By Makini Brice and Andrew Goudsward
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Special Counsel David Weiss, who is leading the probe into President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden, is appearing on Tuesday for a closed-door interview with the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee, amid an impeachment inquiry into Biden.
Weiss has headed an investigation into Hunter Biden, 53, since 2019.
Originally nominated during Republican President Donald Trump’s administration, he was allowed to remain in place under Biden.
Weiss has charged Hunter Biden with crimes related to owning a firearm while using illegal drugs.
The president’s son has said he struggled with addictions to alcohol and crack cocaine. Those charges came after a plea deal over misdemeanor criminal tax and gun charges collapsed.
House Republicans allege the Justice Department improperly interfered with the investigation of Biden, whose brushes with the law are a central focus of their impeachment inquiry into President Biden.
The White House has denied wrongdoing.
Democrats say the impeachment inquiry is politically motivated.
Weiss, the first special counsel to testify in Congress before his final report is completed, is expected to push back against comments by two whistleblowers from the Internal Revenue Service tax agency, who say he told officials at a meeting that he did not have final authority on deciding to bring charges as part of his probe.
Weiss is expected to tell lawmakers he has had and continues to have full authority over his investigation, according to a spokesperson. It is not clear when his report will be concluded.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan told reporters ahead of the interview that congressional investigators would be focused on inconsistencies in Weiss’ statements to lawmakers.
“There’ll be some other things we’ll try to get to,” he said, adding that they plan to make transcripts from Tuesday’s interview public.
In keeping with Justice Department policy, Weiss will not address specifics about his probe.
Democrats participating in the interview sharply criticized it, saying Republicans’ questions were misleading and labeling the meeting a waste of time.
“Mr. Weiss just confirmed the fact that he had ultimate independent authority to charge whatever charges he deemed to be appropriate,” Democratic lawmaker Daniel Goldman said.
At least 10 current and former officials from the FBI, IRS and Justice Department have testified behind closed doors as part of lawmakers’ probe.
Attorney General Merrick Garland also testified before the House Judiciary Committee in a public hearing in September.
The impeachment inquiry has been cheered on by Trump, who is the leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination to take on Biden again in the 2024 election.
Trump was also the first U.S. president to be impeached twice. The Senate acquitted him both times.
Trump is facing four criminal indictments for charges related to his business activities, mishandling of classified documents and attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
It is not clear if the full House of Representatives, controlled by a narrow 221-212 Republican majority, would support impeaching Biden.
(Reporting by Makini Brice and Andrew Goudsward; additional reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Scott Malone and Jonathan Oatis)
