Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, special counsel for the ongoing Hunter Biden investigation, is using a grand jury in California to collect evidence and recently subpoenaed James Biden, CNN reports.
Hunter Biden’s uncle and business partner, James Biden, is one of the individuals subpoenaed in fall 2023, two unnamed sources close to the investigation told CNN in a Thursday report. (RELATED: Special Counsel Investigating Biden Classified Docs Reportedly Unlikely To Charge Anybody)
The investigation focuses on Hunter Biden’s failure to pay taxes by IRS deadlines, as described in his failed guilty plea agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ), the outlet reported. Attorneys for Hunter and James Biden declined to comment to CNN.
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE – JULY 26: Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, arrives to the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building on July 26, 2023 in Wilmington, Delaware. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Hunter Biden was expected to plead guilty in July to two tax misdemeanors and sign a pretrial diversion agreement for a felony gun charge in Delaware. (RELATED: Hunter Biden Demands Court Authorize Subpoena For Donald Trump, Accuses Republicans Of ‘Interference’ In Prosecution)
His plea deal collapsed in court because Delaware U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika scrutinized a prosecutorial immunity provision contained in his pretrial diversion agreement. The DOJ prosecutor in the courtroom admitted to Noreika the immunity provision was unprecedented.
Noreika’s pressure caused a dispute between Biden’s defense counsel and the DOJ about whether Hunter Biden’s potential prosecutorial immunity would shield him from Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) charges. As a result, Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to the tax charges.
Weiss became special counsel in August after Hunter Biden’s plea deal collapsed and two IRS whistleblowers testified before Congress with allegations of special treatment given to Hunter Biden. Witness testimony and documents released by the House Ways and Means Committee have confirmed allegations central to the IRS whistleblower testimony.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 19: (L-R) Supervisory IRS Special Agent Gary Shapley and IRS Criminal Investigator Joseph Ziegler testify during a House Oversight Committee hearing related to the Justice Department’s investigation of Hunter Biden, on Capitol Hill July 19, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Weiss proceeded to file a motion to dismiss Hunter Biden’s Delaware tax charges to potentially charge him in D.C. or the Central District of California. Noreika approved Weiss’ motion and the tax charges were dismissed. Weiss has not leveled new tax charges against Hunter Biden.
Biden-appointed U.S. attorneys for the District of Columbia and Central District of California both testified in October and confirmed they decided against partnering with Weiss on potentially charging Hunter Biden, according to transcripts reviewed by the Daily Caller.
Weiss testified before the House Judiciary Committee in November and confirmed both U.S. attorneys declined to partner with him on the case, according to a transcript reviewed by the Daily Caller.
Hunter Biden was indicted in September on three federal gun charges in connection with his October 2018 purchase of a firearm in Delaware while he battled a drug addiction. He pleaded not guilty to the charges at an Oct. 3 arraignment.
The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Hunter and James Biden on Nov. 8 to appear for depositions in December. Multiple former business associates of Hunter Biden have also been subpoenaed to appear for depositions.
In September, the Oversight Committee subpoenaed Hunter and James Biden’s personal and business bank records for its ongoing investigation into the Biden family’s foreign business enterprise. (RELATED: Comer Unveils Bank Records Showing Joe Biden Received $40,000 Of ‘Laundered’ Chinese Money)
The Biden family and its business associates brought in more than $24 million from foreign sources, according to a September House memo.