U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announces the appointment of Special Counsel David Weiss in the ongoing investigation of Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, during a brief statement at the Justice Department in Washington, August 11, 2023.
Bonnie Cash | Reuters
WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Friday that David Weiss, the federal prosecutor in Delaware who has led the criminal investigation of President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, will be appointed special counsel in the case.
Garland said that Weiss, who was previously appointed by former President Donald Trump to investigate Hunter Biden, asked earlier this week to be named special counsel.
Last month, Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to federal tax charges.
“Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel,” Garland said during a press conference at the Department of Justice.
Garland added that Weiss will continue to serve as U.S. Attorney for Delaware.
“I am confident that Mr. Weiss will carry out his responsibility in an even-handed and urgent matter, and in accordance with the highest traditions of this department,” Garland said, without taking any questions from reporters.
U.S. Attorney David Weiss holds a press conference Thursday, May 3, 2018, at his district office in Wilmington, Del.
Suchat Pederson | The News Journal via AP
Garland, who ascended to the top spot at the Department of Justice in 2021, has previously tapped two other special counsels.
Last November, Garland named Jack Smith as a special counsel to carry out two investigations into Trump. The first was a probe into Trump’s handling of classified documents after leaving the nation’s highest office, and the other for the former president’s role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election.
Earlier this year, Garland tapped Robert Hur to investigate classified documents that were found in President Joe Biden’s office and residence. The intelligence documents were in Biden’s possession since he served as vice president under then-President Barack Obama.
This story is breaking news and will be updated.