(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Special Counsel David Weiss broke his silence on Tuesday on the growing accusations of the DOJ’s intervention in the investigation of President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.
During a closed-door meeting with the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee, Weiss maintained that the probe was not influenced by political considerations and that he faced no obstruction in his investigation.
“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,” Weiss claimed, as reported by Politico.
Nevertheless, his statements seemed to contradict previous assertions made by IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley, who claimed that Weiss had been denied special prosecutor status by the DOJ.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, underscored the significance of Weiss’s alleged request for “special attorney” status in the spring of 2022 rather than the special counsel designation he had received earlier this year.
.@Jim_Jordan to reporters on David Weiss’s transcribed interview:
“When he was specifically asked, did you ever request special attorney authority under Section 515, Mr. Weiss’s response was yes, in the spring of 2022. So that that goes to the heart of the matter.
He requested…
— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) November 7, 2023
“When he was specifically asked, did you ever request special attorney authority under Section 515, Mr. Weiss’s response was yes, in the spring of 2022. So that that goes to the heart of the matter,” Jordan emphasized while speaking to reporters, according to the committee’s Twitter page.
Adding weight to the whistleblower’s claims, Jordan further emphasized, “So to me, that’s the key takeaway. […] And that answer, I think the key is, is entirely consistent with what Mr. Shapley said after the October 7, 2022 meeting, when he said USA Weiss requested Special Counsel authority when it was sent to DC and Main DOJ denied his request and told him to follow the process.”
The committee chairman said that Weiss’s testimony ultimately vindicated the whistleblower’s assertions. “So once again Shapley and Ziegler’s testimony continues to stand up to every single witness we brought in for an interview,” he continued.
Nonetheless, a source familiar with the committee’s proceedings insisted that Weiss had never been denied 515 authority, further complicating future battles between Republicans and the DOJ.
House Republicans are leading an impeachment inquiry against Biden, centering on allegations of political corruption, bribery and the weaponization of the DOJ.
The DOJ’s purported involvement in the decision-making regarding Hunter, who recently faced indictment on three federal charges related to an alleged illegal gun purchase, remains a central focus of the impeachment probe.
