The August recess is almost over, and House Republicans have no choice but to start impeachment proceedings against Joe Biden. They’ve been forced into this action, though one could argue that it was veering into the realm of inevitability. Attorney General Merrick Garland can be thanked for setting this into motion with the appointment of David Weiss as special counsel for the Hunter Biden investigation.
Weiss is the US attorney who got blocked by higher-ups when he tried to file charges against Hunter Biden. He also allowed some of the most egregious tax violations to lapse under the statute of limitations. It’s a fixed investigation that isn’t considered a “special counsel” probe since Weiss isn’t an outside arbiter.
Also, the scope of the investigation shields Joe Biden from legal scrutiny for his alleged involvement in his son’s sordid business deals. Weiss’ appointment also prevents him from testifying before House Oversight concerning the president’s son, especially the “unholy mess” that unfolded during the proceedings surrounding Hunter Biden's plea agreement. With the roadblocks up, an impeachment inquiry is the only tool left to shatter these obstacles. Law professor Jonathan Turley has more:
Even some liberal pundits are mystified by these moves and why Garland would not simply appoint someone in compliance with the regulations who could guarantee a new and full investigation.
So Weiss is now investigating crimes that continue to dwindle in number due to the long delays in prosecution. It is like waiting for winter to go goose hunting in Canada, long after the geese have flown South. Everyone just gets dressed up and fires aimlessly into an empty sky.
While Hunter still can be charged on the same meager grounds (and possibly the addition of a Foreign Agents Registration Act charge), the alleged fix remains in the Biden investigation.
Now, however, Congress will have a more difficult time getting answers out of Weiss because he can claim he is engaged in an ongoing special counsel investigation, and he can use the eventual special counsel report as much to defend his own actions as to detail any potential crimes.
At the same time, the Biden administration still is resisting the sharing of information with the House, including records held by the National Archives.
For months, I have discussed a potential impeachment of the president with Republican House members and have encouraged them not to repeat the abuses of House Democrats in the use of "snap impeachments" and the discarding of fact hearings in the House Judiciary Committee.
Garland, however, has effectively forced their hands.
With the investigative impediments created by the Weiss appointment and by Garland’s refusal to expressly extend the special counsel’s mandate to the allegations of Biden family influence-peddling, there is little choice but to commence an impeachment inquiry. The authority of the House is at its apex when carrying out its duties under the impeachment clause.
It's your call, Mr. Speaker.
USA David Weiss may be the least qualified, most compromised person to serve as special counsel in faux investigation and non-prosecution of Hunter Biden, but that suits AG Merrick Garland's purposes just fine. I explain the seemingly inexplicable @FDRLST https://t.co/csCoIkAlit pic.twitter.com/wCZeYjE7Ip
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) August 24, 2023
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