Come on, people. The appointment of Weiss as special counsel for Hunter Biden was brilliant.

[Ocelot II]

It's not a new prosecution at all. What it means is that now Weiss is independent of the DoJ and the GOPers in Congress can't credibly complain that "Biden's DoJ" is pulling the strings.

[Deuxcents]

1. Will Weiss appointment appease maga?

Please remind me of what the Durham report was about..I’m thinking Hunter Biden was the subject of that

[kimbutgar]

4. Weiss was a Orange maggot appointee in 2018

So I’m not confident he will be an honest Special counsel because he might be a cult partisan.

[Tickle]

49. Are you kidding me?

Who appointed him

[Ocelot II]

5. It won't appease them because now the investigation is not under the control

of the DoJ. It wan't intended to appease them. There might be some other issues that are investigated but the GOP can't complain that Garland or Biden is calling the shots.

[Recycle_Guru]

6. no. was avout how FBI conducted 2016 Russia - Trump investigation

[Deuxcents]

13. Thanks..I just looked it up..so much going on

I got confused

[allegorical oracle]

25. It's confusing. Legal folks on MSNBC say this is worse for Biden; he has "exposure for a

broader array of acts that he may have been involved in." And now has to stand trial.

[BlueIdaho]

40. Are you referring to President Biden?

THNX.

[Johnny2X2X]

2. So

The prosecutor who just caved to GOP talking points and voided the deal he had made with Hunter's lawyers, now if free from any DOJ oversight at all. And you think that's a good thing?

Spin City.

[Ocelot II]

8. Prosecutors just agreed to dismiss the tax charges without prejudice.

Maybe to be refiled in a different venue?

[Johnny2X2X]

14. The judge voided the plea bargain

It was voided because the proscutor was basically lying about continuing to investigate Hunter for being an unlicensed foreing agent. A total reneg on their deal as a direct result of Republican meddling.

This just guarenteed Weiss will continue to investigate Hunter through the 2024 election.

[Celerity]

18. They're likely going to trial on the taxes now, thus increasing the peril for Hunter, per all on the

MSNBC panel.

[Ocelot II]

20. I bet there will be a plea deal eventually, it just won't be as good the first one.

[jcgoldie]

3. Meh

House republicans will not change their tune. Whether their complaints are “credible” is not going to matter to any of their intended audience in my opinion.

[tulipsandroses]

7. We just don't know. Joyce Vance just said it could be that they have other evidence

and if so then may go to trial

[FSogol]

10. GOP's "other evidence" is nothing more than wishful thinking and fantasy speculations.

In other words, no evidence.

[tulipsandroses]

23. We can't know for sure that there are no legal violations

for Hunter. Trying to link President Biden to anything is BS. But if there is evidence that Hunter was operating as a foreign agent. We just don’t know.
Whether Hunter is in violation of anything, it’s still outrageous that they are doing this. He is a private citizen. But keeping the case in the media they get to keep suggesting that President Biden is guilty of something .

[Demsrule86]

35. He paid his taxes late...if he was anyone else, he would have paid a fine and be on his merry way.

[NowISeetheLight]

36. Gun Charge

I think the big issue with the plea was the gun charge. The tax deal was fairly routine and he did pay it all off already. I thought I read somewhere where the judge was questioning why the gun charge was "bundled" with the tax charge. Deferment programs that lead to a downgrade of charge level (from felony to misdemeanor) are also fairly common.

[Ocelot II]

15. If there's other evidence, so be it. But however it shakes down,

using a special counsel takes the case out from under the direct control of the DoJ and the GOP can't claim Biden or Garland has their thumb on the scale. Hunter might get stuck on the tax charge at trial (venue was a problem), but the law applies to him like everybody else. Andrea Mitchell, of course, claims that it's terrible for Joe Biden, but then she would. It's not clear to anyone why the plea deal fell apart. I think there will eventually be a plea deal, if not as favorable as the original one.

[Brainfodder]

16. That works for me too, show up TFG crowd by appearing to treat Hunter like a normal defendant?

No one giving Hunter special treatment and absurd lawsuits blocking it for eternity?


Awaiting TFG and his phony crazy BS to get wilder to try to compete with all the wall to wall Hunter coverage about to hit?

[dalton99a]

9. They'll rant and rave no matter what

[BlueMTexpat]

41. This!!!

That is all they know how to do.

[Celerity]

12. this is part is potentially not correct

It's not a new prosecution at all.

On MSNBC they are (as I type) talking about potential NEW charges for failure to register as a foreign agent (and perhaps other things as apparently the investigation is being widened), and they are also now very likely going to trial on the tax charges as they cannot agree on a plea deal.

All the panel agrees this is a bad day for Hunter Biden, unfortunately.

