Probe of Biden's son places new scrutiny on U.S. attorney general pick

By Jarrett Renshaw and James Oliphant

 

FILE PHOTO: Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential nominee Joe Biden and his son Hunter celebrate onstage at his election rally, after the news media announced that Biden has won the 2020 U.S. presidential election over President Donald Trump, in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., November 7, 2020. REUTERS/Jim Bourg

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A newly revealed federal criminal probe into the business dealings of Joe Biden's son Hunter will complicate the president-elect's selection of a new U.S. attorney general, former Justice Department officials and legal experts said.

 

Hunter Biden disclosed on Wednesday that the U.S. Attorney's Office in Delaware is investigating his tax affairs. Media outlets have reported that the issues stem from his work in countries including China.

 

President Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress made Hunter Biden’s business dealings in China and Ukraine a line of attack against the elder Biden during the 2020 election campaign. Hunter Biden has denied any wrongdoing, and his father released a statement of support after the disclosure.

 

But its existence places increased scrutiny on Democrat Joe Biden’s choice to run the Department of Justice, the highest-profile Cabinet post he has not yet filled. Whoever is tapped will likely face a fusillade of questions from Republicans about the matter in the Senate confirmation hearing early next year.

 

Biden “is certainly going to be given an opportunity at the start of his administration to prove that he means what he says about safeguarding Justice Department independence,” said Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis and a government ethics expert. “This is obviously a really sensitive matter – one’s child being under criminal investigation.”

 

Biden’s transition team is confident that the attorney general pick will be able to fully answer questions about the independence of the office and the integrity of the investigation, according to two transition officials.

 

During the campaign Biden was critical of Attorney General Bill Barr, whom he accused of politicizing the department and being overly loyal to Trump and his agenda. He pledged to restore its traditional independence from the White House.

 

He restated that promise in a CNN interview last week.

 

"I'm not going to be telling them what they have to do and don't have to do,” Biden said. “I'm not going to be saying go prosecute A, B or C - I'm not going to be telling them. That's not the role, it's not my Justice Department, it's the people's Justice Department."

 

Upon taking office on Jan. 20, Biden has said he would issue an executive order directing that no White House staff or any member of his administration may initiate, encourage, obstruct or otherwise improperly influence specific investigations or prosecutions for any reason; and he will pledge to terminate anyone who tries to do so.

 

PRESSURE TO KEEP DELAWARE ATTORNEY

Biden may also face Republican pressure to keep the current U.S. attorney in Delaware who is running the probe, David Weiss, on the job for the duration of the investigation or even appoint a special counsel to ensure distance from the White House.

 

At the dawn of Trump’s term, Democrats called for a special counsel to probe Russian interference in the 2016 election. Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions followed suit by naming Robert Mueller to head the investigation.

 

Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican member of the Judiciary Committee, which would hold the nomination hearing for Biden’s pick, said on Thursday that Biden must pledge to retain all Justice Department attorneys involved in the probe.

 

“Those U.S. attorneys who are involved in this investigation, their staff absolutely must stay on," Hawley said. "I mean, there can't be any talk of replacing or transitioning them.”

 

Speculation on Biden’s choice has centered on Doug Jones, a U.S. senator from Alabama who lost his re-election bid, Sally Yates, who was a deputy attorney general during the Obama administration, as well as federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland and Deval Patrick, a former Massachusetts governor.

 

Jones has a personal bond with Biden that dates back 40 years, which could complicate an appearance of neutrality.

 

Donald Ayer, who served as a deputy attorney general during the George H.W. Bush administration, suggested Biden publicly assert that he will have no involvement with the probe when he introduces his nominee.

 

"My fervent hope is that that message be put out there loudly, often and early. And hopefully, that they beat the Hunter Biden question to the punch by spelling out exactly where they're headed," Ayer said.

 

"Hunter Biden is one case among hundreds," he added. "And it will be handled the same way as everything else, and there won't be interference."

 

(Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw and James Oliphant; Additional reporting by Jan Wolfe and Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Scott Malone and Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-11

 

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22 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

"Hunter Biden is one case among hundreds," he added. "And it will be handled the same way as everything else, and there won't be interference."

