Attorney General Merrick Garland provided testimony to the House Judiciary Committee on Sept. 20.
Attorney General Merrick Garland says he doesn’t remember whether he discussed Hunter Biden’s case with the FBI.
During his Sept. 20 testimony to the House Judiciary Committee, Mr. Garland was asked about allegations that the Department of Justice (DOJ) had used its power to protect Mr. Biden and the first family from an IRS tax crime probe.
On June 26, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) revealed allegations claiming that higher-ups at the DOJ and IRS had sought, through various means, to protect Mr. Biden from an investigation over a million-dollar tax crime case.
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) asked Mr. Garland whether he had “talked to anyone at FBI HQ about the Hunter Biden investigation.”
“I don’t recollect the answer to that,” Mr. Garland replied.
“You don’t recollect whether you’ve talked to anyone at FBI HQ about an investigation into the president’s son?” Mr. Johnson asked.
“I don’t believe that I did,” Mr. Garland said.
The answer spoke to a common theme throughout Mr. Garland’s hearing with the committee, during which he repeatedly demurred, citing a lack of awareness regarding questions’ subjects or referring to “ongoing investigations.”
The DOJ and FBI have faced a series of accusations of politically motivated conduct since President Joe Biden took office, including, most recently, allegations that it sought to protect Mr. Hunter Biden and his family.
Mr. Garland rejected those allegations in his opening comments.
Allegations Against DOJ
In their June disclosures, two whistleblowers, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, claimed that the two agencies had taken steps to “slow-walk” and prevent the investigation from moving forward, with an assistant U.S. attorney reportedly citing the political “optics” of such a move.
Mr. Shapley said in his testimony that “career DOJ officials dragged their feet on the IRS taking … investigative steps” that would have been normal in any other investigation.
By Joseph Lord
