According to an new ABC News/Ipsos poll, almost half of Americans lack trust that the Justice Department will conduct the Hunter Biden investigation in a “fair and nonpartisan manner.” It is the latest indication of the failure of Attorney General Merrick Garland to restore faith in his department. There is ample reason for citizens to have their doubts. Continue reading “ABC/IPSOS Poll: Roughly Half of Americans Have No Confidence in the Hunter Biden Investigation”
After the collapse of the Hunter Biden plea bargain, it was telling that the Biden Team seemed most insistent on one demand: the gun charge agreement was still in full effect. Many of us noted that Hunter’s placement into the pre-trial diversion program not only contradicted the position of his father and the Biden Administration on such charges, but was sharply in contradiction with similar contemporaneous cases. Perhaps for that reason, the Biden attorneys were apoplectic in maintaining that the gun charge was inked and sealed. The Justice Department just declared, however, that it is dead as Dillinger. That is the problem when your counsel tells the prosecutor in open court to “just rip up” the plea deal. Continue reading “DOJ: Hunter Deal on Gun Charge is Dead”
Below is my column in The Hill on the appointment of David Weiss as special counsel. Despite my enthusiastic support at this nomination, I have come to view Attorney General Merrick Garland as a failure as Attorney General. This decision captures why I have lost faith in his leadership — and why his department is at one of the lowest levels of public trust.
Here is the column: Continue reading ““Shoeless Joe” and the Fixing of the Biden Scandal”
The Department of Justice caused a outcry this weekend when it filed a notice to a federal court on a Saturday that it should move ahead and order the jailing of Hunter Biden’s former business associate and friend, Devon Archer. That came less than 48 hours before Archer was scheduled to give potentially explosive testimony on the Biden corruption scandal. The Justice Department decided that the matter was so urgent that it required a weekend filing before Archer testifies. The optics could not be worse and many took the letter as an effort to intimidate Archer. Then the next day the Justice Department sent a second letter to the court saying it can wait to arrest him after he testifies. After the debacle in Delaware where the Justice Department seemed entirely confused on its own filings, the letters only reaffirmed the image of a department adrift in this expanding scandal.
Continue reading “DOJ to Devon Archer: Go Ahead and Testify . . . and Then We Can Jail You”
Below is my column in the New York Post on the recently disclosed FBI investigation into the communications of Republican House staff members investigating the FBI.
Here is the column: Continue reading “No Two Wrays About it: House Judiciary Committee Investigates the FBI Targeting Republican Staffers”
This morning I will be testifying before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance on “Fixing FISA.” The hearing will start at 9:15 am at 2141 Rayburn House Office Building. The specific focus will be the reauthorization of Section 702, one of the most controversial and most abused sections of the Act. Continue reading “Turley Testifies in House Judiciary Committee on FISA Abuses and Reforms”
I recently wrote a column entitled “Who is Lying? Merrick Garland or the Whistleblowers?” after the allegations of IRS whistleblowers and the categorical denial of Attorney General Merrick Garland on the Hunter Biden investigation. I noted that it would not be a difficult question to answer given the highly specific account of the whistleblowers of meetings, including witnesses. Now the New York Times has confirmed one of the key allegations. While the newspaper buried the major fact in the 21st paragraph of the story, it confirmed that U.S. Attorney David Weiss did attempt to bring additional charges in California and D.C. but was blocked. Continue reading “Was Garland Lying? New York Times Confirms Weiss was Blocked from Bringing Additional Charges”
Below is my column in the New York Post on the new allegations from whistleblowers of interference with the Hunter Biden investigation. This weekend, there are reports that, after the threatening WhatsApp message allegedly from Hunter Biden, a Chinese businessman with close ties to Chinese intelligence sent $5 million to his account.
In the meantime, the demand from figures like former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) for people to “back off” on the story is being heeded by some in the media, in again blacking out or downplaying the story . While many of us have stressed the need to authenticate these statements, Hunter Biden has notably not denied that he sent the message and the allegations from the investigation have self-verifying elements. The news blackout again raises concerns over a de facto state media in the United States that operates by consent rather than coercion. This is a major story either way it turns out but networks and newspapers are again showing a distinct lack of curiosity.
Here is the column: Continue reading ““Everybody Needs to Back Off!”: The Media and Political Figures Continue to Ignore the Biden Corruption Scandal”
Below is my column in Fox.com on yesterday’s hearing with Special Counsel John Durham and the personal attacks that he faced from the Democratic members of the Judiciary Committee. Without challenging a single fact in the report as untrue, members heaped personal attacks on one of the most respected prosecutors at the Justice Department. Durham’s testimony was detached, detailed, and unbiased. He was everything that the members were not. However, one moment stood out more than the rest . . .
Here is the column: Continue reading ““You Will End Up on the Bottom of a Pyre”: Democrats Attack Special Counsel John Durham “
Below is my column in The Hill on Attorney General Merrick Garland at the midpoint of his tenure at the Justice Department. For an Attorney General who said that he wanted to restore the trust of the public in his department, Garland has manifestly failed to achieve his goal. It appears that the Justice Department and FBI are now trusted less than under his predecessor, Bill Barr. A new poll shows that 55 percent of the public view the Trump indictment as “politically motivated” and 56% believe that it constitutes election interference. A similar majority wanted Trump pardoned if convicted.
Here is the column: Continue reading “The Utter Failure of Merrick Garland”
Below is my column in the Daily Beast on the use of the Espionage Act against former president Donald Trump in the federal prosecution by Special Counsel Jack Smith. The statute is currently being used against Julian Assange and has a long and troubling history.
Here is the column: Continue reading “Trump Card: The Use of the Espionage Act Revives Long-Standing Concerns”
Below is my column in USA Today on crunching the numbers of the prosecution of former President Donald Trump. The most important may be the number one. In this case (as Three Dog Night warned), one “is the saddest experience you’ll ever know.”
Here is the column: Continue reading “The Trump Prosecution by the Numbers: 90, 70, 12, 1”
Former FBI Director James Comey sat down for a remarkable interview on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” this week. The interview was able to evade any mention of the findings of misconduct and false statements made by Comey. It was impressive how in a target rich environment CNN was still able to hit the small spaces between the scandals.
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
Facing a daunting child support case over his previously denied child, Navy Joan, world renowned artist and presidentially prodigal son Hunter Biden might finally have a solution to the costs associated with his progeny, and protect a family name he guards so jealously. He only needs to channel the artist within to leave his hapless young daughter without….yet provided for. Mr. Biden, summon your inner Hans Holbein!
Below is my column in The Messenger, the new digital news platform created by Jimmy Finkelstein (the former owner of The Hill). Finkelstein’s signature has always been balanced publications where all viewpoints are represented and objectivity remains the touchstone for reporters. That puts him at odds with the “advocacy journalism” model sweeping other publications. The start of the new platform is good news for many of us who believe that the media is facing an existential choice in the coming years. I am happy to be able to contribute to the rollout of the site and look forward to working again with Jimmy and my old Hill editors.
Here is the column: Continue reading “Durham Report Condemns the FBI’s Russia Probe — But Don’t Expect It to Make a Difference”