Attorney General Merrick Garland told the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday that he can’t remember whether he spoke to special counsel David Weiss about the criminal investigation into President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.
Mr. Garland, facing Judiciary panel questioning for the first time in a Republican majority, stumbled over questions about his personal involvement in the embattled probe of Hunter Biden and claimed to lack knowledge of “the specifics of the investigation,” which resulted in a sweetheart plea deal that has since fallen apart.
“I have intentionally not involved myself in the facts of the case, not because I’m trying to get out of responsibility, but because I am trying to pursue my responsibility,” Mr. Garland told the panel.
Mr. Weiss, who was elevated to special counsel by Mr. Garland on Aug. 11, told IRS and FBI agents that he lacked the authority to charge Hunter Biden with tax fraud and lying on a background check form, according to two IRS whistleblowers.
Lawmakers questioned Mr. Garland over his role in the investigation. Republicans asked whether he “had personal contact” with anyone at the FBI about the Hunter Biden probe, and Mr. Garland didn’t answer immediately.
“I don’t … I don’t recollect the answer to that question,” Mr. Garland said. “But the FBI works for the Justice Department.”
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Rep. Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, interjected, “You don’t recollect. You don’t recollect whether you’ve talked with anybody at FBI headquarters about an investigation of the president’s son?”
Mr. Garland responded, “I don’t believe that I did.”
He told the panel that he promised the Senate Judiciary Committee at his confirmation hearing in 2021, “I would leave Mr. Weiss in place and then I would not interfere with his investigation. I have kept that promise.”
Mr. Garland dodged questions about the Hunter Biden investigation, which has dragged on for five years, telling lawmakers he has left the probe up to Mr. Weiss and has not interfered in any way.
The attorney general said he did not know why Mr. Weiss allowed the statute of limitations to expire on Hunter Biden’s unpaid taxes on his 2014 income from Burisma Holdings, the Ukrainian energy firm that sought help from then-Vice President Biden to thwart a corruption probe.
“I don’t know anything about the statute of limitations here,” Mr. Garland said. “The investigation was in the hands of Mr. Weiss to make the determinations that he thought were appropriate.”
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Mr. Garland frequently reminded Republicans that Mr. Weiss “is an appointee of President Trump,” and said some of the actions regarding the Hunter Biden investigation that Republicans are complaining about took place during the Trump administration.
Delaware’s two Democratic senators recommended then-President Trump nominate Mr. Weiss to serve as the state’s U.S. attorney.
President Obama had appointed Mr. Weiss to serve as acting U.S. attorney for Delaware from 2009 until 2011.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
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