ISTANBUL

In a final report, the US special counsel appointed to investigate Hunter Biden defended his decision to prosecute the president’s son on tax and gun charges.

In the report, submitted by the US Justice Department to Congress on Monday, David Weiss reaffirmed his decision to bring charges following the breakdown of agreements with Hunter Biden’s legal team, CBS News reported. Weiss also rejected criticism from President Joe Biden – who has less than a week in office – over the investigation.

US attorney Weiss led a years-long investigation into Hunter Biden, which led to a jury conviction on felony gun charges in federal court and a guilty plea to tax evasion charges. In December, President Biden pardoned his son and dismissed the charges as "raw politics," a move that faced a bipartisan backlash.

Critics said the president’s son was prosecuted on charges not pursued for other defendants, such as illegal gun possession, a charge not usually prosecuted in the absence of other offenses such as robbery.

"The President's statements unfairly impugn the integrity not only of Department of Justice personnel, but all public servants making these difficult decisions in good faith," Weiss wrote in the report.

"The President's characterizations are incorrect based on the facts in this case, and, on a more fundamental level, they are wrong," he said.

Weiss also emphasized that questioning those rulings and introducing “partisanship” into the independent administration of the law "undermines the very foundation of what makes America's justice system fair and equitable," and "erodes public confidence in an institution that is essential to preserving the rule of law."

'Proven beyond a reasonable doubt'

In 2023, Biden was charged with lying on a gun application about his drug use. In a separate case, he faced three felony tax charges and six misdemeanors, including failure to file taxes, tax evasion, and filing false returns.

Prosecutors claimed Hunter Biden failed to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes while living an "extravagant lifestyle."

"Not only were both cases proven beyond a reasonable doubt, but they resulted in a verdict lawfully rendered by a jury and an admission of guilt. In making my decisions, I remained impervious to political influence at all times," Weiss stated.

Hunter Biden's legal team criticized the investigation in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, included in the report, saying: “You likely are aware of the arguments we have made about the initiation and conduct of the prosecutions against our client."

Weiss responded that the tax violations were "not 'inconsequential' or 'technical' tax code violations."

"The prosecution of Mr. Biden was warranted given the nature and seriousness of his tax crimes," he added.

The report also detailed Weiss' investigation into former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to lying to FBI agents and fabricating a story about the Bidens. Smirnov was sentenced to six years in prison earlier this month.