Below is my column in Fox.com on the flurry of recent filings by Hunter Biden who appears to be channeling Donald Trump in his attacks on prosecutors, whistleblowers and the media.
Here is the column:
Last week, some of us were struck by how Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis seemed to morph into the man she is prosecuting in Georgia. In her mocking, combative testimony February 15, Willis lashed out against the media, the lawyers and many in the public for questioning her ethics in hiring her former lover as lead prosecutor. Where former President Donald Trump was roundly condemned for such testimony in court, Willis was celebrated by many as showing that she is a “great lawyer” and righteous champion.
Now, Hunter Biden also seems to have gone full Trump in court and no one appears to have noticed. In a flurry of motions, Hunter is seeking to dismiss indictments in two states. However, his arguments are strikingly familiar.
He is challenging the appointment of the special counsel, alleging selective prosecution and raising strategic leaks as reasons to strike all of his pending charges. The motions are ripped from the pages of Trump challenges, which were widely panned by the media. No longer.
Hunter has filed a flurry of nine separate motions seeking to dismiss charges against him. His arguments included challenging the authority of special counsel David Weiss as improperly appointed. Hunter maintains that “this prosecution is not legally authorized because David Weiss was unlawfully appointed as Special Counsel and Congress has not appropriated funds for the Special Counsel’s investigation or this prosecution.”
He argues that DOJ regulations instruct the attorney general to appoint a special counsel from outside the government, but Weiss was working as U.S. attorney for Delaware.
During the recent Trump appeal in Washington, there was also a claim that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s work was unconstitutional, though the challenge was based on the absence of an authorizing statute.
Hunter is also arguing selective prosecution and that the Justice Department caved into political pressure to target him despite a lack of criminal evidence. Much like Trump, Hunter is also arguing that leaks showed the bias and hostility of the Justice Department against him.
At the same time, Hunter is pursuing a challenge to the underlying gun law that his father has championed as strengthening gun control laws. Worst yet for many on the left, Hunter is adopting an argument from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and other gun rights groups in calling such laws unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.
Hunter is pursuing the arguments from Bruen v. New York Rifle & Pistol Association, which his father has condemned. He insists that requirements that you not be an actual drug addict run against the history and tradition of the Second Amendment.
If he pushed forward on these claims, Hunter Biden could face opposition from the Biden administration in seeking to expand Second Amendment protections in court. Yet, if successful, he would be the first Biden to be honored by the NRA.
Hunter is also adopting one of the most criticized practices of Trump in attacking the whistleblowers who came forward with allegations against him. Where Trump attacked the whistleblowers in the Ukraine controversy, Hunter has attacked IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler.
Hunter is also arguing selective prosecution and that the Justice Department caved into political pressure to target him despite a lack of criminal evidence. Much like Trump, Hunter is also arguing that leaks showed the bias and hostility of the Justice Department against him.
Of course, adopting the same arguments and rhetoric of Trump does not make you Trump. That appears the critical distinction for many in the media, as it was for Willis. These arguments are being soberly analyzed on media platforms where Trump’s prior arguments were categorically rejected.
The only thing that remains is for Hunter to declare that he is only trying to Make America Great Again by nullifying independent counsels and expanding the Second Amendment. Indeed, it could be the start of a Biden MAGA movement.
Jonathan: So now you are reduced to attacking Hunter Biden because his attorney, Abbe Lowell, is pursuing an aggressive defense against the gun and tax charges. If you were Hunter’s defense attorney you would be doing exactly the same thing.
Your column is a distraction from the real problem. The investigations by Jim Comer and Jim Jordan have collapsed. Alexander Smirnov, Comer’s key witness, turns out to have lied to the FBI. Smirnov’s claim that Hunter accepted a $5 million bride was made up. He now admits his story was fed to him by Russian intelligence agents.
Yesterday James Biden testified before Comer’s Committee that his brother “has never had any involvement” or any “financial interest” in his or Hunter’s business ventures”. No doubt that is what Hunter will say when he testifies. Where does that leave Comer? Up a tree without a paddle! And that is where you stand. Despite a year of you claiming a “vast Biden family corruption scandal” there is no evidence to back it up. Comer has failed you. I say give up the ghost. You have lost the narrative and you’re not going to get it back!
Some people get their ’15 minutes of fame.’ And some demand far more than just 15…..Robert Hunter Biden is one such person.
Hunter Biden is free to defend himself as he wishes.
Is he employing a similar strategy to Trump ? Certainly.
Is Hunter Trying to game the system in much the same way as Trump by FORCING the courts to give him Due Process – Absolutely and he is entitled to do so.
Is Hunter trying to delay any trial or conviction until after the election ? Absolutely and he is entitled to do so.
