Republicans in both chambers are preparing to go after Attorney General Merrick Garland over allegations he obstructed and later lied about the investigation into President Biden’s son Hunter Biden.
“It is time. The Department of Justice needs to appoint a special counsel to investigate Merrick Garland for obstruction of justice and perjury,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, on his weekly podcast “The Verdict” to co-host Ben Ferguson.
“At this point, the evidence that Merrick Garland personally committed multiple felonies is growing greater,” he said.
The Washington Times reached out to the Justice Department but did not immediately hear back.
The Texas Republican said that IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley came forward to say Mr. Garland lied under oath when the attorney general testified before the Senate and claimed, during questioning by Mr. Cruz, that Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss’ investigation into Hunter Biden’s business dealings was not “restricted” by him “in any way.”
Mr. Cruz, in his podcast, said, “In response, what did Merrick Garland do? [He] had [Mr. Shapley] removed from the case — immediately retaliated, which is in and of itself illegal and part of what the special counsel needs to investigate.”
The appointment of a special counsel, however, is unlikely, given that the attorney general, by law, would be the one to appoint a special counsel or Mr. Garland would have to recuse himself and allow an acting attorney general to make the appointment.
Mr. Cruz’s call for a special counsel comes in the wake of House Republican leadership moving toward an impeachment inquiry of Mr. Garland.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Monday in an interview on Fox News, “I laid out very clearly by July 6, because of the allegations from the IRS, because of the whistleblowers and the DOJ, and Garland.”
The California Republican highlighted the conflicting information between what was allegedly said privately and publicly between Mr. Weiss and Mr. Garland to different parties.
“And if it comes true what the IRS whistleblower was saying, we’re going to start impeachment inquiries on the attorney general.”
Mr. McCarthy said that House Republicans want Mr. Weiss to testify before Congress by July 6.
Mr. Garland pushed back Friday against claims from IRS whistleblowers that the Justice Department hindered the investigation into Hunter Biden, saying that the condemnations on the department’s independence are destructive.
The Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee last Thursday released a transcript of testimony from Mr. Shapley, an IRS official who, among other issues, claimed that Mr. Garland had rejected a request from Mr. Weiss to be appointed special counsel.
The appointment would have allowed Mr. Weiss to have the same authority as the prosecutor spearheading the investigation into former President Donald Trump.
Mr. Garland claimed that Mr. Weiss never made this request and always had the authority to file charges against President Biden’s son.
Additionally, the attorney general said that if Mr. Weiss agrees to testify before Congress, the Justice Department will not stop him.
“He was given complete authority to make all decisions on his own,” Mr. Garland said. “I don’t know how it would be possible for anybody to block him for bringing a prosecution given that he has that authority.”
In a separate statement Friday, Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Chris Clark criticized the idea that the investigation was stifled to benefit his client.
Mr. Garland also delivered a strong rebuttal of criticism that a plea agreement for the president’s son reeks of a politicized Justice Department or preferential treatment in a “two-tiered” justice system.
“Some have chosen to attack the integrity of the Justice Department … by claiming we do not treat like cases alike. This constitutes an attack on an institution that is essential to American democracy and essential to the safety of the American people,” Mr. Garland said. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
The transcript included a message the president’s son sent to a Chinese business associate saying he was “sitting with his father,” and suggesting that his father was aware of his business dealings.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.