Trump’s Constitution remarks put Mitch McConnell, GOP on defense
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that anyone who thinks the Constitution should be suspended would have a “very hard time” becoming president in the United States, trying to distance himself from Donald Trump’s new White House bid. It’s the second time McConnell has been forced to open his weekly press conference preemptively responding to questions about the former president’s remarks and behavior. Last week, it was over Trump’s dinner meeting with a white nationalist Holocaust denier. “Let me just say that anyone seeking the presidency who thinks the Constitution can somehow be suspended or not followed, it seems to me, would have a very hard time being sworn in as President of the United States,” McConnell said at the Capitol. The remarks come as Trump, who announced he is running again for the presidency in 2024, is putting his party into the familiar position of responding to his ideas, statements, and outbursts, forcing Republicans to publicly answer for his behavior. Trump, over the weekend, called for “the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution” after new revelations of what he said was Twitter’s unfair treatment of him during the 2020 presidential election that he lost to Joe Biden. Reaction from Republicans has been critical, even as many GOP officials remain unwilling to directly confront Trump as the leader of their party. Speaking Tuesday in South Carolina, Mike Pence, Trump’s former vice president, said, “I think anyone who serves in public office, anyone who aspires to serve in public office or serve again in public office should make it clear that they will support and defend the Constitution of the United States.” McConnell, as the Republican leader trying to steer his party in a post-Trump era — the two have not spoken since McConnell agreed to the Electoral College tally for Biden at the end of 2020 — faces an endless task of reacting to the former president’s outbursts. Still, McConnell deflected questions over whether he could support Trump if he becomes the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nominee. Instead, the Senate GOP leader reiterated the difficulty of taking the oath, which requires the president-elect to defend the Constitution. “It would be pretty hard to be sworn into the presidency if you’re not willing to uphold the Constitution,” McConnell said. Over the weekend, Trump latched on to a report from new Twitter owner Elon Musk suggesting favoritism on the social media platform during the 2020 presidential race. Twitter was asked to moderate content about Biden’s family, particularly his son, Hunter Biden, that Republicans wanted to amplify in their attacks against the Democrat. Trump, on his social media app, had said that, “Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.” He later accused the media of distorting his comments and “trying to convince the American People that I said I wanted to ‘terminate’ the Constitution.” Two weeks ago, Trump came under criticism for having dinner with Nick Fuentes, a known white nationalist and Holocaust denier. Trump said he was unaware of Fuentes’ beliefs. Republicans have been unable to firmly reject Trump as their potential nominee, even as many of them try to distance themselves from his recent activities. House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who is in line to become the House speaker when Republicans take control in the new year, has yet to fully weigh in on Trump’s latest comments. Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, a staunch Trump critic, tweeted directly at McCarthy to respond: “This week Trump said we should terminate all rules, regulations etc ‘even those in the Constitution’ to overturn the election. Are you so utterly without principle that you won’t condemn this either?” Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
House Republicans pledge to use majority to investigate Hunter Biden and the president
House Republican lawmakers are doubling down on investigations into the Biden family’s foreign business dealings and how President Joe Biden may have been involved. Lawmakers at a Thursday news conference argued that Hunter Biden, in particular, used his father’s influence to negotiate business deals overseas that may have used federal resources and even compromised the Biden family. “Evidence obtained by Committee Republicans reveals Joe Biden lied to the American people about his involvement in his family’s business schemes,” House Oversight Committee Ranking Member James Comer, R-Ky., said. “The Biden family business model is built on Joe Biden’s political career and connections with Joe Biden as the ‘chairman of the board.’ Biden family members sold access for profit around the world to the detriment of American interests. If President Biden is compromised by deals with foreign adversaries and they are impacting his decision making, this is a threat to national security.” This is the latest in a string of inquiries and investigations into Hunter Biden, the president, the president’s brother James, and who else may have benefited or been “compromised” in these dealings. “Hunter Biden and James Biden have racked up at least 150 suspicious activity reports for their business transactions,” Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. said. “How many involved Joe Biden?” The announcement came just hours after Republicans officially learned they claimed a majority in the House, offering a glimpse of how they hope to use their two years in power, especially since they will be unlikely to have any partisan legislative wins. President Joe Biden has repeatedly deflected accusations and defended his son, who is currently under federal investigation. Jordan also raised questions about how tech companies and federal agencies have worked together to suppress information that could have damaged the Biden campaign, as reporting has shown. “I think there are all kinds of questions that need to be answered, and we are determined to get there,” Jordan said. Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have sent letters to six top Biden administration officials requesting documents, communications, records, and other information. Those inquiries have been sent to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen requesting Suspicious Activity Reports, a letter to Acting Archivist Debra Steidel Wall seeking information about the potential use of Air Force Two for family business during the Obama administration. The lawmakers also have reached out to Hunter’s associate Eric Schwerin and financial advisor Edward Prewitt. They are also requesting information from FBI Director Christopher Wray about Hunter Biden’s assistant and alleged connections to the Chinese Communist Party. The lawmakers were likely emboldened by the GOP taking control of the House, meaning Republicans will have the committee chairmanships and greater teeth to their investigations. “The American people deserve transparency and accountability about the Biden family’s influence peddling,” Comer said. “With the new Republican majority, Oversight Committee Republicans will continue pressing for answers to inform legislative solutions to prevent this abuse of power.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Barry Moore says investigation of Hunter Biden ‘long overdue’
Federal prosecutors last week expressed confidence that they have enough evidence to charge the President’s son, Hunter Biden, with tax crimes and with lying on a gun application form. On Tuesday, Congressman Barry Moore said that the charges are overdue and are “just the tip of the iceberg.” “Federal agents are finally admitting they have more than enough evidence to charge Hunter Biden with a crime,” Rep. Moore wrote on Facebook. “The media wanted you to believe this was Russian disinformation, but American banks have filed over 150 suspicious activity reports involving Hunter and James Biden – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. A thorough investigation into Hunter Biden’s shady business dealings is long overdue. This is a threat to our national security!” Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, have been publicly calling for an investigation of Hunter Biden. In fact, Trump was impeached by Congress for asking the President of Ukraine to investigate the younger Biden and appearing to tie U.S. aid to the investigation demand. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden acknowledged the pending charges against Hunter in an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper. The President said that he was “proud” of his son and blamed drug addiction for Hunter’s apparent lapses of judgment. “I’m proud of my son,” the president told Tapper. “This is a kid who got, not a kid. He’s a grown man. He got hooked on, like many families have had happen, hooked on drugs. He’s overcome that. He’s established a new life.” Federal authorities now acknowledge that there has been an ongoing investigation of Hunter Biden since 2018. Democrats in control of Congress have repeatedly thwarted Republican efforts to investigate the growing swirl of controversies surrounding Hunter Biden. Conservatives have criticized many media outlets for giving extensive coverage to allegations against Donald Trump and members of his family, while, until recently, largely ignoring the Hunter Biden scandals and alleged influence peddling both here and overseas by Hunter Biden. The Hunter Biden stories have largely been relegated to reporting by Fox News and more right-leaning news sources. Now the open revelation that there may be some substance to those reports is being welcomed by Republicans. Hunter is being represented by Chris Clark. “It is a federal felony for a federal agent to leak information about a Grand Jury investigation such as this one,” Clark told NBC News. “Any agent you cite as a source in your article apparently has committed such a felony. We expect the Department of Justice will diligently investigate and prosecute such bad actors.” “As is proper and legally required, we believe the prosecutors in this case are diligently and thoroughly weighing not just evidence provided by agents, but also all the other witnesses in this case, including witnesses for the defense,” Clark said. “That is the job of the prosecutors. They should not be pressured, rushed, or criticized for doing their job.” It appears increasingly likely that Hunter will be charged. A charge is merely an accusation of a crime, and Hunter Biden, like every defendant, is presumed innocent until found guilty by a jury of his peers. Republicans view the pending Hunter Biden charges as vindication for their persistent focus on the President’s son. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Joe Biden to name judge Merrick Garland as attorney general
