Yep the shop owner made several attempts to contact Hunter to retrieve his laptop and pay for his repair of it
Omnibus : Hunter Biden
- Thread starter B00Mer
- Start date
Which became his property under shopkeepers lien type stuff.
Hunter Biden hooked up with 'sex trafficking ring,' wrote bogus cheques?
Author of the article:Brad Hunter
Published Oct 02, 2023 • Last updated 20 hours ago • 3 minute read
Hunter Biden and friend. Image from his laptop. US DOT
Hunter Biden and friend. Image from his laptop. US DOT
Bombshell new U.S. Treasury documents reveal that agents suspected scandal-scarred Hunter Biden was linked to an Eastern European “sex trafficking ring” and wrote bogus cheques to pay for hookers.
According to the Daily Mail, Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) reviewed by the newspaper revealed that Hunter’s accounts were being monitored even before the 2020 presidential election.
Investigators apparently discovered payments from the troubled first son to the suspected prostitution ring.
One of the suspicious cheques. US DOT
One of the suspicious cheques. US DOT
An unreported document filed to the DOT from Wells Fargo bank investigators found 25 individuals linked to the sex gang, and that included a whopping $7 million in suspicious transactions.
And among those names was the son of U.S. President Joe Biden: Scion Hunter Biden.
Bank investigators indicated they believed the cheques had been falsified to conceal the true nature of payments to prostitutes from his business accounts.
The report said: “Biden has sent money to individuals who may be part of an Eastern European prostitution ring. [Investigators are monitoring] several [Wells Fargo] customers suspected of participating in a sex trafficking ring associated with Biden.”
A Chinese company and a number of women with Russian passports were the recipients of the money.
According to the report, Biden wrote the cheques which were disguised as being for medical services to New York-based suspected madam Ekaterina Moreva.
Her website offered a “girlfriend experience” with women as young as 20.
Hunter Biden had a slew of text conversations with Moreva who referred him to the raunchy website packed with snapshots of semi-nude and lingerie-clad lovelies.
However, transactions that are flagged in a SAR are not proof of wrongdoing or illegal actions. They are merely a heads-up to the Treasury of suspicious actions.
The Mail previously reported that Hunter Biden spent a whopping $30,000 on escorts during a five-month stretch.
The SAR tracked more than $1.1 million which was sent to Hunter’s company Owasco from his business partner and Biden family friend, Rob Walker, a former Clinton official.
Biden withdrew about $105,000 in cash from Owasco and more than $260,000 from his personal accounts between February and November 2017 across nine states and Monaco, the Wells Fargo team wrote.
Hunter Biden is pictured: US DOT
Hunter Biden is pictured: US DOT
“These cash withdrawals were conducted during a time period during which Biden publicly admits to heavy usage of drugs and prostitutes,” the SAR said, adding one transfer was to a woman linked to the “sex trafficking ring.”
An earlier Suspicious Activity Report filed by JPMorgan Chase flagged Ukrainian Moreva after she received tens of thousands of dollars from Hunter’s company.
The Treasury document said: “Wells Fargo’s financial crimes investigations conducted a continued review of customer Robert Hunter Biden as well as several related customers for funds derived from unknown sources, the unusual movement of funds, and unusually high volumes of cash transactions that appeared related to prostitution and or drugs.”
The Wells Fargo investigators traced payments to suspected members of the prostitution ring back to a Hong Kong company.
One person connected to the sex trafficking ring who allegedly benefitted from Hunter Biden’s largesse was Ekaterina Pitula, 39, who owns a store in Irvine, Calif. Twenty-five of her cash deposits were wired to a Chinese company in Hong Kong.
NEW YORK POST
NEW YORK POST
The Mail noted that some of Biden’s alleged hooker payments came mere hours after he had scored papa pay from President Joe Biden.
Earlier this month, Republican House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer announced he is investigating Hunter’s alleged links with sex trafficking rings.
Former IRS whistleblower Joseph Ziegler alleged Hunter even tried to deduct payments to sex workers on his tax returns.
bhunter@postmedia.com
@HunterTOSun
dailymail.co.uk
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Brad Hunter
Published Oct 02, 2023 • Last updated 20 hours ago • 3 minute read
Hunter Biden and friend. Image from his laptop. US DOT
Hunter Biden and friend. Image from his laptop. US DOT
Bombshell new U.S. Treasury documents reveal that agents suspected scandal-scarred Hunter Biden was linked to an Eastern European “sex trafficking ring” and wrote bogus cheques to pay for hookers.