[Ocelot II]

17. Those things were always under investigation, so not really new;

Weiss always had said there was an ongoing investigation. They hadn't venued the tax case properly, so it's still the same case if it's refiled in a different venue.

[Celerity]

24. Yes, but the failure to register as a foreign agent would be a new charge.

[Ocelot II]

26. I assume that always has been under investigation, just hadn't been charged yet.

[Celerity]

32. Yes, that may be true, but it would be a new prosecution.. which is why I replied intially.

you said in your OP:

It's not a new prosecution at all.

Which is, as I intially replied, incorrect IF they do charge and prosecute him for failing to regester as a foreign agent. He has not been charged/prosecuted for that before, thus by simple definition and basic logic it would be a new prosecution.

[bigtree]

19. exactly

Aug. 11, 2023, 12:34 p.m.
Michael S. Schmidt

One of the most powerful provisions in place for a special counsel is a trigger related to Congress. If a special counsel wants to take an investigative move that is overruled by higher ups at the Justice Department, the department is required to report that to Congress. This type of provision is designed to give a special counsel the freedom to follow the facts without fear of undue influence.

[ZonkerHarris]

21. It is an elegant move

[comradebillyboy]

22. My opinion of Merrick Garland diminishes daily.

I never understood why Obama wanted him on the Supreme Court and I was dumbfounded when Joe made him AG.

[jcgoldie]

28. Obama chose him because he was seen as a centrist

He thought he was an apolitical choice that McConnell couldn’t justify grandstanding against. Mitch replied, “hold my beer.”

[comradebillyboy]

30. Not one of Obama's better moves in my opinion.

[calguy]

33. If you have a memory, it didn't matter what move Obama made

Moscow Mitch had already declared that he wouldn't consider ANY SCOTUS nomination Obama was going to make.

[nowforever]

45. Obama was weak

He should have protested and fought to have his nomination forwarded. McConnell could have been forced to move his nomination with real political pressure. The choice of Garland for AG by Biden was serious error, like Obama allowing Comey to remain FBI head. Democrats need to learn how to play hardball instead of being the nice guys. Biden I think has finally figured that out.

[SheilaAnn]

37. Thank you...n/t

[agingdem]

27. once the maggots took the House, Garland knew he had to

get the January 6/stolen documents investigations as far away from Jordan and McCarthy..they had already demanded all documentation regarding the two investigations be turned over ASAP...Garland politely told them to go fuck themselves...he then appointed Jack Smith special counsel, allowing the investigations to continue uninterrupted ...and this is precisely what Garland did when he appointed Weiss special counsel...Comer, Jordan, Greene, McCarthy can bray like the asses they are but "they can't touch this"...

contrary to what a MSNBC panel asserts...this is not a bad day for Hunter Biden...

[Ocelot II]

31. Whatever Hunter may have done, *he* did it - Joe didn't.

And now, according to MSNBC, Jim Jordan is having a hissy fit about this appointment, claims Weiss can't be trusted! LOL! Let Weiss keep investigating; it won't turn up any evidence against Joe, and if Hunter really is guilty of something he should be treated like everyone else.

[agingdem]

34. never let it be said Merrick Garland does not have a sense of humor!!!

[Sugarcoated]

47. Then it's a smart move

I'm okay with it for that reason

[50 Shades Of Blue]

29. This won't change a thing AFA the GOP is concerned.

[Tickle]

38. soon we can put this talk all

to bed. I hope.

[LexVegas]

39. "can't credibly complain". That'll stop 'em. nt

[BumRushDaShow]

42. And the GOP is now whining, gnashing teeth, and rending garments

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143113479

[Cheezoholic]

43. I think the biggest harm is going to be that group of voters

that are always saying the whole system is corrupt, both sides do it, why even vote. There are a lot of voters who feel that way as lazy of an excuse not to vote that it is. In that sense it could help Repukes.

[tiredtoo]

44. Good

If Hunter Biden is found guilty of any crime, let him pay the penalty. NO ONE is above the law.

[Deminpenn]

46. Wouldn't go that far

Weiss ASKED to be named special counsel. When considering this request, I'd have considered that Weiss wrote a poor plea agreement that was either misleading to Hunter Biden/his attorneys or an outright lie. It was so bad, the judge, after asking basic questions, discovered both parties had completely different understandings of it and refused to accept it.

It might have been politically expedient to appoint a special counsel, but I'd have found a non-partisan R prosecutor (I'm sure there's a few out there) and named that person.

If I were Pres Biden, I'd make it clear to Weiss that he cannot be BOTH a special counsel and contimue as the USA for Delaware. Remember Jack Smith resigned his position at The Hague when he was appointed special counsel.

[Catherine Vincent]

48. Trump and company want Hunter Biden bs in the media 24/7

To try and ease up on all of Trump's many crimes. I always notice right wing sources, when talking about Hunter Biden, they just use Biden. Think they're slick.