Special counsel David Weiss said he requested but did not receive special attorney powers that would have allowed him to bring charges against Hunter Biden, the son of the president, outside of his jurisdiction in Delaware last year without the partnership of the local U.S. attorney, according to a top congressional investigator.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) told reporters this statement, belying how the prosecutor “pretends that somehow he did have that” authority, was “the key takeaway” from the transcribed interview Weiss did with lawmakers on Tuesday following negotiations with the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“He won’t answer a lot of questions. But that’s the key takeaway, because this whole deposition was about the changing story we got from DOJ, regarding the authority that he had,” Jordan added, according to a post to X by the House Judiciary GOP.
Jordan also said the testimony is “consistent” with claims made by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) supervisory special agent Gary Shapley, who asserts that Weiss — when he was solely a U.S. attorney from Delaware — told investigators during an October 2022 meeting that he was not the “deciding person” when it came to charges.
The Daily Wire reached out to the DOJ seeking comment on Jordan’s statements about the closed-door deposition, the transcript of which was not immediately released. The agency shared a statement from Weiss to the House Judiciary Committee in which he said “processes” associated with investigative and charging decisions did not “interfere” with his authority.
“At no time was I blocked, or otherwise prevented from pursuing charges or taking the steps necessary in the investigation by other United States Attorneys, the Tax Division or anyone else at the Department of Justice,” he testified.
House Judiciary ranking member Jerry Nadler (D-NY) said Weiss “was very clear that no one told him what to prosecute and what not to prosecute,” according to The Washington Post. “He made all those decisions himself, and he said that before. And I mean, [Republicans] tried to get him to say anything, but they just go over and over and over again the same thing.”
After a plea deal collapsed under scrutiny from a judge, Attorney General Merrick Garland granted Weiss special counsel status in August of this year, giving Weiss broader authority to bring charges outside of his own district — similar to what the special attorney powers allow, but with more oversight provisions. A federal grand jury in Delaware indicted Biden on federal gun charges in September, after which he pleaded not guilty. The first son may also face an indictment on tax evasion charges, which were part of the plea agreement.
But it has been a strenuous process for congressional investigators to glean what had transpired behind the scenes over the years-long investigation.
Shapley, joined by fellow IRS agent Joseph Ziegler in coming forward as a whistleblower, brought forth allegations that the criminal inquiry into Biden that the DOJ slow-walked the inquiry in a way that may have precluded other serious charges due to the statute of limitations.
Amid increasing scrutiny, Weiss went from saying he had the “ultimate authority” to acknowledging discussions with DOJ officials who “assured” him that he would have power to bring charges outside of his district if it proved necessary. In his statement on Tuesday, Weiss stressed, “As I have said previously, I did not request special counsel status until August 2023. When I made that request, it was promptly granted.”
During testimony before the House Judiciary Committee in September, Garland insisted that Weiss always had latitude to bring any charges he saw fit, but the attorney general acknowledged other U.S. attorneys could refuse to partner with Weiss. Indeed, top federal prosecutors from Washington, D.C., and California told House lawmakers in testimony that they declined to do so.
“Once again Shapley and Ziegler’s testimony continues to stand up to every single witness we brought in for an interview,” Jordan said on Tuesday.
I believe the whistleblowers more than I will ever believe Garland or Weiss. Weiss was friends with Joe Biden years back and probably part of the Deep State as is Garland….. So Weiss’s and Garland’s testimonies are pretty much worthless in my book….
I also would believe the whistleblowers before I would believe Garland or Weiss!
Jerry Nadler (D-NY) Otherwise known as poopy butt, is not trustworthy at all. Love how they like to quote him. He lacks total integrity. Should have been locked up, in a prison cell, a long time ago with a crapper.
Nothing is ever going to be done with these corrupt fxckers. NOTHING
He and Trump hate each other. They fought over a piece of land in Manhattan for years. While doing that, some other entity came in and bought it out from under both of them. Nadler needs to retire. At Capital HILL too long.
Our great and legitimate president, President Trump, is being falsely accused of inflating real estate values and is facing a 700 year jail sentence for victimless “crimes,” meanwhile George Soros pumps millions into Hama and Marxist organizations destructive to the world and nothing happens to him. We need to arrest and convict the Soros, the Bidens, Hillary Clinton and election interfering Mark Zuckerberg.
Don’t forget “O-damn us” (Obama) the Biden puppeteer
Donald Trump IS intact the legitimate president! I agree with you 110% that we need to arrest and convict Soros, the Bidens, Hillary Clinton and election interfering Mark Zuckerberg!
All of the big social media companies are simply extensions of the U.S. Govt.. CIA.
Jerry Nadler, Dem NY should just continue to use that opening on his face, located below his nose, what he has used it best for the majority of his life = inserting DOUGHNUTS in it. That is NOT what David Weiss EVENTUALLY testified to Nadler. He, in fact, repeatedly has testified that his powers were limited; his wings were clipped & State Attorney’s refused to work with him to pursue charges in certain States = all done by The Biden Administration and Merrick Garland.
David Weiss has looked the other way for a slew of previous years that Hunter failed to pay the correct amount of Income Taxes; and then stated “The Statute of Limitations had passed and he could not enforce” – – AND – – once again this Investigation is pushing Hunter AND Joe, and James, and Jill and any of the other Bidens that received all of those Millions from other Nations passed The Time Limit to charge them. They ALL received Millions yet failed to report them on their Income Taxes; so should the entire Biden Family be prosecuted by the IRS – and be held to pay all the back taxes including interest, fees and COST of this Investigation? YES, freeze all of their assets & overseas bank accounts. I’m guessing Zelensky is holding onto Biden funds for him
Democrats always forget that part about – “The WHOLE Truth” – – they only are capable of speaking in half-truths and only the parts that benefit them and reframe the picture to make them look less than the liars than they truly are ~
IF Nadlers’ nose grew like Pinocchio every time he lied with that body shape, he would truly look like “Felonious Gru” in the Despicable Me minion movies ~ right? Does the US Capitol now dispense “Depends” in the Men’s Room for Nadler, Biden and others?
All of these hearings and elections are WORTHLESS. Until someone grows a pair, a real pair, and starts arresting these TRAITORS, we will live in this now shithole of a country. Thanks assholes.