The appointment of a Special Counsel to investigate a highly-charged political matter is never going to please everyone, of course. Most notably, the subject(s) of any such investigation and their avid supporters likely won’t be keen on the appointment in general, and whoever is selected for the role is sure to draw scrutiny and criticism from those concerned he or she will pursue political ends (different from their own) rather than justice.
But the selection by Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss by Attorney General Merrick Garland to serve as Special Counsel regarding the Hunter Biden investigation was not only a day late and a dollar short, as they say, but fraught with potential conflicts of interest and plenty of grounds to question whether he can truly operate independently as the role requires.
As Bonchie noted when the appointment was announced:
Weiss remaining on the case is controversial given the allegations of corruption that have surrounded his office and the DOJ. A sweetheart plea deal that broke department protocol was originally given to Hunter Biden before a judge asked enough questions to expose it, leading to lawyers from both sides leaving empty-handed. Because of that ordeal, there’s not going to be much faith by many Americans in Weiss going forward that he will handle the case in an unbiased manner.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has now joined the chorus of calls to remove Weiss from the investigation and replace him with an independent actor. (See also: Grassley Declares Weiss Unfit for Special Counsel Job, Pledges Ongoing Congressional Investigation Into Biden Family Bribery.)
An independent special counsel is needed in this case.
It is abundantly clear Mr. Weiss needs to be removed from the investigation of Hunter Biden. To say this has been botched is an understatement.
I have been calling for a new set of eyes on this case for quite a while. A…
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) August 22, 2023
On Monday evening, Graham, citing the New York Times’ Saturday deep dive into the collapse of Hunter Biden’s plea deal, called for Weiss to be replaced:
An independent special counsel is needed in this case.
It is abundantly clear Mr. Weiss needs to be removed from the investigation of Hunter Biden. To say this has been botched is an understatement.
I have been calling for a new set of eyes on this case for quite a while. A huge cloud hangs over the Weiss investigative team and it will only go away when a new independent special counsel is appointed.
As we reported, both the Times and Politico were provided access to numerous email communications between Hunter Biden’s lawyers and Weiss’s office, which set forth efforts to reach a “resolution” of the investigation into Biden. Neither story elicits confidence that Weiss can objectively and effectively fulfill the Special Counsel role.
Then, too, there was the piece from the Washington Post on Sunday pointing out the fact that Weiss used to work alongside Hunter Biden’s brother Beau when he served as Delaware Attorney General. As Bob Hoge observed:
Whenever a left-wing news outlet writes something negative about someone in Bidenworld, you have to wonder why. Is Hunter Biden Special Counsel David Weiss next to be thrown under the bus?
It’s one thing for congressional Republicans like Rep. James Comer (R-KY), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and now Graham to call for Weiss’s dismissal. When media outlets like Politico, the New York Times, and the Washington Post start reporting critically on his efforts — even if their motivation for doing so may differ from the Republicans’ — chances are better than even that his days in the role are numbered.