According to the Daily Mail, Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) reviewed by the newspaper revealed that Hunter’s accounts were being monitored even before the 2020 presidential election.
Investigators apparently discovered payments from the troubled first son to the suspected prostitution ring.
One of the suspicious cheques. US DOT
One of the suspicious cheques. US DOT
An unreported document filed to the DOT from Wells Fargo bank investigators found 25 individuals linked to the sex gang, and that included a whopping $7 million in suspicious transactions.
And among those names was the son of U.S. President Joe Biden: Scion Hunter Biden.
Bank investigators indicated they believed the cheques had been falsified to conceal the true nature of payments to prostitutes from his business accounts.
The report said: “Biden has sent money to individuals who may be part of an Eastern European prostitution ring. [Investigators are monitoring] several [Wells Fargo] customers suspected of participating in a sex trafficking ring associated with Biden.”
A Chinese company and a number of women with Russian passports were the recipients of the money.
According to the report, Biden wrote the cheques which were disguised as being for medical services to New York-based suspected madam Ekaterina Moreva.
Her website offered a “girlfriend experience” with women as young as 20.
Hunter Biden had a slew of text conversations with Moreva who referred him to the raunchy website packed with snapshots of semi-nude and lingerie-clad lovelies.
However, transactions that are flagged in a SAR are not proof of wrongdoing or illegal actions. They are merely a heads-up to the Treasury of suspicious actions.
The Mail previously reported that Hunter Biden spent a whopping $30,000 on escorts during a five-month stretch.
The SAR tracked more than $1.1 million which was sent to Hunter’s company Owasco from his business partner and Biden family friend, Rob Walker, a former Clinton official.
Biden withdrew about $105,000 in cash from Owasco and more than $260,000 from his personal accounts between February and November 2017 across nine states and Monaco, the Wells Fargo team wrote.
Hunter Biden is pictured: US DOT
Hunter Biden is pictured: US DOT
“These cash withdrawals were conducted during a time period during which Biden publicly admits to heavy usage of drugs and prostitutes,” the SAR said, adding one transfer was to a woman linked to the “sex trafficking ring.”
An earlier Suspicious Activity Report filed by JPMorgan Chase flagged Ukrainian Moreva after she received tens of thousands of dollars from Hunter’s company.
The Treasury document said: “Wells Fargo’s financial crimes investigations conducted a continued review of customer Robert Hunter Biden as well as several related customers for funds derived from unknown sources, the unusual movement of funds, and unusually high volumes of cash transactions that appeared related to prostitution and or drugs.”
The Wells Fargo investigators traced payments to suspected members of the prostitution ring back to a Hong Kong company.
One person connected to the sex trafficking ring who allegedly benefitted from Hunter Biden’s largesse was Ekaterina Pitula, 39, who owns a store in Irvine, Calif. Twenty-five of her cash deposits were wired to a Chinese company in Hong Kong.
NEW YORK POST
NEW YORK POST
The Mail noted that some of Biden’s alleged hooker payments came mere hours after he had scored papa pay from President Joe Biden.
Earlier this month, Republican House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer announced he is investigating Hunter’s alleged links with sex trafficking rings.
Former IRS whistleblower Joseph Ziegler alleged Hunter even tried to deduct payments to sex workers on his tax returns.
bhunter@postmedia.com
@HunterTOSun
Hunter Biden suspected of hiring prostitutes from sex trafficking ring
Investigators found payments from Hunter and his companies to a suspected 'Eastern European prostitution ring,' DailyMail.com can reveal.
Hunter Biden hooked up with 'sex trafficking ring,' wrote bogus cheques?
Bombshell new U.S. Treasury documents reveal that agents suspected Hunter Biden was linked to an Eastern European "sex trafficking ring.".
Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to three federal gun charges filed after his plea deal collapsed
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Lindsay Whitehurst And Claudia Lauer
Published Oct 03, 2023 • 3 minute read
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to three federal firearms charges filed after a plea deal imploded, putting the case on track toward a possible trial as the 2024 election looms.
President Joe Biden’s son is facing charges that he lied about his drug use in October 2018 on a form to buy a gun that he kept for about 11 days.
