In an unanticipated development in the ongoing legal investigation involving Hunter Biden, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has announced the appointment of David Weiss as a special counsel. This announcement comes at a point when plea negotiations have reportedly reached a stalemate, suggesting that a trial could potentially be on the horizon.
David Weiss, the U.S. Attorney for Delaware, has been leading the criminal investigation into President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. His new role as special counsel will deepen the scope of the inquiry.
“The Government now believes that the case will not resolve short of trial,” prosecutors said in a filing on Friday, noting that they are “at an impasse” with Hunter’s legal team.
The probe focuses on Hunter Biden’s business dealings, particularly those related to Ukraine and China. The appointment of a special counsel in this case underscores the seriousness of the allegations faced by Hunter Biden.
The Department of Justice has not released any official statements regarding the specifics of the allegations against Hunter Biden, though Weiss was charged with investigating claims that Hunter Biden did not pay taxes for several years while receiving money from foreign businesses and oligarchs from Ukraine, Russia, and Kazakhstan.
Hunter was initially expected to receive a plea deal, which was labeled a “sweetheart deal” by Republicans, that would have allowed him to escape jail time, avoid felony status, and avoid a gun charge altogether.
That plea deal was thrown out by the judge, who noted that it was unprecedented in nature.
Around that time, it was also alleged that Weiss was not allowed to bring a case against Hunter, despite previous assurances from Garland that he would be given full discretion to investigate the Bidens.
This new development could signal that Weiss will be given the latitude to bring a criminal case against Hunter. It may unfold amid the race for the 2024 election, meaning both the Biden family and Trump family could be plagued by high profile criminal trials.
