Public trust wanes as AG Merrick Garland misses opportunity for transparency: Jonathan Turley

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Jonathan Turley: This is not going to help the public confidence

Fox News media contributor Jonathan Turley weighs in on David Weiss being named special counsel in the Hunter Biden probe on 'The Story with Martha MacCallum.'

Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley breaks down how the appointment of David Weiss to special counsel in the Hunter Biden probe affects public confidence on "The Story."

PENCE 'CAN'T RELATE' TO BIDEN OVER HUNTER'S SPECIAL COUNSEL APPOINTMENT: 'MY SON...WAS DEFENDING THIS COUNTRY'

JONATHAN TURLEY: The problem with this appointment is manifest. You know, Garland had the opportunity to do two things to regain the trust of the public. He could have appointed someone else as special counsel, and he could have expanded the mandate. He could have said, look, there are a lot of concerns about influence peddling crimes associated with the Biden family. We're going to have all of those investigated independently, and the facts will take it where it needs to lead. He didn't do that.

Instead, he kept on referring to the mandate of investigating Hunter Biden, and he appointed the individual who's been criticized for weeks, accused by whistleblowers of being the head of what they suggest was a fixed investigation. Now, that's obviously not going to help the public trust any.

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The most immediate impact of this appointment will be to insulate the department itself. Weiss was supposed to testify in Congress. That's highly unlikely, if he does, it's unlikely he's going to give any real information. But there is another road here. You know, by not expanding the mandate, Garland may have fueled calls for the impeachment inquiry. You know, impeachment is sort of constitutional kryptonite. You know, no court that I know of would say that Congress does not have a duty to investigate allegations of corruption by President Biden and his family. This does not appear to be within the mandate laid out by the attorney general. 

And I want to note something else. Why wouldn't you answer that question? Why wouldn't you, you would just give great specificity as to the mandate with regard to Hunter Biden, why wouldn't the Justice Department answer clearly whether the president is within that mandate. And it speaks quite loudly to the rank and file. It suggests that we're not on board with investigating the president. 

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And you have to keep in mind that this was the attorney general that said that Weiss had sweeping authority to investigate just Hunter Biden and yet this investigation was accused of being fixed and obstructed.

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