Special Counsel Appointed In Hunter Biden Investigation

Attorney General Merrick Garland has upgraded the prosecutor investigating Hunter Biden to special counsel status in an effort to underscore the investigation’s independence from the executive branch. https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1690045942102118402 From the New York Times:

Mr. Garland, who made the announcement at the Justice Department’s headquarters in Washington, named David C. Weiss, the U.S. attorney in Delaware, who has handled the case for years, as the special counsel.

Shortly after, prosecutors filed court papers indicating that they had reached an impasse with defense lawyers over a proposed plea deal that would have settled tax and gun charges against Hunter Biden, making clear that they expect the case to go to trial.

Mr. Garland said he decided to elevate Mr. Weiss after the prosecutor informed him on Tuesday the investigation had “reached the stage” where the powers of a special counsel were necessary to continue.

Weiss’s new status allows him to investigate “all related matters” in the inquiry and bring charges in any jurisdiction. As special counsel, he will not be subject to day-to-day supervision. https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1690066823058690049