Rep. Sessions suggests that the appointment of Hunter Biden as a special counsel may breach the law, which mandates an impartial outsider for government positions.

Attorney General Merrick Garland’s ⁤Appointment of Special ‍Counsel for Hunter​ Biden Investigation May Violate Law, Says Rep. ​Pete Sessions

According‌ to ​Rep. ​Pete ​Sessions (R-Texas), Attorney General Merrick Garland’s appointment of Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss ⁣as Special Counsel for the Hunter Biden ⁣investigation may ​violate the law. ⁣The law states that the‍ position‌ must be filled by an individual who is‍ impartial and ⁢from “outside of‌ the ​government.”

“Today, Merrick ⁢Garland hired a Special Counsel who‍ he ​knew would not⁣ investigate the President’s illegal​ behavior while‍ he was ​Vice President. He is placing the same prosecutor in charge of Hunter Biden’s​ sweetheart deal. David ⁢Weiss​ has ‍shown himself to not be an impartial decision-maker,​ and⁣ therefore I do not believe he ​is qualified to be ‍Special Counsel.⁢ Lawmakers will not stand idly by and will rigorously seek accountability and transparency in this process,” Mr. Sessions told The Epoch Times.

The Texas⁣ Republican is chairman‍ of the‍ House​ Committee on⁢ Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee​ on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce.

Mr. Sessions’ father was Director of the ⁣FBI from 1987 until 1993, when he⁣ tangled with then-Attorney General Janet Reno. ⁣The​ senior Sessions ​had served‍ as​ a ‍federal judge ‌before President Ronald ⁤Reagan’s appointment‌ to⁣ the FBI position.

Sen. Lindsay Graham, the⁤ Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, ⁣ pointed ​ to the plea deal ⁤as “the ‌biggest sweetheart deal in the history of the American legal system. To allow this same⁢ team​ to ⁣continue to investigate potential financial crimes involving Hunter Biden and others doesn’t pass the smell test. If ​the goal of Attorney General Garland’s decision to appoint Mr. ⁢Weiss⁢ as special counsel in ​the‌ Hunter Biden investigation ‍was to put this story to bed, he failed miserably.”

Mr. Garland announced his appointment of Mr. Weiss as Special Counsel August 11, saying: “On Tuesday of this week, Mr. Weiss advised me that in his judgment, his investigation has reached a stage ⁤at which ​he should continue⁣ his work as a Special Counsel, and he asked to‌ be so appointed.”

Mr. Weiss has been investigating allegations involving the son of President Joe Biden since ⁤2020. On July 26, U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika rejected the proposed plea ⁤deal negotiated by Mr. Weiss and Hunter Biden’s ‌lawyers that would have granted Biden‍ complete⁤ immunity from future prosecution in return for his‍ pleading guilty ⁣to ​two misdemeanor tax evasion charges and accepting ⁣probation in a third​ charge in ‌which he acknowledged lying ⁢on a ⁢federal firearm purchase form.

Republicans in Congress condemned⁣ the proposed Biden deal as “a⁢ sweetheart deal,” and almost simultaneously with Garland’s announcement, Mr. ‍Weiss filed a ​statement with Judge‌ Noreika⁣ saying ‍efforts ​to agree to a revised plea ⁢deal had failed and the case cannot be ​resolved short of a trial.

“Upon considering his request, as well as‌ the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I ​have concluded it is in ⁣the public interest to appoint⁤ him as Special ⁤Counsel. This appointment confirms my commitment to provide ​Mr. Weiss all‍ the resources he requests. It⁢ also reaffirms ⁢that Mr.⁤ Weiss has the authority he needs to conduct a thorough⁢ investigation and⁢ to​ continue to take the steps ​he deems appropriate independently, based‌ only ‍on the facts and the law,” Garland said. He did not respond⁢ to shouted ⁤questions ​from reporters ⁢assembled ⁢for the ⁣announcement.

The provision to which Mr. Sessions referred is in the 1999 law that established the⁤ Special Counsel position to replace the Independent Counsel position that had previously been ​used in the Clinton sex scandal investigation, the Iran-Contra​ probe of 1987, and the Watergate conspiracy ‍investigation.

Section 600.3 provides that “an individual named as Special Counsel shall ‌be ⁤a‌ lawyer with‌ a‌ reputation for integrity and ⁣impartial ⁢decision-making, and with appropriate experience to ensure both that the investigation will⁤ be conducted ably, expeditiously and thoroughly, and that investigative and prosecutorial decisions will be supported by an informed understanding of the‍ criminal ‌law and Department of⁣ Justice‌ policies.

A‌ Department ‌of Justice ‍(DOJ) ⁣spokesman did‍ not ​respond to The Epoch Times’ request for an explanation of how Mr.​ Weiss can satisfy the legal requirements for ⁤being appointed a Special Counsel. Garland previously ​appointed Robert ​Hur as Special Counsel to investigate classified documents⁤ in the possession of the president that were found ⁤at four separate⁣ locations⁣ in the District of Columbia and Delaware. Mr. Hur was not a⁤ government employee at the time of his appointment ⁢as Special Counsel.

Similarly, Garland appointed Jack ⁤Smith in ⁣2022 to investigate President Donald Trump’s possession of classified documents at his Mar-a-Logo, Florida, residence. Although a‍ career DOJ attorney, ⁣Mr. Smith was⁢ working⁤ with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and⁢ Specialist Prosecutor’s Office.

Mr. Sessions and ⁤other⁣ congressional Republicans argue Weiss‌ cannot be impartial, having accepted the plea ​deal that gave Hunter Biden complete immunity from ‌all future prosecutions.

Conservative legal analysts also blasted the appointment. Article III Founder and President Mike Davis, a former Senate Judiciary ⁢Committee staffer, issued ⁢a statement calling Weiss a “loyal foot ‍soldier”‍ for the Biden administration.

“When this scandal got exposed by Judge⁢ Maryellen Noreika, we now have today’s special counsel appointment. Weiss has proven‍ himself as a loyal political foot soldier for Biden. ⁤And‍ Garland’s appointment of ⁢Weiss as special counsel, ⁤with his ‘ongoing investigation,’ will simply shield ‌Biden from accountability ⁤before the 20