He’s acknowledged struggling with an addiction to crack cocaine during that period, but his lawyers have said he didn’t break the law. Gun charges like these are rare, and an appeals court has found the ban on drug users having guns violates the Second Amendment under new Supreme Court standards.
Hunter Biden’s attorneys are suggesting that prosecutors bowed to pressure by Republicans who have insisted the Democratic president’s son got a sweetheart deal, and that the charges were the result of political pressure.
He was indicted after the implosion this summer of his plea agreement with federal prosecutors on tax and gun charges. The deal devolved after the judge who was supposed to sign off on the agreement instead raised a series of questions about the deal. Federal prosecutors had been looking into his business dealings for five years, and the agreement would have dispensed with criminal proceedings before his father was actively campaigning for president in 2024.
Now, a special counsel has been appointed to handle the case, and there appears no easy end in sight. No new tax charges have yet been filed, but the special counsel has indicated they could come in Washington or in California, where Hunter Biden lives.
In Congress, House Republicans are seeking to link Hunter Biden’s dealings to his father’s through an impeachment inquiry. Republicans have been investigating Hunter Biden for years, since his father was Barack Obama’s vice president. While questions have arisen about the ethics surrounding the Biden family’s international business, no evidence has emerged so far to prove that Joe Biden, in his current or previous office, abused his role or accepted bribes.
The legal wrangling could spill into 2024, with Republicans eager to divert attention from the multiple criminal indictments faced by GOP primary front-runner Donald Trump, whose trials could be unfolding at the same time.
After remaining silent for years, Hunter Biden has taken a more aggressive legal stance in recent weeks, filing a series of lawsuits over the dissemination of personal information purportedly from his laptop and his tax data by whistleblower IRS agents who testified before Congress as part of the GOP probe.
The president’s son, who has not held public office, is charged with two counts of making false statements and one count of illegal gun possession, punishable by up to 25 years in prison upon conviction. Under the failed deal, he would have pleaded guilty and served probation rather than jail time on misdemeanor tax charges and avoided prosecution on a gun count if he stayed out of trouble for two years.
Defense attorneys have argued that he remains protected by an immunity provision that was part of the scuttled plea agreement, but prosecutors overseen by special counsel David Weiss disagree. Weiss also serves as U.S. attorney for Delaware and was originally appointed by Trump.
Hunter Biden had asked for Tuesday’s hearing to be conducted remotely over video feed, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher Burke sided with prosecutors, saying there would be no “special treatment.”
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Lindsay Whitehurst And Claudia Lauer
Published Oct 03, 2023 • 3 minute read
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to three federal firearms charges filed after a plea deal imploded, putting the case on track toward a possible trial as the 2024 election looms.
President Joe Biden’s son is facing charges that he lied about his drug use in October 2018 on a form to buy a gun that he kept for about 11 days.
He’s acknowledged struggling with an addiction to crack cocaine during that period, but his lawyers have said he didn’t break the law. Gun charges like these are rare, and an appeals court has found the ban on drug users having guns violates the Second Amendment under new Supreme Court standards.
Hunter Biden’s attorneys are suggesting that prosecutors bowed to pressure by Republicans who have insisted the Democratic president’s son got a sweetheart deal, and that the charges were the result of political pressure.
He was indicted after the implosion this summer of his plea agreement with federal prosecutors on tax and gun charges. The deal devolved after the judge who was supposed to sign off on the agreement instead raised a series of questions about the deal. Federal prosecutors had been looking into his business dealings for five years, and the agreement would have dispensed with criminal proceedings before his father was actively campaigning for president in 2024.
Now, a special counsel has been appointed to handle the case, and there appears no easy end in sight. No new tax charges have yet been filed, but the special counsel has indicated they could come in Washington or in California, where Hunter Biden lives.
In Congress, House Republicans are seeking to link Hunter Biden’s dealings to his father’s through an impeachment inquiry. Republicans have been investigating Hunter Biden for years, since his father was Barack Obama’s vice president. While questions have arisen about the ethics surrounding the Biden family’s international business, no evidence has emerged so far to prove that Joe Biden, in his current or previous office, abused his role or accepted bribes.
The legal wrangling could spill into 2024, with Republicans eager to divert attention from the multiple criminal indictments faced by GOP primary front-runner Donald Trump, whose trials could be unfolding at the same time.
