Nation

Merrick Garland confirmed as U.S. Attorney General

Published

3 years ago

March 10, 2021

Staff Writer

On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Merrick Garland to the role of U.S. attorney general.

President Joe Biden‘s nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) received overwhelming bipartisan support, with the Senate voting 70-30 in favor of confirming Garland, a federal appeals court judge.

Previously, Garland was put forward by then-President Barack Obama as a moderate nominee to fill the U.S. Supreme Court seat left vacant after conservative Justice Antonin Scalia died in early 2016. However, Senate Republicans led by then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) controversially blocked hearings on his nomination, arguing that no appointments should be made to the Supreme Court during a presidential election year.

“After Donald Trump spent four years—four long years—subverting the powers of the Justice Department for his own political benefit, treating the attorney general like his own personal defense lawyer, America can breathe a sigh of relief that we’re going to have someone like Merrick Garland leading the Justice Department,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) before the vote, per the Associated Press. “Someone with integrity, independence, respect for the rule of law and credibility on both sides of the aisle.”

Even Minority Leader McConnell—despite blocking Garland’s 2016 nomination—said he was voting to confirm the judge due to “his long reputation as a straight shooter and a legal expert” and that his “left-of-center perspective” was still within the legal mainstream, per the AP.

“Let’s hope our incoming attorney general applies that no-nonsense approach to the serious challenges facing the Department of Justice and our nation,” the Kentucky Republican added.

You can follow Douglas Braff on Twitter @Douglas_P_Braff.

Nation

Hunter Biden Faces Devastating Tax Charges, Adding to Legal Woes

Published

2 hours ago

December 8, 2023

Alexander Carter

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In a significant legal blow to President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, a California indictment reveals a litany of tax charges, compounding his legal troubles after his earlier plea of not guilty to federal gun charges. Former Whitewater deputy counsel Sol Wisenberg emphasized on “FOX & Friends” the devastating nature of the indictment, considering it a vindication of IRS whistleblowers.

Furthermore, Wisenberg contends that the indictment could have surfaced much earlier, pointing to the IRS whistleblowers’ struggle to keep the investigation ongoing. The legal battle, which involved Judge Maryellen Noreika in a Delaware courtroom, prevented what Wisenberg calls a “hinky plea deal” from proceeding. According to reports from Fox News, the former counsel believes that the defense attorneys for Hunter Biden may have overreached in their plea deal negotiations, leading to the current legal turmoil.

The California indictment specifically accuses Hunter Biden of failing to pay nearly $200,000 in income tax for the year 2019. This follows his October plea of not guilty to federal gun charges in the District of Delaware, a case originating from a lengthy investigation.

As the legal noose tightens around Hunter Biden, the latest tax charges come at a critical time. House Republican leaders are gearing up for a vote next week on a measure that could formally initiate an impeachment inquiry into President Biden. The proposed inquiry revolves around potential connections between the president and his son’s business dealings, further intensifying the political and legal challenges faced by the Biden family.

The unfolding legal drama poses a serious threat to Hunter Biden’s reputation and, consequently, could impact the Biden administration’s stability as it faces increasing scrutiny from political adversaries.