Attorney General Merrick Garland claimed before Wednesday’s Judiciary Committee hearing that allegations leveled by IRS whistleblowers against the Justice Department’s investigation into Hunter Biden are only “opinion” and not fact.
“Whistleblowers are lying to us under oath — those whistleblowers are lying?” Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) questioned Garland.
“Their description of the process, Congressman, is an opinion, not a fact question,” he replied.
Among the allegations, the IRS whistleblowers alleged Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf refused to allow investigators to ask about President Joe Biden being “the big guy,” the DOJ twice prevented now-Special Counsel David Weiss from bringing stronger charges against Hunter Biden, Garland refused to name a special counsel in the tax investigation, and the IRS recommended charges against Hunter Biden that were not approved by Garland.
RELATED — IRS Whistleblower: Weiss “Is Not Independent,” and He’ll Give Hunter “Preferential Treatment” Again
“Have you had personal contact with anyone at FBI headquarters about the Hunter Biden investigation?” Johnson asked Garland.
“I don’t recollect the answer to that question, but the FBI works for the Justice Department,” he replied.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Johnson interrupted. “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?”
“I don’t believe that I did,” Garland affirmatively replied. “I promised the Senate when I came before it for confirmation that I would leave Mr. Weiss in place and that I would not interfere with his investigation.”
"Have you had personal contact with anyone at FBI HQ about the Hunter Biden investigation?"
AG MERRICK GARLAND: "Uh, I don't recollect the answer to that question" pic.twitter.com/nFG1VmR6L0
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 20, 2023
In two letters to Congress, Weiss contradicted himself about whether he was the deciding authority to charge Hunter Biden. Weiss ultimately reversed his position to agree with Garland, both claiming Weiss was the sole authority to charge Hunter.
Weiss and Garland’s current position is contradicted by IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley and his boss, Special Agent in Charge Darrell Waldon, who confirmed Weiss did not have the authority to charge Hunter Biden.
RELATED — IRS Whistleblower: My Contemporaneous Documentation Contradicts Garland, Weiss on Hunter Case
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.