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The federal investigation into Hunter Biden's business activities is nearing a critical juncture as investigators weigh possible charges and prosecutors confront Justice Department guidelines to generally avoid bringing politically sensitive cases close to an election, according to people briefed on the matter.
While no final decision has been made on whether to bring charges against President Joe Biden's son, sources say the probe has intensified in recent months along with discussions among Delaware-based prosecutors, investigators running the probe and officials at Justice Department headquarters.
David Weiss, the US Attorney in Delaware, is leading the probe, which dates back to as early as 2018.
Discussions recently have centered around possibly bringing charges that could include alleged tax violations and making a false statement in connection with Biden's purchase of a firearm at a time he would have been prohibited from doing so because of his acknowledged struggles with drug addiction.
The investigation of the President's son has loomed large among the politically fraught issues Merrick Garland faces as attorney general. Weiss is one of a handful of appointees of former President Donald Trump who were kept on by the Biden administration because they were overseeing politically sensitive investigations.
Adding to the pressure, Republicans in Congress have already announced that if they take over the House of Representatives after the midterm elections, they plan to launch new investigations and hold hearings to examine the conduct of Hunter Biden and others in the Biden family.
Also potentially in play are Justice Department guidelines governing politically sensitive investigations during an election year. Current and former Justice Department officials say there is an unwritten rule that prosecutors avoid bringing politically sensitive cases within 60 days of an election.
Some current and former Justice officials have debated whether the rules necessarily apply in this instance since Joe Biden isn't on the ballot in the midterms.
A lawyer for Hunter Biden declined to comment. The US Attorney's Office in Delaware declined to comment.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/20/politics/hunter-biden-investigation-critical-juncture/index.html
While no final decision has been made on whether to bring charges against President Joe Biden's son, sources say the probe has intensified in recent months along with discussions among Delaware-based prosecutors, investigators running the probe and officials at Justice Department headquarters.
David Weiss, the US Attorney in Delaware, is leading the probe, which dates back to as early as 2018.
Discussions recently have centered around possibly bringing charges that could include alleged tax violations and making a false statement in connection with Biden's purchase of a firearm at a time he would have been prohibited from doing so because of his acknowledged struggles with drug addiction.
The investigation of the President's son has loomed large among the politically fraught issues Merrick Garland faces as attorney general. Weiss is one of a handful of appointees of former President Donald Trump who were kept on by the Biden administration because they were overseeing politically sensitive investigations.
Adding to the pressure, Republicans in Congress have already announced that if they take over the House of Representatives after the midterm elections, they plan to launch new investigations and hold hearings to examine the conduct of Hunter Biden and others in the Biden family.
Also potentially in play are Justice Department guidelines governing politically sensitive investigations during an election year. Current and former Justice Department officials say there is an unwritten rule that prosecutors avoid bringing politically sensitive cases within 60 days of an election.
Some current and former Justice officials have debated whether the rules necessarily apply in this instance since Joe Biden isn't on the ballot in the midterms.
A lawyer for Hunter Biden declined to comment. The US Attorney's Office in Delaware declined to comment.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/20/politics/hunter-biden-investigation-critical-juncture/index.html
