Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) expressed confidence on Sunday that President-elect Joe Biden would not interfere with a federal investigation of his son Hunter Biden’s tax affairs.
NBC’s Chuck Todd asked Coons on “Meet the Press” if a special counsel was necessary to ensure independence in the investigation.
“So many of us have just gotten used to, in the era of Trump, that being a normal question,” Coons responded. “Joe Biden will not run the White House as a family business as President Trump has, and he will not interfere in decisions made by senior leadership at the Department of Justice. He won’t view the attorney general as his personal attorney as President Trump clearly has viewed Attorney General Barr.”
“I’m confident that whoever is nominated to be the attorney general will restore the rule of law and will follow the appropriate process once they’re in place,” the senator added.
Todd also asked whether Coons believed measures such as a special counsel or retaining the current U.S. Attorney investigating Hunter Biden were necessary for the president-elect to assuage concerns about independence.
“Either of those options may well work, but frankly this is news to all of us within the last week,” Coons responded. “I think we should trust that attorney general nominated by Joe Biden will restore the rule of law to how the Department of Justice Works and will be an attorney general following the Constitution for the American people, not a personal attorney for the president.”
Hunter Biden said last Wednesday that the U.S. attorney’s office in Delaware is investigating his tax affairs.
His father’s transition team issued a statement describing the president-elect as “deeply proud of his son, who has fought through difficult challenges, including the vicious personal attacks of recent months, only to emerge stronger.”