US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is threatening a possible impeachment of Attorney General Merrick Garland over alleged political bias and what Republicans are calling the “weaponization” of the Justice Department (DoJ).
The potential impeachment stems from two IRS whistleblowers’ claims that the agency slow-walked its investigation into US President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.
“We need to get to the facts, and that includes reconciling these clear disparities. US Attorney David Weiss must provide answers to the House Judiciary Committee,” McCarthy tweeted on Sunday. “If the whistleblowers’ allegations are true, this will be a significant part of a larger impeachment inquiry into Merrick Garland’s weaponization of [the DoJ].”
The comments were a departure from McCarthy’s previous comments about Republican impeachment efforts.
McCarthy earlier commented that any impeachment considerations would not be politically motivated and would not be "fast-tracked." Instead, he said House Committees would be allowed to investigate and any official under their investigations would be given a chance to defend themselves to those committees.
The investigation into Hunter Biden was led by Delaware US District Attorney David Weiss, and has since resulted in the Biden son pleading guilty to two charges of willful failure to pay income tax. Additionally, Hunter entered a pretrial diversion program that will result in the dropping of an unlawful possession of a firearm charge if he stays out of trouble and completes certain requirements.
Republicans have complained the agreement was too lenient compared to individuals charged with similar crimes. Garland has denied Hunter Biden received any special treatment because of his status as the president's son.
The two FBI whistleblowers, Gary Shapley and an unnamed agent, claimed in testimony released by the House Ways and Means Committee last week that the agency intentionally moved slowly in its case against Hunter, a claim McCarthy denies.
“As I said from the moment of my appointment as attorney general, I would leave this matter in the hands of the United States attorney — who was appointed by the previous president and assigned to this matter by the previous administration — that he would be given full authority to decide the matter as he decided was appropriate, and that’s what he’s done,” Garland said last week.
The FBI has also been accused of retaliating against the whistleblowers and last week, Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) sent a letter to Weiss in response to a June 7 letter Weiss sent to the committee that seem to contradict some of the FBI whistleblowers’ accounts of the investigation.
US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and six co-sponsors filed articles of impeachment against Garland in May.