{"id":1969580,"date":"2023-07-11T12:32:02","date_gmt":"2023-07-11T16:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/weiss-letter-undermines-facade-of-independent-hunter-biden-investigation\/"},"modified":"2023-07-11T12:33:36","modified_gmt":"2023-07-11T16:33:36","slug":"weiss-letter-undermines-facade-of-independent-hunter-biden-investigation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/weiss-letter-undermines-facade-of-independent-hunter-biden-investigation\/","title":{"rendered":"Weiss Letter exposes lack of independence in Hunter Biden investigation."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fweiss-letter-undermines-facade-of-independent-hunter-biden-investigation%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1969580&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"article-content\">\n<p><strong>A letter from Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss to a Republican lawmaker is raising more questions than answers.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In a Monday letter to <strong>Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.<\/strong>, obtained by <strong>The Federalist<\/strong>, Weiss was still not clear about whether he sought certain authority under a federal statute to adequately prosecute Hunter Biden. Weiss\u2019s communication came in response to a June 28 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lgraham.senate.gov\/public\/_cache\/files\/859b091a-8a58-4e19-8527-4e79a193acff\/2023.06.28-graham-to-weiss.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">letter<\/a> Graham sent the Delaware U.S. attorney seeking clarity on whether Weiss has been denied special counsel authority and shot down in his attempts to bring charges against the Biden son in D.C. and California \u2014 allegations made by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) whistleblowers that were substantiated by a contemporaneous email.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-690571631\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-526ef614dc9355a187b87e8ac537c9b3 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-526ef614dc9355a187b87e8ac537c9b3\"><\/div>\n<p>Weiss\u2019s letter also came one day after <strong>Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa<\/strong>, <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/07\/10\/grassley-probes-weiss-deputys-role-in-obstructing-biden-investigation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sent an inquiry<\/a> to the Delaware U.S. attorney\u2019s office to probe whistleblower allegations made against one of Weiss\u2019s deputies. Whistleblowers from the IRS claimed Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf repeatedly obstructed the federal investigation into Hunter Biden.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs you are aware, IRS whistleblowers have affirmed that AUSA Wolf prevented investigators from seeking information about Joe Biden\u2019s involvement in Hunter Biden\u2019s criminal business arrangements,\u201d Grassley wrote, adding that Wolf \u201cfrustrated investigative efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to IRS whistleblowers, Delaware federal prosecutors <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/06\/22\/delaware-prosecutors-hid-fbi-bribery-document-from-irs-investigators\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">concealed<\/a> the <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/06\/16\/everything-we-know-about-the-biden-bribery-scheme-from-the-fbi-document\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FD-1023 form<\/a>\u00a0housed by the FBI, which alleged a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/grassley-burisma-exec-behind-biden-bribery-scandal-allegedly-kept-17-recordings-of-talks-with-joe-hunter\/\" title=\"Grassley claims Burisma exec had 17 recordings of talks with Joe and Hunter related to bribery scandal.\">multimillion-dollar bribery scheme<\/a> between the president and foreign businessmen, from the federal tax agency. Former Attorney General Bill Barr confirmed that his Justice Department had <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/06\/07\/exclusive-bill-barr-confirms-rep-jamie-raskin-lied-about-biden-family-corruption-investigation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">referred <\/a>the document to the Delaware U.S. attorney\u2019s office. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn October 23, 2020, Justice Department and FBI Special Agents from the Pittsburgh Field Office\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.grassley.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/grassley_to_weiss_1023.pdf\">briefed<\/a>\u00a0Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf, one of your top prosecutors, and FBI Special Agents from the Baltimore Field Office with respect to the contents of the FBI-generated FD-1023,\u201d Grassley wrote to Weiss. \u201cThe meeting did not include any IRS agents.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-23094f0cace87c7f3fd6708d6316d6ca fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-23094f0cace87c7f3fd6708d6316d6ca\"><\/div>\n<p>Grassley specifically asked whether Weiss had ever sought federal authority under <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/uscode\/text\/28\/515\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">U.S. Code Section 515<\/a> to independently bring charges against Hunter Biden outside his own Delaware district. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen were you assured that you would be granted \u00a7 515 Authority in the District of Columbia, the Central District of California, or any other district where charges could be brought in the Hunter Biden manner?\u201d Grassley asked. \u201cHave you requested that specific authority yet? If not, why not? If so, when, where and was the request satisfied?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a letter to Graham on Monday, however, Weiss was ambiguous. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo clarify an apparent misperception and to avoid future confusion, I wish to make one point clear: in this case, I have not requested Special Counsel designation pursuant to 28 CFR \u00a7 600 <em>et seq<\/em>,\u201d says the letter obtained by The Federalist. \u201cRather, I had discussions with Departmental officials regarding potential appointment under 28 U.S.C. \u00a7 515, which would have allowed me to file charges in a district outside my own without the partnership of the local U.S. Attorney. I was assured that I would be granted this authority if it proved necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-8272867f06981e0c318602b37935c82c fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-8272867f06981e0c318602b37935c82c\"><\/div>\n<p>But who decided whether it was necessary? Weiss didn\u2019t say. Nor did Weiss answer whether he actually requested 515 authority. If that was up to someone else, such as Attorney General Merrick Garland, for example, that would contradict the Biden DOJ\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/justice-hunter-biden-garland-senate-fentanyl-b6637bba32a03daef73ed8868adad763\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">claim<\/a> that the Hunter Biden probe is an independent investigation. <\/p>\n<p>Weiss also did not address whether he told supervisors in the case that he was not the final decision maker, as the whistleblowers alleged. Weiss also left answered whether he sought assistance from U.S. attorneys in California or New York. The fact that Weiss still has not <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/weiss-letter-undermines-facade-of-independent-hunter-biden-investigation\/\" title=\"Weiss Letter exposes lack of independence in Hunter Biden investigation.