Devin Nunes signals support for Hunter Biden special counsel

A top House Republican said he will confer with colleagues about the federal investigation into Hunter Biden and his foreign business dealings, focusing primarily on China.

Rep. Devin Nunes, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, told Fox Business on Wednesday that a special counsel may be warranted to protect the inquiry under a Biden administration.

“I have concern now that this investigation will be squashed,” the lawmaker from California said. “So, we’re probably going to have to look at — and I will talk to my colleagues in the Senate and the House — this probably needs to be a special counsel, similar to like we now have a special counsel with Durham, that is going to continue to look at the Russia hoax.”

U.S. Attorney John Durham, who has been investigating misconduct surrounding the Russia inquiry for more than a year and a half, was elevated to special counsel in October, a move by Attorney General William Barr that will make it more difficult for Hunter Biden’s father, President-elect Joe Biden, to squash the review.

Joe Biden’s transition team released statements on Wednesday revealing that federal investigators are investigating his son’s “tax affairs” by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Delaware. “I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisers,” Hunter Biden said.

CNN reported that the inquiry had been “largely dormant” in recent months, with a person familiar with the investigations saying this is because of Justice Department guidelines preventing overt actions that could disrupt an election.

“It’s very murky. I’m glad they’re investigating it. But we have to hold them accountable,” Nunes said, also acknowledging existing calls for a special counsel inquiry into Hunter Biden.

Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson, a lead congressional investigator of Hunter Biden’s business affairs, told Fox News that he disagreed with calls for a special counsel.

“To single out one individual with a special counsel — I don’t think that’s necessary unless more information comes to light,” the Wisconsin Republican said. “I’m just not a fan of special counsels — I don’t care if it’s a special counsel against a Republican president or a Democratic one.”