Did William Barr Side With Hunter Biden Over Trump? Ex-AG Says Special Counsel Not Needed

Outgoing Attorney General William Barr on Monday rejected the idea of appointing a special counsel to investigate President-elect Joe Biden’s son Hunter or the 2020 election.

President Donald Trump and some Republican lawmakers have largely criticized Barr for having not revealed the investigation into Biden’s son prior to the election. Many urged the attorney general to convert the probe into a special counsel inquiry. Barr said he has found “no reason” to appoint a special counsel.

“I think to the extent there’s an investigation, I think that it’s being handled responsibly and professionally currently within the department,” Barr said. “If I thought a special counsel at this stage was a right tool and was appropriate, I would name one, but I haven't and I'm not going to.”

Earlier this month, Hunter Biden revealed that Delaware prosecutors collaborated with the IRS Criminal Investigation agency and the FBI to investigate him for tax-related issues.

“I learned yesterday for the first time that the U.S. Attorney's Office in Delaware advised my legal counsel, also yesterday, that they are investigating my tax affairs,” Hunter Biden said in a statement released Dec. 9. “I take this matter very seriously but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors.”

U.S. prosecutors are investigating whether Hunter violated tax and money laundering laws in his business dealings with foreign countries, including China. Some of his transactions raised counterintelligence concerns, according to two people with knowledge of the probe.

Barr will be replaced by Jeffrey Rosen, who has served under him for more than a year. As deputy attorney general, Rosen was tasked with overseeing the day-to-day operations of federal prisons and FBI offices across the nation, and has remained largely on the sidelines regarding heavily politicized matters.

It is unclear whether Trump plans to put pressure on Rosen, who will lead the Justice Department until Inauguration Day on Jan. 20. Rosen has yet to signal a decision on whether to appoint a special counsel to oversee the investigation. However, he has held discussions about the possible effects of appointing one, a person familiar with the meetings said.