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David Weiss, the U.S. attorney for Delaware who was chosen to lead the investigation into Hunter Biden, informed lawmakers during a private testimony on Tuesday that he has the power to bring charges against him if necessary. This information was obtained from a copy of his initial statement by CBS News.

Weiss said he

Consensually accepted to make an appearance.

The House Judiciary Committee, led by Republicans, held a hearing before the special counsel report was submitted. This was an uncommon action taken to clarify any misunderstandings about the extent of the committee’s authority in the Hunter Biden criminal investigation. However, no information was shared that could interfere with the ongoing investigation.

“I have been and continue to be the one responsible for making decisions in this case,” Weiss stated to the House Judiciary Committee. “I was not hindered or stopped from pursuing charges or taking necessary steps in the investigation by other US Attorneys, the Tax Division, or anyone else at the Department of Justice.”

Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, two whistleblowers from the Internal Revenue Service who were involved in the Hunter Biden investigation, informed lawmakers that they suggested pressing federal charges against the president’s son for tax violations. However, they also stated that Weiss, who claimed he was not the ultimate decision-maker in the case, denied their request for special counsel status. The whistleblowers accused the investigation of intentionally delaying and showing favoritism towards Hunter Biden.

Shapley stated in a recent interview with CBS News that David Weiss made some extremely impactful remarks. According to the whistleblower, the most significant of these was Weiss acknowledging that he does not have the final say on whether or not charges will be pressed. This revelation was surprising to Shapley.

Weiss has consistently denied Shapley’s assertions and stated that he did not ask for the status of special counsel until August, at which time Attorney General Merrick Garland quickly approved the request. Weiss had informed Garland that his investigation had progressed to a point where he felt it necessary to continue as a special counsel, which allows for more independence in conducting the probe. It is uncertain why Weiss waited several years into the investigation to request this new status.

Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Jim Jordan, reported that Weiss testified on Tuesday that he asked for special attorney authorization in the spring of 2022, according to 28 U.S. Code § 515. Jordan stated, “This is crucial information. He did not have the authority during this time but pretended that he did…once again, the testimonies of Shapley and Ziegler remain valid.” Section 515 permits federal prosecutors designated by the attorney general to file charges in districts other than their own.

Weiss sent a letter to Senator Lindsey Graham in July, stating that he had talked to federal officials about a potential appointment under Section 515. This would have given him the ability to file charges in a different district without needing the local U.S. Attorney’s help. He was told that he would have this authority if necessary, well before the October 7, 2022 meeting mentioned in the whistleblowers’ claims.

have been appointed as special prosecutors.

Matthew Graves and E. Martin Estrada, who serve as U.S. attorneys for the District of Columbia and central district of California respectively, have been designated as special prosecutors.told lawmakers

During a private testimony, they stated that they refused to team up with Wiess in pursuing legal action against Hunter Biden. However, they did offer to assist with administrative and logistical matters for the investigation in their individual districts.

Two FBI officials involved in the investigation of Hunter Biden also informed members of Congress earlier this year that they could not remember Weiss stating to investigators that he lacked the authority to advance the case on his own.

Many House Democrats have disregarded the confidential testimonies, labeling it as a “joke” and a “total waste of time.”

Jerrold Nadler, the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, reported that Weiss repeatedly asserted his sole responsibility for all charging decisions and emphasized that he did not receive any guidance or recommendations from others. Despite this, the Republicans continue to rehash the same information and receive the same responses.

Source: cbsnews.com