Tipsheet

Report: A Special Counsel for Hunter Biden Could Still Happen

Katie Pavlich
Katie Pavlich  |  December 24, 2020 2:00 PM

Earlier this week former Attorney General Bill Barr, whose last day was Wednesday, said he had no plans to appoint a Special Counsel to take over the criminal investigation into Hunter Biden's foreign dealings. Currently, Biden is being investigated by Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss. 

"To the extent that there is an investigation I think it's being handled responsibly and professionally currently within the Department and to this point I have not seen a reason to appoint a Special Counsel and I have no plan to do so before I leave," Barr said during a press conference at the Department of Justice. "I'm hoping that the next administration handles that matter responsibly."

But according to a Fox News report, the matter is still being debated and a Special Counsel could still be appointed. 

High level officials within the Justice Department are in "ongoing discussions" on whether to appoint a special counsel to take over the investigation into Hunter Biden, with some believing it is "warranted," two sources familiar told Fox News Wednesday. 

One source familiar told Fox News on Wednesday that it is an "open discussion." 

"It is an ongoing discussion," the source told Fox News. "No decisions have been made either way."

Another source told Fox News that some high level DOJ officials believe a special counsel is "warranted," and cited the special counsel statute. 

"It was passed to deal with a potential conflict of interest of the attorney general or the president of the United States," the source told Fox News. "A president-elect coming in, where his appointed attorneys will be investigating his son? That’s textbook conflict." 

Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden contiues his refusal to answer questions about the matter and says he will not addressing the issue with his candidates for Attorney General. He's also calling allegations against Hunter Biden "Russian disinformation" despite his son's confirmation of the DOJ investigation.