President-elect Joe Biden has selected Merrick Garland, a federal appeals court judge who in 2016 was snubbed by Republicans for a seat on the Supreme Court, as his attorney general, two people familiar with the selection process said Wednesday. In picking Garland, Biden is turning to an experienced judge who held senior positions at the Justice Department decades ago, including as a supervisor of the prosecution of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. The pick will force Senate Republicans to contend with the nomination of someone they spurned in 2016 — refusing even to hold hearings when a Supreme Court vacancy arose — but Biden may be banking on Garland’s credentials and reputation for moderation to ensure confirmation. Biden is expected to announce Garland’s appointment on Thursday, along with other senior leaders of the department, including former homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco as deputy attorney general and former Justice Department civil rights chief Vanita Gupta as associate attorney general. He will also name an assistant attorney general for civil rights, Kristen Clarke, the president of Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, an advocacy group. Garland was selected over other finalists including Alabama Sen. Doug Jones and former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates. The people familiar with the process spoke on condition of anonymity. One said Biden regards Garland as an attorney general who can restore integrity to the Justice Department and as someone who, having served in the Justice Department under presidents of both political parties, will be respected by nonpartisan career staff. If confirmed, Garland would confront immediate challenges, including an ongoing criminal tax investigation into Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, as well as calls from many Democrats to pursue inquiries into Donald Trump after he leaves office. A special counsel investigation into the origins of the Russia probe also remains open, forcing a new attorney general to decide how to handle it and what to make public. Garland would also inherit a Justice Department that has endured a tumultuous four years and would likely need to focus on not only civil rights issues and an overhaul of national policing policies after months of mass protests over the deaths of Black Americans at the hand of law enforcement. It was unclear how Garland’s selection would be received by Black and Latino advocates who had advocated for a Black attorney general or for someone with a background in civil rights causes and criminal justice reform. But the selection of Gupta and Clarke, two women with significant experience in civil rights, appeared designed to blunt those concerns and offered as a signal that progressive causes will be prioritized in the new administration. Garland would also return to a Justice Department radically different than the one he left. The Sept. 11 attacks were years away, the department’s national security division had not yet been created and a proliferation of aggressive cyber and counterintelligence threats from foreign adversaries have made counties like China, Russia, and North Korea top priorities for federal law enforcement. Monaco brings to the department significant national security experience, including in cybersecurity — an especially urgent issue as the U.S. government confronts a devastating hack of federal agencies that officials have linked to Russia. But some of the issues from Garland’s first stint at the department persist. Tensions between police and minorities, an issue that flared following the 1992 beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles, remain an urgent concern particularly following a summer of racial unrest that roiled American cities after the May killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. And the FBI has confronted a surge in violence from anti-government and racially motivated extremists. That is a familiar threat to Garland, who as a senior Justice Department official in 1995 helped manage the federal government’s response to the bombing of a government building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people. The bomber, Timothy McVeigh, was later executed. Garland has called the work the “most important thing I have done” and was known for keeping a framed photo of Oklahoma City’s Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in his courthouse office in Washington. At the time of the bombing, Garland was 42 and principal associate deputy attorney general, a top lieutenant to Attorney General Janet Reno. He was chosen to go to Oklahoma City, the highest-ranking Justice Department official there, and led the prosecution for a month until a permanent lead prosecutor was named. Garland was selected over other contenders for the job including former Alabama senator Doug Jones, who lost his Senate seat last month, and former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates. It is rare but not unprecedented for attorneys general to have previously served as judges. It happened in 2007 when President George W. Bush picked Michael Mukasey, a former federal judge in Manhattan, for the job. Eric Holder, President Barack Obama’s first attorney general, had also previously been a Superior Court judge. Garland was put forward by former President Barack Obama for a seat on the Supreme Court in 2016 following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, but Republicans refused to hold hearings in the final year of Obama’s term. The vacancy was later filled by Justice Neil Gorsuch during the Trump administration. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to let the nomination move forward in the Senate in the final months of Obama’s tenure. He was criticized by Democrats this fall when he took the opposite approach toward confirming President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick, Amy Coney Barrett. He said the difference this time around was that the White House and Senate were controlled by the same political parties. One year later, after the firing of FBI Director James Comey, McConnell actually floated Garland’s name as a replacement for that position, though Garland was said to be not interested. Garland has been on the federal appeals court in Washington since 1997. Before that, he had worked in private practice, as well as a federal prosecutor, a senior official in the Justice Department’s criminal division, and as