After remaining silent for years, Hunter Biden has taken a more aggressive legal stance in recent weeks, filing a series of lawsuits over the dissemination of personal information purportedly from his laptop and his tax data by whistleblower IRS agents who testified before Congress as part of the GOP probe.
The president’s son, who has not held public office, is charged with two counts of making false statements and one count of illegal gun possession, punishable by up to 25 years in prison upon conviction. Under the failed deal, he would have pleaded guilty and served probation rather than jail time on misdemeanor tax charges and avoided prosecution on a gun count if he stayed out of trouble for two years.
Defense attorneys have argued that he remains protected by an immunity provision that was part of the scuttled plea agreement, but prosecutors overseen by special counsel David Weiss disagree. Weiss also serves as U.S. attorney for Delaware and was originally appointed by Trump.
Hunter Biden had asked for Tuesday’s hearing to be conducted remotely over video feed, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher Burke sided with prosecutors, saying there would be no “special treatment.”
Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to three federal gun charges filed after his plea deal collapsed
Charges filed after his plea deal collapsed.
Hunter Biden prosecutors move to drop old gun count after plea deal collapse
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Lindsay Whitehurst
Published Oct 04, 2023 • 1 minute read
WASHINGTON — Prosecutors who filed firearms charges against Hunter Biden moved Wednesday to formally dismiss a gun count that had been part of a collapsed plea deal.
The procedural step removes a charge alleging he broke a law against drug users having guns when he bought a gun in 2018, during a period he has acknowledged struggling with addiction.
The president’s son is now facing a three-count indictment focused on the same purchase that includes both gun possession and false statement charges. No new tax counts have yet been filed by special counsel David Weiss, who is overseeing the case.
Hunter Biden had been expected to avoid prosecution on the gun charge and plead guilty to misdemeanor tax counts in an agreement with prosecutors. But the deal collapsed after a judge raised questions about it in a July hearing and the new indictment was filed weeks later.
Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday as the case moves toward a potential trial with the 2024 election looming.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Lindsay Whitehurst
Published Oct 04, 2023 • 1 minute read
WASHINGTON — Prosecutors who filed firearms charges against Hunter Biden moved Wednesday to formally dismiss a gun count that had been part of a collapsed plea deal.
The procedural step removes a charge alleging he broke a law against drug users having guns when he bought a gun in 2018, during a period he has acknowledged struggling with addiction.
The president’s son is now facing a three-count indictment focused on the same purchase that includes both gun possession and false statement charges. No new tax counts have yet been filed by special counsel David Weiss, who is overseeing the case.
Hunter Biden had been expected to avoid prosecution on the gun charge and plead guilty to misdemeanor tax counts in an agreement with prosecutors. But the deal collapsed after a judge raised questions about it in a July hearing and the new indictment was filed weeks later.
Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday as the case moves toward a potential trial with the 2024 election looming.
Hunter Biden prosecutors move to drop old gun count after plea deal collapse
Prosecutors who filed charges against Hunter Biden moved to formally dismiss a gun count that had been part of a collapsed plea deal.
Special counsel in Biden case insists he was ’decision-maker’ in rare testimony
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Farnoush Amiri And Lindsay Whitehurst
Published Nov 07, 2023 • 4 minute read
WASHINGTON — The prosecutor overseeing the Hunter Biden investigation testified Tuesday that he had the ultimate authority in the years-long case as he made an unprecedented appearance before Congress to rebut Republicans’ explosive claims that the probe has been plagued with interference.
U.S. attorney David Weiss’ nearly seven-hour interview with the House judiciary committee marked the first time a special counsel has testified to lawmakers in the middle of a probe. He agreed to the unusual appearance under heavy pressure from House Republicans, who are looking to ramp up their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and his family.
In his opening statement, Weiss told lawmakers he would not answer questions that could jeopardize the investigation and would only talk about the scope of his authority. “I am, and have been, the decision-maker on this case,” he told lawmakers. “I do not, however, make these decisions in a vacuum.”
He acknowledged being required to follow Justice Department guidelines and processes as well as federal law as he carried out his investigation. But those requirements “did not interfere with my decision-making authority,” he said.
No one at the Justice Department, including U.S. attorneys or the tax division, blocked or prevented him from pursuing charges or taking other necessary steps in the investigation, Weiss said.
