Biden-Appointed Prosecutor Admits He Declined To Prosecute Hunter Biden For Tax Crimes

Martin Estrada, a Joe Biden-appointed U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, admitted that he refused to cooperate with Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss in the Hunter Biden case.

California U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada confirmed claims by whistleblowers that he declined to prosecute Hunter Biden for tax crimes.

But bizarrely claimed he was 'resource-strapped' and didn't have enough lawyers to handle the case.

No one’s buying that.…

— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) October 27, 2023

According to a review of his testimony, Estrada revealed that he became aware of the Hunter Biden investigation in his district in late September 2022 or early October 2022.

From CBS News:

“My understanding was that Mr. Weiss had been doing this investigation for several years, was leading the investigation, and would bring charges if he believed they were appropriate,” Estrada told the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee, according to the transcript of the closed-door interview.

U.S. Attorney for Central California, E. Martin Estrada, told Congress that David Weiss had full authority to pursue criminal tax charges against Hunter Biden in the state, but declined partnership with his office, according to records reviewed by CBS News https://t.co/W9nYTNK29m

— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 28, 2023

Two FBI officials assigned to the Hunter Biden investigation also told the committee earlier this year that they did not recall Weiss telling investigators he did not have authority to push the case forward himself.

Referencing limited resources, Estrada, who was appointed by President Biden to be one of California’s U.S. attorneys, said he declined requests made by Weiss, to partner with his office as co-counsel in the prosecution. But he did offer administrative resources and office space to Weiss’ staff.

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A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Delaware declined to comment.

As the Republican-led congressional investigations into Hunter Biden’s finances and business ventures have pressed forward, one critical question has centered on whether senior Biden administration officials took any steps to impede or disrupt criminal probes into the president’s son.

IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, a case agent previously assigned to the Hunter Biden investigation told lawmakers that they recommended federal charges be brought against Hunter Biden at the conclusion of their tax investigation but were told prosecutors in Delaware could not pursue charges in other jurisdictions and that Weiss had been denied special counsel status at the time. They alleged intentional slow-walking and “an undeniable pattern of preferential treatment” in the federal probe.

“There were really earth-shaking statements made by David Weiss,” Shapley said in an exclusive interview with CBS News earlier this year. “And the first one was that he is not the deciding person on whether or not charges are filed,” the whistleblower added. “It was just shocking to me.”

From Politico:

Weiss and Hunter Biden’s lawyers came close to reaching a plea deal this summer that would have resolved the tax issues. But after the deal collapsed, Attorney General Merrick Garland made Weiss a special counsel, formalizing his ability to bring criminal charges anywhere in the country.

Weiss charged Biden with gun crimes last month in Delaware, and he has indicated in court documents that he may soon file tax charges in California. But so far, no tax charges have been brought.

🚨BREAKING: Hunter Biden has INDICTED by the special counsel David Weiss on felony gun charges.

He was indicted for lying about being on drugs when he bought a gun. pic.twitter.com/2tBmwlTnJH

— Real Mac Report (@RealMacReport) September 14, 2023