Joe Biden's incoming press secretary insists president-elect will not discuss Hunter Biden investigation with anyone he is considering picking for his attorney general
Joe Biden's pick for White House press secretary said Sunday morning that the president-elect will not be discussing the investigation into his son Hunter with anyone he is considering nominating as his attorney general.
Jen Psaki told 'Fox News Sunday' host Chris Wallace: 'He will not be discussing an investigation of his son with any attorney general candidates. He will not be discussing it with anyone he is considering for the role, and he will not be discussing it with the future attorney general.'
Currently the two frontrunners for that role appear to be outgoing Alabama Senator Doug Jones and Judge Merrick Garland, who Barack Obama tried appointing to the Supreme Court but was snubbed by a Republican Congress.
President Donald Trump is reportedly considering appointing a special counsel to investigate the matter, therefore ensuring the probe does not shut down after he leaves office next month.
The report indicates that Trump has explored whether he can name a special counsel himself. It also says Trump has been kicking around names of potential special counsels.
Joe Biden's pick for White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, said Sunday morning that the president-elect will not discuss the investigation into his son Hunter
Currently the two frontrunners for Biden's Attorney General pick are Judge Merrick Garland and Alabama Senator Doug Jones
Reports indicate Donald Trump wants a special counsel appointed to investigate Hunter Biden, therefore ensuring the probe will continue past when he leaves office
The president, however, said on Thursday – despite these reports – that he has 'nothing' to do with the 'potential prosecution' of Hunter Biden.
'I have NOTHING to do with the potential prosecution of Hunter Biden, or the Biden family,' Trump tweeted. 'It is just more Fake News. Actually, I find it very sad to watch!'
The Delaware U.S. Attorney, David Weiss, is already looking into Hunter Biden for possible tax fraud.
Psaki would not directly say Sunday if Biden's administration would allow Weiss to carry out that investigation without interference. She did, however, say Biden would allow the Justice Department to run independently from the White House.
She said Biden has repeatedly asserted that his attorney general, whoever that should be, will 'oversee an independent department.'
'It will be up to the purview of a future attorney general and his administration to determine how to handle any investigation,' she told Fox.
Biden also plans to appoint someone to the position, according to Psaki, that will be 'of the highest level of integrity.'
Trump tweeted Thursday following reports of wanting a special counsel that he has 'nothing to do with the potential prosecution of Hunter Biden'
The former vice president, when appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert this week, said he isn't concerned with allegations against his son, claiming they are the type of 'foul play' typical in political attacks.
'I'm not concerned about any accusations that have been made against him. It's used to get to me. I think it's kind of foul play. But look, it is what it is,' he said.
The current attorney general is in charge of appointing special counsels – which means if one were appointed, it would likely be chosen by new acting attorney general, Jeffrey Rosen.
Rosen, who will presumably serve just a few weeks when Attorney General Bill Barr leaves before Christmas, will have to decide whether to take any steps sought by Trump to elevate and protect a Hunter probe that was revealed to have begun in 2018.
A report this week indicates that Barr, who has turned in his resignation letter, took steps to keep the Hunter probe from becoming public during the campaign.