On Wednesday, Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana interrogated Attorney General Merrick Garland about the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) handling of potential tax evasion charges against Hunter Biden, the son of Joe Biden. The inquiry centered on why the DOJ, under Biden-appointed U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves of the District of Columbia, did not collaborate with special counsel David Weiss, allowing the statute of limitations on certain alleged tax crimes to expire.
Senator Kennedy highlighted allegations that Hunter Biden failed to pay taxes on significant income from Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings in 2014 and 2015. He also accused Biden of improperly deducting personal expenses such as “hookers, a Lamborghini, strip clubs, sex clubs, and porn website memberships” from his taxes. Kennedy pressed Garland on why the DOJ did not act in time to preserve the possibility of prosecution.
Garland responded by noting that the investigation was being led by Weiss, initially appointed as the U.S. Attorney for Delaware by 45th President Donald Trump, and who has since been designated as a special counsel. Garland emphasized that much of the investigation occurred during the previous administration and that Weiss would detail these matters in an upcoming report.
The exchange grew tense as Kennedy implied a mishandling or negligence on the part of the DOJ under the current administration, to which Garland deflected, asserting that any issues with the investigation stemmed from actions taken before his tenure. He stated, “Mr. Weiss will explain this in his report.”
Garland further clarified that he would not attribute blame and reiterated that Weiss’s forthcoming report would provide the necessary explanations. He also mentioned that once the report was submitted, Congress would have the opportunity to question Weiss directly regarding his decisions throughout the investigation.
In his final remarks, Senator Kennedy questioned whether Garland would join Weiss in testifying before Congress about the report’s findings. Garland dismissed the idea, indicating that his presence would not be necessary or add value to the proceedings.
This inquiry into Hunter Biden’s alleged financial improprieties continues to draw significant attention, with implications for both legal and political realms.