Biden Judge Puts DOJ on Blast for Defying Republican Subpoenas

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, an appointee of President Joe Biden, put the Department of Justice (DOJ) on blast on Friday for defying Republican subpoenas related to Hunter Biden.

In December, the House of Representatives voted to launch an impeachment inquiry into President Biden in a 221-212 vote, with members voting along party lines. Republicans allege that while serving as vice president under President Barack Obama, Biden used his influence to improperly support the business activities of his son Hunter Biden from which they suggest he gained financially. The president has said he had no involvement with his son's business dealings.

Meanwhile, Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes from 2016 to 2019. His lawyers had argued in their motions to dismiss the charges, saying that prosecutors "bowed to political pressure to bring unprecedented charges," and specifically took issue with DOJ special counsel David Weiss, a Trump appointee leading the prosecution. U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi recently denied all eight motions filed by the president's son's legal team, petitioning him to reject the charges. The case is set for trial on June 20.

Meanwhile, Politico reported on Friday that Reyes accused DOJ attorneys of rank hypocrisy for instructing two other lawyers in the department's tax division not to comply with the House Republicans subpoenas issued to Hunter Biden in his father's impeachment probe, pointing out that a former aide to former President Donald Trump is sitting in prison for similar defiance of Congress.

"There's a person in jail right now because you all brought a criminal lawsuit against him because he did not appear for a House subpoena," Reyes said, referring to the recent imprisonment of Peter Navarro. "And now you guys are flouting those subpoenas....And you don't have to show up?"

Newsweek has reached out to Reyes' office and the DOJ via email for comment.

Navarro previously served as director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy during the Trump administration. In early 2022, he was twice subpoenaed for testimony by the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol building, which he did not comply with.

As a result, Navarro was charged with contempt of Congress. He was convicted in September and, in January, sentenced to four months in prison and hit with a $9,500 fine.

Navarro claimed throughout the process that he did not have to turn over documents requested by the select committee as they were covered under Trump's executive privilege. His attempts to have his conviction overturned consistently failed in court.

Meanwhile, Reyes continued to criticize the DOJ, adding that the hypocrisy is "quite rich."

"I think it's quite rich you guys pursue criminal investigations and put people in jail for not showing up," but then direct current executive branch employees to take the same approach, she added. "You all are making a bunch of arguments that you would never accept from any other litigant."

Last month, the House Judiciary Committee sued to enforce its subpoena of DOJ attorneys Mark Daly and Jack Morgan over their involvement in the investigation of Hunter Biden's alleged tax crimes.

House Republicans are demanding the two testify, arguing its crucial to their ongoing impeachment probe. However, the DOJ said that subpoenaing two of its attorneys to seek details about an active investigation would violate the separation of powers, Politico reported.