The House Committee on the Judiciary and House Committee on Ways and Means, pursing evidence of political interference in the investigation into Hunter Biden’s alleged tax crimes, issued subpoenas on Monday to key witnesses involved in a meeting that took place on Oct, 7, 2022.
During this meeting, now-Special Counsel David Weiss reportedly asserted that he was prevented from pursuing charges against Hunter Biden for tax offenses, according to the sworn whistleblower testimony.
The subpoenas target both Internal Revenue Service investigators and officials from the Biden Administration Department of Justice who were either present at the meeting or had direct knowledge of the proceedings. This move follows the committees’ prior attempts to obtain voluntary transcribed interviews from these crucial witnesses, which were rebuffed by the Department of Justice and the IRS.
In a joint statement, Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith of Missouri and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio, said the committee, along with the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, have sought these interviews since IRS whistleblowers came forward with concerning allegations of political interference in the investigation into Hunter Biden’s foreign influence peddling and tax evasion.
“Unfortunately, the Biden Administration has consistently stonewalled Congress,” the congressmen said.
The House Committees’ actions stem from allegations of special treatment in Hunter Biden’s case. The committees want to know whether President Biden’s son received preferential treatment from federal prosecutors and to determine the ultimate decision-maker in the matter.
They argue that transparency and accountability are paramount, particularly given the appointment of Special Counsel Weiss, the same U.S. Attorney who handled Hunter Biden’s plea deal and the troubled investigation into his purported tax infractions.
The core of the issue centers on the conflicting statements provided by U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware Weiss and Attorney General Merrick Garland. According to sworn whistleblower testimony, Weiss expressed that he lacked the authority to bring charges against Hunter Biden. Yet, Attorney General Garland had previously testified that Weiss had the necessary authority and control over the case.
Garland’s testimony timeline adds further complexity. In April 2022, he testified that U.S. Attorney Weiss was supervising the investigation without any possibility of political or improper interference. However, his statements came into question in March 2023 when he confirmed that Weiss possessed full authority to bring charges outside of Delaware without Special Counsel status.
The turning point in the investigation came when a proposed plea deal collapsed during a court hearing in Delaware. It was only at this juncture that Attorney General Garland designated Weiss as Special Counsel.
This sequence of events has raised doubts about the accuracy and completeness of the information provided to Congress.
The subpoenas have been directed towards prominent individuals involved in the investigation, including IRS Director of Field Operations Michael T. Batdorf, IRS Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon, FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski, and FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryeshia Holley.