Though Hunter has a harder row to how as his case has been bogged down for many years already. While nothing against Trump is even a year old.
Ultimately what matters is not what Trump or Hunter SAY but what the FACTS are.
I beleive Hunter’s challenge to Weis is EXACTLY the opposite of Former AG Meis’s amicus challenge to Smith.
Meis argues that because the SC is a superior officer of the United states that he Must be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
I think that argument has a great deal of merit. While I think there is an issue with the president choosing the person who is going to investigate himself or his family, and maybe we can allow the US AG to make the choice in that case, An SC has far more power than a US Attorney and US Attorney’s must be confirmed by the Senate.
At the same time I think appointing an SC to investigate Trump is ERROR. There is no conflict of interests between the Biden DOJ and Trump
SC’s are for when the federal government is investigating itself.
With respect to the Weis appointment – he is a US Attorney ans so WAS appointed by the president and confirmed by the senate.
It is commonplace for presidents to make lateral moves inside their cabinet to fill open positions without having to go through confirmation.
Most of the time I think that is acceptable and constitutional. But I do agree – in principle with Hunter Biden’s argument that a Special Counsel should be appointed from outside the federal govenrment. Frankly I think they should be entirely outside the federal govenrment – i.e. former US attorney’s should not serve as Special counsel.
My thoughts above are mostly about how things SHOULD be. NOT the law and constitution.
I think Meis is correct that Jack Smith’s appointment is error and he should be dismissed. If DOJ wishes to go after politicians from the opposing party – they must do so directly – not by pretending to hide behind the skirts of a Special Counsel they appointed but did not confirm. I believe that is what the constitution and the law require.
Conversely investigating relatives of the president requires a special counsel. If as Hunter claims the law requires that SC to come from outside govenrment – I am fine with that. I think that is a good idea. I think that should be the law if it is not already.
At the same time the SC MUST be confirmed by the senate. We should not be allowing the US AG to appoint a person wielding nearly equal power to the US AG while circumventing the advise and consent provision of the constitution. All US attorney’s must be appointed by the president and confirmed by the senate. And Special counsels specifically can not game the process through a lateral appointment.
Is Hunter Biden free to claim political bias and selective prosecution – Absolutely. Is that True ? Absolutely not, in fact the OPPOSITE is true.
If Hunter were not the former VP and current Presidents son, he would have been investigated, tried, convicted served his time and been released by now.
Absolutely Republicans in the house are going after him because he is the presidents son and because Joe Biden is involved in Hunter’s criminal conduct. But DOJ has gone out of its way to close any doors regarding investigations of Hunter Biden that lead to Joe.
Jonathan, if you find time, please spend it on Julian Assange.
He is the Nelson Mandela in the parlance of Our time.
Maybe a recap of the Criminal procedures he has endured and what would be moving forward.
Thnx
Mises Wire
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞
By: Connor O’Keeffe ~ Wednesday, Feb 21, 2024
https://mises.org/wire/outrageous-persecution-julian-assange
Trip:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pear
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangerine
Absolutely.
It is also way past time to bring Snowden home.
Strike a deal, allow him to plead guilty and commute his sentence.
Julian Assange was only reporting what the CIA shouldn’t have been doing in the first place, but does every minute without recourse
(Free Rein & Free Reign – Unbridled Discretion doctrine).
𝐀𝐜𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐲 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨, 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐬
WikiLeaks founder begins last effort to fight US extradition
Assange’s wife says ‘the world is watching’ extradition appeal hearing
Andrei Molodkin says he has gathered 16 works of art – which he estimates are collectively worth more than $45m – in a 29-tonne safe with an “extremely corrosive” substance.
By; David Mercer – Chief sub-editor ~ February 13th 2024
[Link] news.sky.com/story/acid-to-destroy-masterpieces-by-picasso-rembrandt-and-warhol-if-julian-assange-dies-in-prison-artist-claims-13070078
𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐰
Julian Assange’s lawyer submitted a new registration this week with the Justice Department’s Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) division for his ongoing work on behalf of the embattled Australian WikiLeaks founder.
By: Taylor Giorno ~ 02/08/24
https://thehill.com/homenews/4456658-julian-assange-lawyer-submits-new-registration-under-foreign-agent-law/
𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞’𝐬 𝐔𝐒 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧, 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡
The court is not expected to reach a verdict in Assange’s case until March at the earliest
By: Landon Mion – Fox News ~ February 22, 2024
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/julian-assanges-us-extradition-hearing-wraps-up-london-decision-not-expected-until-least-next-month
𝐈𝐅 Trump receives multiple Criminal Convictions, what would be the chances of Him being released from Custody?
He hold knowledge of ‘State Secrets’ much the same as Julian Assange.