Lawmakers leaving the interview with Weiss described it as “tedious” and “a waste of time” as the federal prosecutor was bound by Justice Department rules that limit his ability to talk about an ongoing investigation.
“Mr. Weiss was here incarnate, but not particularly in spirit,” Rep. Matt Gaetz said during a lunch break. He added that in response to any questions Republicans had about the investigation, Weiss would “demure and say that it was just part of his deliberative process.”
Judiciary committee chair Jim Jordan remained defiant, walking out of the interview saying that Weiss’ testimony confirmed whistleblower testimony that he did not have full authority.
Democrats accused Republicans of trying to interfere with the Hunter Biden investigation by bringing Weiss in to testify.
“This is unprecedented. You never interrupt a prosecution with congressional hearings. This is the first time it’s ever happened,” Rep. Glenn Ivey said after leaving the interview. “And the fact that he can’t answer your questions is an obvious byproduct of that because he doesn’t want to do anything or say anything that will disrupt a criminal prosecution.”
The rare move by the Justice Department to allow Weiss’ testimony before the conclusion of an investigation indicates just how seriously the department is taking accusations of interference.
The interview came after months of back-and-forth negotiations between Republicans on the committee and the Justice Department after lawmakers subpoenaed several investigators and attorneys involved in the Hunter Biden case.
In July, Weiss, looking to correct the record of what he and the department see as a misrepresentation of the investigation, agreed to come to Capitol Hill, but only if he was able to testify in a public hearing where he could directly respond to claims of wrongdoing by Republicans.
The Justice Department remained willing to have Weiss testify publicly even after the implosion of a plea agreement with Hunter Biden that could have effectively closed the case, but said he couldn’t make more than one appearance in the near term. The two parties ultimately agreed on a closed-door interview with both Democratic and Republican members and their respective staff.
The interview on Tuesday focused on testimony from an Internal Revenue Service agent who claimed that under Weiss the investigation into the president’s son was “slow-walked” and mishandled. Weiss, who was originally appointed by then-president Donald Trump, has denied one of the more explosive allegations by saying in writing that he had the final say over the case.
And he did so again behind closed doors Tuesday when he denied bowing to political pressure in the five-year investigation, saying the decisions have been based on “the facts and the law.
“Political considerations played no part in our decision-making,” he said.
Weiss added that he did not feel the need to request special counsel status until August and when he did it was quickly granted by Attorney General Merrick Garland. Like other special counsels, he will prepare a report at the end of his investigation that’s expected to be publicly released.
Two other U.S. attorneys from Washington and California testified in recent weeks that they didn’t block Weiss from filing charges in their districts, though they declined to partner with him on it.
But the IRS whistleblower, who testified publicly over the summer, insists his testimony reflects a pattern of interference and preferential treatment in the Hunter Biden case and not just disagreement with their superiors about what investigative steps to take.
Questions about Hunter Biden’s business dealings overall have been central to a GOP-led impeachment inquiry into the president. That’s been led in part by Jordan, who had a prominent role in the questioning Tuesday.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Farnoush Amiri And Lindsay Whitehurst
Published Nov 07, 2023 • 4 minute read
WASHINGTON — The prosecutor overseeing the Hunter Biden investigation testified Tuesday that he had the ultimate authority in the years-long case as he made an unprecedented appearance before Congress to rebut Republicans’ explosive claims that the probe has been plagued with interference.
U.S. attorney David Weiss’ nearly seven-hour interview with the House judiciary committee marked the first time a special counsel has testified to lawmakers in the middle of a probe. He agreed to the unusual appearance under heavy pressure from House Republicans, who are looking to ramp up their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and his family.
In his opening statement, Weiss told lawmakers he would not answer questions that could jeopardize the investigation and would only talk about the scope of his authority. “I am, and have been, the decision-maker on this case,” he told lawmakers. “I do not, however, make these decisions in a vacuum.”
He acknowledged being required to follow Justice Department guidelines and processes as well as federal law as he carried out his investigation. But those requirements “did not interfere with my decision-making authority,” he said.
No one at the Justice Department, including U.S. attorneys or the tax division, blocked or prevented him from pursuing charges or taking other necessary steps in the investigation, Weiss said.
