According to Mediaite, Hunter Biden’s legal team has taken a bold step in his federal case, requesting subpoenas for former President Donald Trump, former Attorney General Bill Barr, and others. The move comes in response to what Biden’s team characterizes as “incessant, improper, and partisan pressure” exerted on the case during Trump’s presidency.
In addition to Trump and Barr, the legal filing targets former Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue and former Acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. The request alleges that these individuals brought unwarranted attention to Biden’s case for partisan motives. The filing specifically cites a “dedicated channel at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh to receive information about Mr. Biden coming from then President Trump’s personal attorney, Rudolph Giuliani, and his associates.”
The filing points to public reports suggesting that Trump applied relentless pressure on Rosen, Donoghue, and Barr regarding the investigation into Hunter Biden. Notably, it references handwritten notes from Deputy Attorney General Donoghue detailing a call with Trump and Acting Attorney General Rosen on December 27, 2020. The notes indicate that Trump instructed them to “figure out what to do with H[unter] Biden” and insisted that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would face criticism if Hunter Biden wasn’t investigated seriously.
Furthermore, the legal filing includes an account from Barr’s latest book, recalling a confrontation in mid-October 2020 where Trump inquired about the Hunter Biden investigation. According to Barr, the conversation concluded with him vehemently telling Trump, “Dammit, Mr. President, I am not going to talk to you about Hunter Biden. Period!”
The legal document argues that incidents like these go beyond mere appearances, suggesting that Trump persistently pressured the Department of Justice (DOJ) to pursue an investigation and prosecution of Hunter Biden to further his partisan objectives.
The filing also brings attention to Trump’s social media posts expressing a desire for increased pressure on the Hunter Biden case, including advocating for sentencing the president’s son to death for alleged crimes. This inclusion underscores the legal team’s argument that Trump’s influence on the case extended beyond private interactions.
This move by Hunter Biden’s legal team represents a strategic effort to shed light on the alleged interference and influence exerted by Trump and others on the investigation, positioning the case within the broader context of partisan pressures within the DOJ. The potential issuance of subpoenas raises anticipation for the legal drama that may unfold, adding another layer to the complex relationship between politics and the justice system.
[P]ublic reporting reveals certain instances that appear to suggest incessant, improper, and partisan pressure applied by then President Trump to Messrs. Rosen, Donoghue, and Barr in relation to an investigation of Mr. Biden. For example, on December 27, 2020, then Deputy Attorney General Donoghue took handwritten notes of a call with President Trump and Acting Attorney General Rosen, showing that Mr. Trump instructed Mr. Rosen and Mr. Donoghue to “figure out what to do with H[unter] Biden” and indicating Mr. Trump insisted that “people will criticize the DOJ if he’s not investigated for real.”
Additionally, former Attorney General Barr’s latest book recalls an instance in mid-October 2020 in which President Trump called Mr. Barr and inquired about the investigation of Mr. Biden, which Mr. Barr says ended with Mr. Barr yelling at Mr. Trump, “Dammit, Mr. President, I am not going to talk to you about Hunter Biden. Period!”
