Federal investigators believe they have gathered enough evidence to charge Hunter Biden with tax crimes and making a false statement related to a gun purchase, The Washington Post reports.
The federal probe into the president’s son began in 2018, before Joe Biden’s election bid, and largely focused on Hunter Biden’s overseas business dealings. During the investigation, agencies zeroed in on whether the younger Biden reported all of his income and whether he lied on a form to buy a gun in 2018.
Agents determine that there is enough criminal evidence “months ago” but it is up to Justice Department prosecutors to decide whether to bring charges.
Trump-appointee heads probe:
Republicans have called on the Biden administration to take over the probe.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has made clear that the Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney in Delaware, David Weiss, would continue to oversee the case.
Garland has vowed that there will be no political inference in the probe and has not pushed Weiss to make a decision, according to the report.
It is not unusual for DOJ investigation to last years.
Weiss “is in charge of that investigation. There will not be interference of any political or improper kind,” Garland said at a Senate hearing. “We put the investigation in the hands of a Trump appointee from the previous administration.”
Hunter Biden responds:
“It is a federal felony for a federal agent to leak information about a Grand Jury investigation such as this one,” Biden’s attorney Chris Clark said in a written statement to the Post. "Any agent you cite as a source in your article apparently has committed such a felony. We expect the Department of Justice will diligently investigate and prosecute such bad actors. As is proper and legally required, we believe the prosecutors in this case are diligently and thoroughly weighing not just evidence provided by agents, but also all the other witnesses in this case, including witnesses for the defense. That is the job of the prosecutors. They should not be pressured, rushed, or criticized for doing their job.”