Lawmakers leaving the interview with Weiss described it as “tedious” and “a waste of time” as the federal prosecutor was bound by Justice Department rules that limit his ability to talk about an ongoing investigation.
“Mr. Weiss was here incarnate, but not particularly in spirit,” Rep. Matt Gaetz said during a lunch break. He added that in response to any questions Republicans had about the investigation, Weiss would “demure and say that it was just part of his deliberative process.”
Judiciary committee chair Jim Jordan remained defiant, walking out of the interview saying that Weiss’ testimony confirmed whistleblower testimony that he did not have full authority.
Democrats accused Republicans of trying to interfere with the Hunter Biden investigation by bringing Weiss in to testify.
“This is unprecedented. You never interrupt a prosecution with congressional hearings. This is the first time it’s ever happened,” Rep. Glenn Ivey said after leaving the interview. “And the fact that he can’t answer your questions is an obvious byproduct of that because he doesn’t want to do anything or say anything that will disrupt a criminal prosecution.”
The rare move by the Justice Department to allow Weiss’ testimony before the conclusion of an investigation indicates just how seriously the department is taking accusations of interference.
The interview came after months of back-and-forth negotiations between Republicans on the committee and the Justice Department after lawmakers subpoenaed several investigators and attorneys involved in the Hunter Biden case.
In July, Weiss, looking to correct the record of what he and the department see as a misrepresentation of the investigation, agreed to come to Capitol Hill, but only if he was able to testify in a public hearing where he could directly respond to claims of wrongdoing by Republicans.
The Justice Department remained willing to have Weiss testify publicly even after the implosion of a plea agreement with Hunter Biden that could have effectively closed the case, but said he couldn’t make more than one appearance in the near term. The two parties ultimately agreed on a closed-door interview with both Democratic and Republican members and their respective staff.
The interview on Tuesday focused on testimony from an Internal Revenue Service agent who claimed that under Weiss the investigation into the president’s son was “slow-walked” and mishandled. Weiss, who was originally appointed by then-president Donald Trump, has denied one of the more explosive allegations by saying in writing that he had the final say over the case.
And he did so again behind closed doors Tuesday when he denied bowing to political pressure in the five-year investigation, saying the decisions have been based on “the facts and the law.
“Political considerations played no part in our decision-making,” he said.
Weiss added that he did not feel the need to request special counsel status until August and when he did it was quickly granted by Attorney General Merrick Garland. Like other special counsels, he will prepare a report at the end of his investigation that’s expected to be publicly released.
Two other U.S. attorneys from Washington and California testified in recent weeks that they didn’t block Weiss from filing charges in their districts, though they declined to partner with him on it.
But the IRS whistleblower, who testified publicly over the summer, insists his testimony reflects a pattern of interference and preferential treatment in the Hunter Biden case and not just disagreement with their superiors about what investigative steps to take.
Questions about Hunter Biden’s business dealings overall have been central to a GOP-led impeachment inquiry into the president. That’s been led in part by Jordan, who had a prominent role in the questioning Tuesday.
Special counsel in Biden case insists he was ’decision-maker’ in rare testimony
The prosecutor overseeing the Hunter Biden investigation testified Tuesday that he had the ultimate authority in the years-long case.
I hope you guys like Newsom. Biden ain't running.Special counsel in Biden case insists he was ’decision-maker’ in rare testimony
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Farnoush Amiri And Lindsay Whitehurst
Published Nov 07, 2023 • 4 minute read
WASHINGTON — The prosecutor overseeing the Hunter Biden investigation testified Tuesday that he had the ultimate authority in the years-long case as he made an unprecedented appearance before Congress to rebut Republicans’ explosive claims that the probe has been plagued with interference.
U.S. attorney David Weiss’ nearly seven-hour interview with the House judiciary committee marked the first time a special counsel has testified to lawmakers in the middle of a probe. He agreed to the unusual appearance under heavy pressure from House Republicans, who are looking to ramp up their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and his family.
In his opening statement, Weiss told lawmakers he would not answer questions that could jeopardize the investigation and would only talk about the scope of his authority. “I am, and have been, the decision-maker on this case,” he told lawmakers. “I do not, however, make these decisions in a vacuum.”
He acknowledged being required to follow Justice Department guidelines and processes as well as federal law as he carried out his investigation. But those requirements “did not interfere with my decision-making authority,” he said.
