Originally published July 26, 2023 8:06 am PDT
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) have issued a formal letter of inquiry to the Department of Justice (DOJ), concerning what they argue to be a failure on the part of the DOJ to uphold the rights of victims allegedly sexually exploited by Hunter Biden.
According to a press release issued by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee On Oversight and Accountability, Reps. Comer and Greene expressed concern that the DOJ neglected to charge Biden with more serious crimes, stating, “DOJ appears to have ignored its own policies by only charging Hunter Biden with two misdemeanor tax charges.”
They further pointed out their worries that the DOJ “disregarded the victims who were sexually exploited by Hunter Biden.”
This follows recent testimonies by two IRS whistleblowers who examined Hunter Biden’s tax evasion, and brought to light possible DOJ’s politicization and misconduct during the investigations.
During a hearing last week, the whistleblowers revealed that Hunter Biden used payments to prostitutes as tax deductions for his business expenses.
Greene, in her examination of the issue during the hearing, said, “Based on this testimony, it appears Hunter Biden concealed illegal payments to prostitutes—victims—by claiming business expenses through one of his companies.”
The lawmakers further noted that Hunter’s “criminal conduct harmed these women, and such harm appears to involve the 2018 tax charge for which he is now pleading guilty.”
The lawmakers are pressing the DOJ for more details surrounding its investigation into the matter, in particular the decisions made in relation to the charges.
“The Committee is concerned about the narrow scope of the charges that the DOJ chose to bring despite available evidence to other, more serious crimes,” they wrote in the press release.
They are also concerned that the DOJ’s approach may have negatively impacted the victims’ ability to receive restitution under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CRVA) and Mandatory Victim Restitution Act (MRVA).
Comer and Greene criticized the DOJ for what they perceive as a dismissal of the victims in this case, stating that “the DOJ opted to leave victims out of the conversation—a statutory right under the CVRA.”
The lawmakers are seeking additional information regarding the DOJ’s handling of the case, to better understand why the department may have failed to pursue more serious charges against Biden that could have provided victims with relief under the law.
Read the letter to Hilary Axam, National Human Trafficking Coordinator, and Kristina Rose, Director, Office for Victims of Crime:
Hunter on Wednesday appeared in a federal court in Delaware to enter a guilty plea to two tax-related charges.
As part of a deal orchestrated by the Justice Department, Biden Jr. will sidestep prosecution and jail time over a firearm-related charge, pending judicial approval.
