Internet divided as federal judge accuses DOJ of blowing off Hunter Biden investigation subpoenas

WASHINGTON, DC: The Justice Department came under fire on April 5, from a federal judge for not allowing attorneys engaged in the Hunter Biden investigation to comply with subpoenas issued by House GOP, the New York Times reports. 

The House Judiciary Committee filed a lawsuit in March seeking to compel DOJ attorneys Mark Daly and Jack Morgan to testify in the committee's impeachment investigation against President Biden. 

Federal judge accuses DOJ of blowing off Hunter Biden impeachment inquiry subpoenas

The Democratic-run committee that is co-leading the impeachment investigation into Joe Biden's suspected participation in his family's business affairs asserts that the Department of Justice has '"thwarted" the committee's attempts to get depositions from DOJ Tax Division personnel.

District Judge Ana Reyes contended that the Justice Department was acting hypocritically by telling Daly and Morgan not to cooperate with the committee's subpoenas while imprisoning others for doing the same.

Politico reports that Reyes stated during a hearing on the lawsuit brought by the Judiciary Committee, "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 appeared to be referring to Peter Navarro, a former employee of Trump's White House who was found guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress in January 2021 for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee looking into the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison.

Reyes said, criticizing DOJ lawyer James Gilligan, "And now you guys are flouting those subpoenas." She added, "I find it rich that you pursue criminal action and put people in jail for defying congressional subpoenas, then say this here. You all are making a bunch of arguments that you would never accept from any other litigant."

Moreover, Reyes projected that defense lawyers throughout the nation would be pleased with the DOJ's stance, which she described as "if you don't agree with a subpoena... you can unilaterally not show up."

Internet stays divided as federal judge accuses DOJ of hypocrisy

Several people on the internet stayed divided as Ana Reyes contended that the Justice Department was acting hypocritically by telling Daly and Morgan not to cooperate with the committee's subpoenas while imprisoning others for doing the same.

A user wrote on X, "Someone actually noticing this hypocrisy, is long overdue" while one added, "Wow, a judge with a modicum of ethics. Shocker!" A person also wrote, "Selective and subjective enforcement of the law never ends well."

A user further stated, "Yep, she is so outraged, she forgot to issue the warrant for his arrest. Theater or actual outrage?" while one added, "I’m not sure where it goes from here but this is oddly satisfying."

A person also wrote, "That Democrat-appointed Judge hasn’t realized there’s no Judiciary no more. His Democrat friends will get rid of him (his Judiciary appointment) in no time. On the other hand it’s good their own ranks notice what goes on."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.