\">denied making statements attributed<\/a> to him by the whistleblowers speaks volumes and suggests he is wordsmithing his answers.<\/p>\n<p>Did Weiss lie to staff throughout the process? Was it Weiss\u2019s decision to avoid filing felony charges?<\/p>\n<p>A letter from Weiss to the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/07\/05\/holiday-weekend-news-dump-implodes-merrick-garlands-biden-investigation-testimony\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suggests<\/a> Garland lied to Congress when claiming the Delaware U.S. attorney \u201chas full authority\u201d to charge Hunter Biden wherever appropriate. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf venue for a case lies elsewhere, common Departmental practice is to contact the United States Attorney\u2019s Office for the district in question and determine whether it wants to partner on the case,\u201d Weiss wrote. \u201cIf not, I may request Special Attorney status from the Attorney General pursuant to 28 U.S.C. \u00a7 51.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His letter finished by stating he was \u201cassured that, if necessary after the above process,\u201d such authority would be granted \u201cin the District of Columbia, the Central District of California, or any other district where charges could be brought in this manner.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But why didn\u2019t Weiss file charges in D.C. or California? <\/p>\n<p>In June, news broke that Hunter Biden accepted a<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/06\/20\/hunter-bidens-plea-deal-is-a-coverup-disguised-as-justice\/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=hunter-bidens-plea-deal-is-a-coverup-disguised-as-justice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> plea deal <\/a>with federal prosecutors limited to two misdemeanor tax crimes and a felony count of illegal firearm possession. The latter charge will be <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/06\/20\/hunter-bidens-wrist-slap-on-gun-tax-crimes-is-a-complete-smokescreen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dropped<\/a> following 24 months of sobriety. IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/irs-whistleblower-says-most-substantive-felony-charges-were-left-off-table-hunter-biden-probe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">claims<\/a>, however, that \u201cthe most substantive felony charges were left off the table.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe weren\u2019t allowed to ask questions about \u2018dad,&#8217;\u201d Shapley added in an interview with Fox News. \u201cWe weren\u2019t allowed to ask about \u2018the big guy.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Given that the extremely weak plea deal was struck based on evidence gathered by the IRS, whose investigation was repeatedly hampered by DOJ officials, the former head of the DOJ tax division <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/06\/28\/former-head-of-doj-tax-division-urges-federal-judge-to-trash-hunter-biden-plea-deal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">called<\/a> on the presiding judge to strike the agreement. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Justice Department\u2019s alleged foot-dragging and refusal to permit IRS special agents to follow the evidence allowed the statutes of limitations for 2014 and 2015 to expire, notwithstanding that Mr. Biden\u2019s defense counsel had, according to [whistleblower Gary] Shapley, agreed to more than one extension,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/throw-hunters-plea-in-the-trash-irs-justice-sabotage-shapley-4ae9aef0?mod=opinion_lead_pos5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote<\/a> Eileen O\u2019Connor in The Wall Street Journal. \u201cFar worse, Mr. Garland\u2019s failure to designate Mr. Weiss a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-head-of-doj-tax-division-urges-federal-judge-to-trash-hunter-biden-plea-deal\/\" title=\"Ex-DOJ Tax Division Chief urges judge to reject Hunter Biden plea deal.\">special counsel essentially guaranteed<\/a> that Mr. Biden wouldn\u2019t be prosecuted for any of his alleged tax crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>IRS whistleblowers have reportedly faced agency retaliation for their testimony to congressional lawmakers. Grassley <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/07\/06\/top-republicans-demand-federal-investigation-into-retaliation-against-irs-whistleblowers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote <\/a>a letter with GOP lawmakers from both chambers to the Office of Special Counsel last week demanding a probe into whistleblower claims of retribution over lawfully protected testimony. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe importance of protecting whistleblowers from unlawful retaliation and informing whistleblowers about their rights under the law cannot be understated,\u201d Republicans wrote. \u201cAfter all,\u00a0<em>it is the law.<\/em>\u00a0Accordingly, we request that you immediately investigate all allegations of retaliation against these IRS whistleblowers.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-961e77cb6abdf2809c4a96d45295a00b fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-961e77cb6abdf2809c4a96d45295a00b\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">    \t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A letter from Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss to Sen. Lindsey Graham is causing confusion. Weiss&#8217;s Monday letter, obtained by The Federalist, does not clarify if he requested the necessary authority to prosecute Hunter Biden under a federal statute. The communication from Weiss was received with uncertainty.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":494,"featured_media":1969581,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1969580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1969580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/494"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1969580"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1969580\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1969581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1969580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1969580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1969580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}