No one at the Justice Department, including U.S. attorneys or the tax division, blocked or prevented him from pursuing charges or taking other necessary steps in the investigation, Weiss said.
Lawmakers leaving the interview with Weiss described it as “tedious” and “a waste of time” as the federal prosecutor was bound by Justice Department rules that limit his ability to talk about an ongoing investigation.
“Mr. Weiss was here incarnate, but not particularly in spirit,” Rep. Matt Gaetz said during a lunch break. He added that in response to any questions Republicans had about the investigation, Weiss would “demure and say that it was just part of his deliberative process.”
Judiciary committee chair Jim Jordan remained defiant, walking out of the interview saying that Weiss’ testimony confirmed whistleblower testimony that he did not have full authority.
Democrats accused Republicans of trying to interfere with the Hunter Biden investigation by bringing Weiss in to testify.
“This is unprecedented. You never interrupt a prosecution with congressional hearings. This is the first time it’s ever happened,” Rep. Glenn Ivey said after leaving the interview. “And the fact that he can’t answer your questions is an obvious byproduct of that because he doesn’t want to do anything or say anything that will disrupt a criminal prosecution.”
The rare move by the Justice Department to allow Weiss’ testimony before the conclusion of an investigation indicates just how seriously the department is taking accusations of interference.
The interview came after months of back-and-forth negotiations between Republicans on the committee and the Justice Department after lawmakers subpoenaed several investigators and attorneys involved in the Hunter Biden case.
In July, Weiss, looking to correct the record of what he and the department see as a misrepresentation of the investigation, agreed to come to Capitol Hill, but only if he was able to testify in a public hearing where he could directly respond to claims of wrongdoing by Republicans.
The Justice Department remained willing to have Weiss testify publicly even after the implosion of a plea agreement with Hunter Biden that could have effectively closed the case, but said he couldn’t make more than one appearance in the near term. The two parties ultimately agreed on a closed-door interview with both Democratic and Republican members and their respective staff.
The interview on Tuesday focused on testimony from an Internal Revenue Service agent who claimed that under Weiss the investigation into the president’s son was “slow-walked” and mishandled. Weiss, who was originally appointed by then-president Donald Trump, has denied one of the more explosive allegations by saying in writing that he had the final say over the case.
And he did so again behind closed doors Tuesday when he denied bowing to political pressure in the five-year investigation, saying the decisions have been based on “the facts and the law.
“Political considerations played no part in our decision-making,” he said.
Weiss added that he did not feel the need to request special counsel status until August and when he did it was quickly granted by Attorney General Merrick Garland. Like other special counsels, he will prepare a report at the end of his investigation that’s expected to be publicly released.
Two other U.S. attorneys from Washington and California testified in recent weeks that they didn’t block Weiss from filing charges in their districts, though they declined to partner with him on it.
But the IRS whistleblower, who testified publicly over the summer, insists his testimony reflects a pattern of interference and preferential treatment in the Hunter Biden case and not just disagreement with their superiors about what investigative steps to take.
Questions about Hunter Biden’s business dealings overall have been central to a GOP-led impeachment inquiry into the president. That’s been led in part by Jordan, who had a prominent role in the questioning Tuesday.
Special counsel in Biden case insists he was ’decision-maker’ in rare testimony
The prosecutor overseeing the Hunter Biden investigation testified Tuesday that he had the ultimate authority in the years-long case.
Ya, I think Newsom is running for sure. He's a Trudeau wanna be as his credentials are just as bad as JT's. It's frustrating that people vote based on appearances as opposed to policies that actually work for citizens. It also helps if the person running was intellectually competent but I guess that's not important. Look at Biden - the most inept President in U.S. history & that's saying something.
‘Didn’t give it to me.’ Prosecutor Weiss details how DOJ failed to give him ‘special attorney‘ status so he could charge Hunter Biden with tax evasion on Burisma income dating to 2014.
Hunter Biden calls for a Trump subpoena, saying political pressure was put on his criminal case
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Lindsay Whitehurst
Published Nov 15, 2023 • 2 minute read
WASHINGTON — Hunter Biden asked a judge on Wednesday to approve subpoenas for documents from Donald Trump and former Justice Department officials related to whether political pressure wrongly influenced the criminal case against him.
