DOJ’s Lenient Treatment of Hunter Biden
- CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig highlighted a recurring pattern with the Department of Justice (DOJ) towards Hunter Biden.
- The DOJ has shown a pattern of initially adopting a more lenient approach, which it subsequently retracts under the weight of public scrutiny or disclosures from whistleblowers. This sequence of events creates the perception that the DOJ is actively safeguarding Hunter Biden’s interests.
- Honig characterized the DOJ’s actions as bewildering, resulting in a complex predicament that necessitates resolution. Such a situation could potentially carry adverse implications for the 2024 Presidential campaign of the Bidens.
While On CNN’s “The Lead,” Honig said:
“They’re just about to lock in that lenient disposition, and then there arises pressure, either through whistleblower testimony or through public scrutiny, and then, DOJ backs off and says, actually, we’re not going to do that now that it’s been called out, we’re going to try to up it a little bit.”
Honig added, “[The] only way to restore any credibility” is to charge Hunter with everything they can and go to trial.
Honig continued, “[I]t’s really inexplicable to me. First, we had basically five years of behind-the-scenes investigation with no transparency, no action, and some questions being asked, what’s taken so long? But in the last couple of months, we’ve seen a pattern here.”
Adding, “And then they go all the way to appointing a special counsel, the same guy who’s been presiding over the case for five-plus years already. So, I genuinely am perplexed by what DOJ’s doing here.”
He added, “So, if I’m in David Weiss’ shoes here — heaven help me — I would just say, look, we’re charging everything we have, we’re not in position to make a deal, it’ll go to trial, and we’ll let the jury decide this. I think that’s the only way to restore any credibility to this matter.”
The Influence of Whistleblowers and Public Pressure
- The shift in the DOJ’s approach seems to be triggered by either whistleblower testimony or public scrutiny.
- These influences have led the DOJ to back off from their initial leniency, attempting to toughen their stance, and even appointing a special counsel who had been overseeing the case for over five years.
Restoring Credibility through Trial
- Honig stressed that the restoration of credibility to the situation hinged upon a trial. Nevertheless, the likelihood of this outcome seemed contingent upon the pursuit of substantial charges against Hunter, supported by the presentation of evidence sourced from photographs unearthed within Hunter Biden’s laptop, pertaining to any conceivable criminal activities.
- He criticized the DOJ’s vacillating approach and proposed that they should charge Hunter with everything possible and let the jury decide.
- In his perspective, the inconsistent approach of the Department of Justice (DOJ) has exacerbated the situation and eroded faith in the process.
- In the eyes of many, the DOJ has consistently given the impression of prioritizing the protection of Hunter Biden over the pursuit of legal proceedings against him.
