Grassley says a DOZEN whistleblowers came forward to report on Hunter

2023-03-01

More than a DOZEN whistleblowers came forward to claim Hunter Biden was involved in ‘potentially criminal’ activity, Republican Senator reveals for the first time during grilling of AG Merrick Garland

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) brought up the Hunter probe during hearing
He said the whistleblowers brought ‘potentially criminal information’ forward
Sen. Ted Cruz wanted assurances probe would focus on ‘public corruption’

Sen. Charles Grassley said at a Wednesday hearing with Attorney General Merrick Garland that more than a dozen ‘whistleblowers’ have provided ‘potentially criminal’ information about Hunter Biden to the FBI.

The Republican from Iowa told Garland – who was testifying on Capitol Hill for the first time this year – that the Justice Department must review the president’s son, who was subject to a federal probe involving tax matters and a potentially false statement on a form for a gun purchase.

‘Recent lawfully protected whistleblower disclosures to my office indicate that the Justice Department and FBI had at one time over a dozen sources that provided potentially criminal information relating to Hunter Biden,’ said Grassley, who has a long record of dealing with whistleblowers in the Senate.

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) said at a Senate hearing more than a dozen ‘whistleblowers’ brought forward information about Hunter Biden

It came during a tense hearing where Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) blasted Garland for the failure to arrest abortion rights protesters outside the homes of Supreme Court justices.

‘The alleged volume and similarity of information would demand that the Justice Department investigate the truth and accuracy of the information,’ he said, reading from a prepared statement with questions for the AG.

‘Accordingly, what steps has the Justice Department taken to determine the truth and accuracy of the information provided?” he asked Garland. ‘Congress and the American people have a right to know,’ he intoned.

Grassley and other panel members know that Garland can’t comment in detail on ongoing investigations, but used the hearing to get public commitments, nonetheless.

‘I have pledged not to interfere with that investigation,’ Garland told Grassley, 89, who was reelected in November to an 8th term.

When he took office, Garland kept Delaware US Attorney David Weiss, a Trump-holdover, in place to insulate the probe from appearances of a conflict of interest in an investigation of the president’s son.

Grassley wanted to know if the US Attorney would need sign-off from Biden-appointed officials to charge an alleged crime in another jurisdiction, such as California or Washington, D.C.

Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) shouts questions at U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland

Grassley tried to get AG Merrick Garland to say the US Attorney in Delaware would have the ability to bring charges in other jurisdictions

Several senators brought up Hunter Biden at the hearing, although the event encompassed housing of trans prisoners, crime, and fentanyl

Garland spent hours fielding hostile questions from Republicans who accused him of bias despite what he said were efforts to stand back from charged probes

The question hinted at other potential areas of a probe that could involve public corruption – allegations Grassley and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) made in a report and letter including 220 pages of bank records days before the November elections.

‘I have pledged not to interfere with that investigation, and I have carried through on my pledge,’ Garland told him.

‘I promised to leave the matter of Hunter Biden in the hands of US Attorney for Delaware,’ Garland told Grassley.

Grassley asked Garland flat-out whether Weiss had ‘sought permission of another US Attorney’s Office, such as in the District of Columbia or California, to bring charges?’ and whether or not it was denied.

‘I don’t know the answer to that,’ Garland told him.

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz also brought up the Hunter Biden investigation, in an angry question period where he accused Garland and the Justice Department of bias in the review of Trump over January 6 and classified documents.

‘I believe you very much want to indict Donald J. Trump,’ he told Garland, despite his repeated statements of trying to stand back and avoid interference. He has appointed special counsels in both matters.

He accused DOJ of leaking information about the Hunter Biden probe as a ‘predicate’ for indicting Trump, demonstrating impartiality, and proving the department is ‘even-handed.’

Then he asked that the Hunter probe not focus on the president’s son’s battles with addiction, and focus instead on ‘connections to his father and potential public corruption. That is the matter of public concern.’

He asked Garland to commit to examining the ‘public corruption aspect’ and ‘not simply scapegoat Hunter Biden as an individual.’

The gun investigation relates to Hunter Biden’s attestation on a 2018 handgun purchase form not to be ‘an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance.’

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