Biden’s attorneys allege there were “certain instances that appear to suggest incessant, improper, and partisan pressure applied” by Trump to his then-Attorney General William Barr and two top deputies, Jeffrey Rosen and Richard Donoghue.
While charges against President Joe Biden’s son were not brought until this year, the investigation into his taxes and a gun purchase began in 2018, while Trump, a Republican, was still president.
The court filing cites public comments made by Trump, information from the House panel that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and details from Barr’s book in which he described bubbling tension after Trump tried to pressure him over the status of the Hunter Biden probe.
The push for subpoenas comes as defence attorneys fight the federal firearms case filed against Hunter Biden, who is accused of breaking laws against drug users having guns. He has pleaded not guilty, and the case is on a track toward a possible trial in 2024 while his father, a Democrat who defeated Trump in 2020, is campaigning for reelection.
The subpoenas would seek documents and other communications about the investigation, including its origins and charging decisions. Representatives for Trump and the three former top Justice Department officials did not immediately return email messages seeking comment.
Hunter Biden’s attorney Abbe Lowell argued the information was essential to his defence that the case is “possibly, a vindictive or selective prosecution arising from an unrelenting pressure campaign beginning in the last administration,” that violated his rights.
The subpoena request is before U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, a Trump nominee whose questions about a proposed plea deal over the summer ended with the agreement imploding in July.
Hunter Biden had been expected to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax charges in an agreement that would have spared him prosecution on a gun count if he stayed out of trouble for two years.
It had been pilloried as a “sweetheart deal” by Trump and congressional Republicans investigating nearly every aspect of Hunter Biden’s business dealings and the Justice Department’s handling of the case.
Hunter Biden has taken a more aggressive legal approach in recent months, striking back with lawsuits against Republican Trump allies who have traded and passed around private data from a laptop that purportedly belonged to him.
No new tax charges have yet been filed, but the special counsel overseeing the case has indicated they are possible in Washington or in California, where Hunter Biden lives.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Lindsay Whitehurst
Published Nov 15, 2023 • 2 minute read
WASHINGTON — Hunter Biden asked a judge on Wednesday to approve subpoenas for documents from Donald Trump and former Justice Department officials related to whether political pressure wrongly influenced the criminal case against him.
Biden’s attorneys allege there were “certain instances that appear to suggest incessant, improper, and partisan pressure applied” by Trump to his then-Attorney General William Barr and two top deputies, Jeffrey Rosen and Richard Donoghue.
While charges against President Joe Biden’s son were not brought until this year, the investigation into his taxes and a gun purchase began in 2018, while Trump, a Republican, was still president.
The court filing cites public comments made by Trump, information from the House panel that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and details from Barr’s book in which he described bubbling tension after Trump tried to pressure him over the status of the Hunter Biden probe.
The push for subpoenas comes as defence attorneys fight the federal firearms case filed against Hunter Biden, who is accused of breaking laws against drug users having guns. He has pleaded not guilty, and the case is on a track toward a possible trial in 2024 while his father, a Democrat who defeated Trump in 2020, is campaigning for reelection.
The subpoenas would seek documents and other communications about the investigation, including its origins and charging decisions. Representatives for Trump and the three former top Justice Department officials did not immediately return email messages seeking comment.
Hunter Biden’s attorney Abbe Lowell argued the information was essential to his defence that the case is “possibly, a vindictive or selective prosecution arising from an unrelenting pressure campaign beginning in the last administration,” that violated his rights.
The subpoena request is before U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, a Trump nominee whose questions about a proposed plea deal over the summer ended with the agreement imploding in July.
Hunter Biden had been expected to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax charges in an agreement that would have spared him prosecution on a gun count if he stayed out of trouble for two years.
It had been pilloried as a “sweetheart deal” by Trump and congressional Republicans investigating nearly every aspect of Hunter Biden’s business dealings and the Justice Department’s handling of the case.
Hunter Biden has taken a more aggressive legal approach in recent months, striking back with lawsuits against Republican Trump allies who have traded and passed around private data from a laptop that purportedly belonged to him.
No new tax charges have yet been filed, but the special counsel overseeing the case has indicated they are possible in Washington or in California, where Hunter Biden lives.
Hunter Biden calls for a Trump subpoena, saying political pressure was put on his criminal case
Hunter Biden asked a judge on Wednesday to approve subpoenas for documents from Donald Trump and former Justice Department officials.
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