Several Republican senators in the US Senate are urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to assign a special counsel to investigate allegations of bribery related to President Biden and his family’s business affairs abroad. Senators, including Marsha Blackburn, JD Vance, and Mike Braun, wrote a letter expressing their concerns and highlighting the claims that Biden received a $5 million bribe while serving as Vice President.
The allegations also involve the Ukrainian businessman who allegedly made the payments and claimed to possess audio recordings as evidence. The Senators emphasized the need for an impartial and independent investigation to ensure equal application of the law regardless of political affiliation.
Especially after Donald Trump, the first ex-president to face federal charges, was arraigned in Miami on Tuesday afternoon on 37 federal criminal counts related to allegedly mishandling classified information. A letter expressing deep concern about the two-tiered system of justice was sent to the Justice Department by senators.
They accused the Department of Justice of targeting Biden’s political opponents while ignoring allegations of corruption involving the President and his family. The Senators referred to a previous request to appoint a special counsel for an ongoing investigation into Hunter Biden’s activities, which was not fulfilled. They directed this message to Garland.
Following whistleblowers’ testimonies regarding alleged irregularities and preferential treatment, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently removed personnel from the Hunter Biden case. The Senators also mentioned appointing a special counsel to investigate Biden’s handling of documents from his previous positions, which legal experts have deemed lacking evidence.
The letter referred to past investigations involving presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump and suggested the possibility of impeachment if a special counsel is not appointed. Some Republicans have expressed concerns about interference from the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and have suggested impeachment to conduct a thorough investigation. The House Oversight Committee, chaired by Representative James Comer, has been investigating allegations of corruption involving Biden’s family members and their business activities in countries where Biden held influence.
A subpoena has been issued to a former associate of Hunter Biden, Devon Archer, to testify about his partnerships with the Biden family, including in Ukraine. President Biden has denied any discussion of business matters with his son or brother, although evidence has emerged suggesting interactions with associates from various countries.
In 2017, Trump ended Garland’s Supreme Court nomination. Recently, 33 Senate Republicans requested that Delaware US Attorney David Weiss be made a special counsel for the investigation of Hunter Biden. However, Garland did not follow through with this request. Making Weiss a special counsel would have protected him from political pressure during the ongoing investigation into Hunter Biden’s alleged tax fraud, unregistered foreign lobbying, and other potential crimes.
Representative Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), a member of the House Oversight Committee, recently tweeted that Merrick Garland’s absence from the Supreme Court is beneficial for America. However, he expressed concern that Garland’s anger towards the GOP, their supporters, and the leading candidate for the GOP Presidential nomination may be affecting his judgment.
There are some Republican officials considering the use of impeachment to investigate Biden if Garland refuses to name a special counsel. Representative Anna Paulina Luna from Florida, also on the Oversight Committee, suggested on Sunday that impeachment may be necessary to conduct a thorough investigation without interference from the DOJ and the FBI. She believes this course of action is highly probable based on the evidence available.
On Tuesday, Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY), another Oversight panel member, stated that if the Bidens were selling actual governmental decisions made by the US government, it would be considered a high crime and misdemeanor. He believes that all options, including impeachment, should be considered.