Course not. 

Left Wing....Right Wing....Same Corrupt Bird

 

Western countries at the end of the day are not that different than Thailand in that regard

The ‘Hunter Biden’ case will follow the evidence or lack there of.

 

Which will be a refreshing change after these past four years.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The ‘Hunter Biden’ case will follow the evidence or lack there of.

 

Which will be a refreshing change after these past four years.

 

 

What, to actually have evidence before launching an investigation? You bet it will be a refreshing change.

Gotta love current admin! Maybe while Trump is granting pardons to his adult children and inlaw Jared for uninvestigated crimes (yet), he'd toss one off to Biden's son a "homewarming" gift.

Although Hunter probably wouldn't accept one. Accepting pardon is admission of guilt.

Trump is going "pardon crazy" as it is being reported that some staff have asked Trump not to preemptively pardon them... "I didn't break the law!". Maybe should have been fired by Trump for not being "team player"

36 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

What, to actually have evidence before launching an investigation? You bet it will be a refreshing change.

Investigations look for evidence, it’s the demand courts to rule without evidence that is the problem.

 

 

Edited December 11, 20205 yr by Chomper Higgot

3 hours ago, webfact said:

At the dawn of Trump’s term, Democrats called for a special counsel to probe Russian interference in the 2016 election. Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions followed suit by naming Robert Mueller to head the investigation.

LOL

They can't even get basic things correct, which doesn't give much confidence in the rest of the OP.

Sessions had recused himself from Russian related things.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mueller

On May 17, 2017, Mueller was appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as special counsel overseeing an investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and related matters.^[6]

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

What, to actually have evidence before launching an investigation? You bet it will be a refreshing change.

Why didn't Hunter run for VP? I am sure the big guy would have like that!

7 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

Why didn't Hunter run for VP? I am sure the big guy would have like that!

Ethical leaders avoid nepotism. 

Trump supporters seem so desperate for some scandal in this case I don’t think so hunters dealings will be looked at if he skrewd up he’ll pay the fine no more no less meh a nothing burger I’m hoping sally Yates gets the Ag spot she’s sharp and will imo make a good attorney general 

22 minutes ago, Tug said:

Trump supporters seem so desperate for some scandal in this case I don’t think so hunters dealings will be looked at if he skrewd up he’ll pay the fine no more no less meh a nothing burger I’m hoping sally Yates gets the Ag spot she’s sharp and will imo make a good attorney general 

You guys have been attacking Trump and everyone to do with him for 4 years, so expect to get some returns on that for Biden and his. He's not going to be getting a free pass, or a honeymoon period, IMO.

 

Edited December 11, 20205 yr by thaibeachlovers

4 hours ago, webfact said:

an appearance of neutrality.

 

and thats about all it would be...an appearance

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

You guys have been attacking Trump and everyone to do with him for 4 years, so expect to get some returns on that for Biden and his. He's not going to be getting a free pass, or a honeymoon period, IMO.

 

Trump brought the attacks on himself a good example is his VERY first day in office he has the representatives of a hostile foreign power in the Oval Office without the United States beeing there just trump just what the (blank) would you expect then gets his undies in a knot when he’s called out on it it’s been one scandal after another for 4 years as he wrecks our democracy and covid runs rampant enough 

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sessions had recused himself from Russian related things.

 

And Trump has been whining and complaining about that ever since, and it was probably the main factor that contributed in the end to Trump ousting Sessions for the job.

 

So which do you want:

 

--the Trump standard of personally interfering/meddling in cases and allowing conflict of interest plagued AGs to continue meddling with cases where they're involved.

 

or

 

--the Biden standard that presidents should avoid interfering in legal cases being brought by the Justice Department, and vowing to fire any White House staff that attempt to interfere.

 

Quote

 

His [Sessions] recusal was one of his first public acts as attorney general.

Mr. Trump never forgave him. At various points, he called Mr. Sessions “beleaguered,” “VERY weak” and “DISGRACEFUL.” In private, he referred to him derisively as “Mr. Magoo,” after the befuddled cartoon character.

