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Hyde-Smith, colleagues seek special...

Hyde-Smith, colleagues seek special counsel authority for Hunter Biden prosecutor

By: Anne Summerhays - September 19, 2022

U.S. Senators demand U.S. Attorney David Weiss be extended special counsel protections, authorities to conduct investigation into President’s son.

Last week, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) joined 32 colleagues in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding that U.S. Attorney David Weiss be extended special counsel protections and authorities to conduct the investigation into Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son.

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) initiated the letter, which argues for the protections and authorities given the politicization of the Department of Justice (DOJ) under Garland.

“As you know, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware—led by U.S. Attorney Weiss—has been investigating Hunter Biden,” the Senators wrote. “There is no way of knowing the entire scope of the investigation, but evidence seems to be mounting that Hunter Biden committed numerous federal crimes, including, but not limited to, tax fraud, money laundering, and foreign lobbying violations.” 

“Indeed, Senators Grassley and Johnson have conducted an investigation for several years that has resulted in the public disclosure of facts that support hose criminal concerns including the disclosure of financial records showing the Biden family’s close financial connections to the communist Chinese government and questionable foreign nationals,” the Senators continued. “It is clear that Hunter Biden thrived off a ‘pay to play’ culture of access to his father, then Vice President Joe Biden in exchange for financial compensation.” 

The Senators stated that under Department of Justice regulations and federal law, Attorney General Merrick Garland has the power to provide special counsel authorities and protections to U.S. Attorney Weiss. 

“Given that the investigation involves the President’s son, we believe it is important to provide U.S. Attorney Weiss with special counsel authorities and protections to allow him to investigate an appropriate scope of potentially criminal conduct, avoid the appearance of impropriety, and provide additional assurance to the American people that the Hunter Biden investigation is free from political influence,” the Senators said. 

“Given the politicization of the DOJ under your watch and the importance of avoiding any appearance of impropriety, the undersigned request that you provide U.S. Attorney Weiss the full protections and authorities of a special counsel,” the Senators concluded. “This is an important action that you can take that will go a long way in restoring faith in our governmental institutions.” 

Click here to read the full letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland.

About the Author(s)
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Anne Summerhays

Anne Summerhays is a recent graduate of Millsaps College where she majored in Political Science, with minors in Sociology and American Studies. In 2021, she joined Y’all Politics as a Capitol Correspondent. Prior to making that move, she interned for a congressional office in Washington, D.C. and a multi-state government relations and public affairs firm in Jackson, Mississippi. While at Millsaps, Summerhays received a Legislative Fellowship with the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi where she worked with an active member of the Mississippi Legislature for the length of session. She has quickly established trust in the Capitol as a fair, honest, and hardworking young reporter. Her background in political science helps her cut through the noise to find and explain the truth. Email Anne: anne@magnoliatribune.com