WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sometime this week we expect former President Donald Trump to surrender to Georgia authorities on charges he tried to change that state’s election results. Republicans claim the justice department is being weaponized against Trump but with a recent special counsel appointed to investigate President Biden’s own son, Hunter Biden, political analysts say otherwise.
After a years long investigation into President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, into his personal and business records, including his foreign deals, drug use and finances, it seemed like a plea agreement was reached. But a couple of weeks ago in a Delaware courthouse that agreement fell through.
Afterwards, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced a special counsel was appointed David Weiss to further investigate Hunter Biden. Garland said Weiss believed the investigation has reached a point where the powers of a special counsel is needed.
“The appointment of Mr. Weiss reinforces for the American people the department’s commitment to both independence and accountability in particularly sensitive matters,” said Garland.
Republicans have accused the DOJ and the Biden administration of weaponizing the federal government, particularly against former President Trump who now faces four separate indictments. Since taking control of the House, republicans formed a subcommittee focusing just on that: the weaponization of the federal government.
“The committee on the weaponization of the government and justice department over eight weeks has yet to find anything,” said George Washington University professor and director of political management, Todd Belt. “Nothing that they’ve been able to get to stick to the Biden administration. Now we have this special counsel and it’s actually what they have been asking for so this continues the narrative a bit but how this plays out? We will have to see.”
Belt said Garland’s announcement to create a special counsel is something republicans have always wanted but it might have the opposite impact they were looking for.
“For the Biden administration this is actually strangely really good,” said Belt. “There’s always going to be Hunter Biden murmurs during the campaign but now the Biden administration can say look we’re not weaponizing the justice department because the president’s own son is under investigation. This helps to establish what Joe Biden has said that the regular order of government is everyone is equal under the law including president trump and that helps him make this case.”
