Republicans urge White House to withdraw nomination of Hunter Biden associate

Senators‍ Oppose Appointment of Hampton Dellinger to Office of Special Counsel

How does the ⁣opposition from Senate Republicans potentially impact Hampton Dellinger’s appointment as the head of the Office of Special Counsel

Senators Oppose Appointment of Hampton Dellinger to‍ Office of⁣ Special Counsel

Senate ​Republicans⁢ this week called on the​ White House​ to withdraw its nomination of Hampton Dellinger as the head of the Office of Special Counsel, the office responsible for handling federal whistleblower ⁣complaints. Dellinger, a former ⁤law associate⁣ of Hunter Biden, was nominated by President Joe Biden to lead​ the office.

According to the Washington Free Beacon, Dellinger worked at Boies Schiller Flexner, a top⁢ Democratic law firm, until​ 2020. ​During his time at the firm, ⁤he worked closely with Hunter‌ Biden, who​ was serving as counsel to the firm. The two collaborated on a public ​relations and lobbying strategy ⁣for Ukrainian⁢ energy firm Burisma Holdings, which was facing several bribery investigations.

Emails retrieved from Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop revealed his close association with Dellinger and the ‍crisis management team at Boies Schiller. This relationship ⁤has ​raised⁤ concerns among Republicans, who ‍argue that it presents a significant conflict of interest. Dellinger currently serves as the head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy.

In a letter addressed to President Biden, Republican Senators​ Marsha Blackburn, Ted Cruz, Chuck ⁤Grassley, Tom⁣ Cotton, and John Cornyn expressed their reservations about Dellinger’s⁤ nomination. They emphasized that as⁤ the head of the Office of Special Counsel, Dellinger⁢ would be⁤ responsible for investigating allegations‌ of retaliation against federal whistleblowers. ⁣Given the potential ⁤conflict of interest,⁣ the senators urged Biden to withdraw Dellinger’s nomination and select a candidate‌ who is “free from even the appearance of a conflict of interest.”

The senators also ‍highlighted the⁢ complaints filed by two IRS investigators, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, who have alleged retaliation and⁣ mishandling⁣ of the investigation into ⁢Hunter Biden’s taxes and foreign business‍ dealings. Grassley, in particular, had previously called ‍for an investigation into the alleged retaliation against these whistleblowers.

In their letter, the senators expressed doubts about ‍Dellinger’s ability to safeguard⁢ the rights of whistleblowers, considering his reported⁤ connection with ⁤Hunter Biden and ‌the Burisma matter. They insisted that ⁣it is crucial ​to ⁣have a nominee who can fulfill ‍their‍ duty without any doubt ​about their impartiality.

Republicans have long been investigating allegations that Joe Biden, ‍during his time as ⁣vice president,⁢ used his influence to benefit Burisma Holdings and‍ his son. Shapley and Ziegler have accused⁣ Hunter Biden ⁤of failing to pay taxes on his income from Burisma and ⁤have provided an FBI memo alleging discussions of bribes involving the Bidens.

The White House has vigorously⁢ denied these allegations, stating that Joe Biden ⁤did not accept bribes from Burisma or intervene on behalf of the company due ‍to his son’s involvement.

As of now, the‌ White House⁢ has not ⁢responded ‌to the senators’ letter or made any public​ statement regarding Dellinger’s nomination. However, this opposition⁣ from Senate Republicans could pose a significant obstacle to Dellinger’s appointment as⁣ the head of the Office of Special Counsel.