In an interview with The New York Times in July of 2017, Mr. Trump first publicly revealed his anger with Mr. Sessions, kicking off 16 months of public fury toward his attorney general by saying he would not have hired Mr. Sessions had he known he would hand off oversight of the Russia inquiry.

 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/07/us/politics/sessions-resigns.html

 

Based on your past unwavering support for Trump, it kinda seems like you want the Trump standard of conflict of interest and interference in the Justice Department when it comes to investigations of Republicans... Because that's what Trump has consistently stood for.

 

But when it comes to investigations of Democrats, ohhhhhh.....  totally different standard?   Or, you're OK with conflict of interest and interference all the way around?

 

 

Edited December 11, 20205 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

A post making unsubstantiated allegations of wrongdoing by President-elect Joe Biden has been removed.

 

I fully support giving Republicans a true taste of their own medicine. Drop by firing all of those involved in the investigation.

Much more to come on this, and on the Bidens' wealth acquisition generally. 

5 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

Much more to come on this, and on the Bidens' wealth acquisition generally. 

and many other issues as well.

Hunter looks like he was sent by Central Casting to play a bad guy.

From Hunter to Hunted, do I hear witch hunt?

20 hours ago, Kelsall said:

and many other issues as well.

Do you mean "the big one" the President is touting. Done deal! Lost once again! LOL Like to see trump's daily loses So fine....  You should join Americans who accept election results they wish didn't happen and don't want or like.

Edited December 12, 20205 yr by earlinclaifornia

On 12/11/2020 at 5:57 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

And Trump has been whining and complaining about that ever since, and it was probably the main factor that contributed in the end to Trump ousting Sessions for the job.

 

So which do you want:

I'd be stunned if it wasn't the reason Trump sacked Sessions. I've said it before on TVF that I think he should have sacked Sessions the day he recused himself. Would have avoided the Mueller investigation.

 

What do I want- a little civility would be nice.

On 12/12/2020 at 10:57 PM, earlinclaifornia said:

Do you mean "the big one" the President is touting. Done deal! Lost once again! LOL Like to see trump's daily loses So fine....  You should join Americans who accept election results they wish didn't happen and don't want or like.

? The Hunter investigation to come is nothing to do with the election.

On 12/11/2020 at 2:58 PM, Thingamabob said:

Much more to come on this, and on the Bidens' wealth acquisition generally. 

Could you please be less specific? Or is that not possible?

 

 

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'd be stunned if it wasn't the reason Trump sacked Sessions. I've said it before on TVF that I think he should have sacked Sessions the day he recused himself. Would have avoided the Mueller investigation.

 

What do I want- a little civility would be nice.

Yeah, because the Russian government would never hack our computers.  Right....

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/13/us/politics/russian-hackers-us-government-treasury-commerce.html

Russian Hackers Broke Into Federal Agencies, U.S. Officials Suspect

In one of the most sophisticated and perhaps largest hacks in more than five years, email systems were breached at the Treasury and Commerce Departments. Other breaches are under investigation.

 

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

? The Hunter investigation to come is nothing to do with the election.

Come on.  You don't really believe that?  You can't.

On 12/11/2020 at 5:27 AM, webfact said:

Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican member of the Judiciary Committee, which would hold the nomination hearing for Biden’s pick, said on Thursday that Biden must pledge to retain all Justice Department attorneys involved in the probe.

 

Just like trump retained Phreet Bharara?

 

On March 10, 2017, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered all 46 remaining United States Attorneys who were holdovers from the Obama administration, including Bharara, to submit letters of resignation. Bharara declined to resign and was fired the next day. 

 

 

 

12 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Come on.  You don't really believe that?  You can't.

Err, the election was last month. Are you saying it could effect Biden's win?

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Err, the election was last month. Are you saying it could effect Biden's win?

No, just saying Trump's <deleted> at Barr for not making the investigation public.  He obviously thought it would have helped.

 

So yes, it had everything to do with the election.  It has for the past few years while they try to find dirt on the Bidens.  Sadly, Trump's cult members give him and his family a pass on all their BS.  Remember their now defunct charity?  Right...