Furious Biden wanted to fire Merrick Garland over Hunter’s lawsuits, Bob Woodward’s new book reveals
Joe Biden regrets choosing Attorney General Merrick Garland to lead his Justice Department after the agency prosecuted his son Hunter.
Publicly, Biden has remained aloof from his son’s tax and gun rights problems, but privately his anger toward his attorney general has simmered, according to excerpts from journalist Bob Woodward’s new book. obtained by CNN.
“I should never have picked Garland,” Biden told an aide, Woodward wrote. “This will never go away.”
Multiple charges are pending against the president’s 54-year-old son.
President Joe Biden said he regrets ever deciding to appoint Attorney General Merrick Garland to lead his Justice Department given the many federal prosecutions of his son Hunter.
In June, Hunter was convicted in Delaware federal court of three felonies related to the 2018 purchase of a revolver firearm.
Prosecutors argued that the president’s son lied on the purchase form by saying he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs.
Hunter subsequently pleaded guilty in September in federal court in Los Angeles, California, to a nine-count indictment, including three tax felonies and six tax misdemeanors.
Despite the crimes committed by his last living son, President Biden still remains furious with AG Garland for agreeing to file charges against him.
Woodward described a scene between the president and his son at the White House in 2022 in his upcoming book War.
While the president was having dinner with a friend, Hunter entered the room and claimed that he had the most to lose in the midterm elections taking place at the time.
‘Hunter kept talking about his personal crisis. President Biden leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and sighed,” the famous journalist wrote.
Despite Biden’s aggravation, Hunter wasn’t wrong.
The Republicans were out for blood in the elections and saw that the easiest way to damage the Democrats’ chances was to go after Biden through his son.
Donald Trump and his allies helped lead some of these efforts in retaliation for the many investigations and federal cases against the former president and his family and businesses.
Hunter Biden was convicted in June in Delaware federal court of three felonies related to the purchase of a revolver firearm in 2018. And in September, he pleaded guilty in federal court in California to a nine-count indictment for tax crimes.
Journalist and author Bob Woodward’s latest book, War, will hit shelves on October 15 – but excerpts were obtained and published by CNN on Tuesday
In the book, which hits shelves on October 15, Woodward also talks about Biden’s decision to ultimately end his bid for re-election.
The author said that as Biden tried to dig in after his disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump, he privately faced pressure from members of his Cabinet to drop out.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has a close relationship with the president, addressed the issue at a luncheon on July 4, 2024.
“I don’t want your legacy to be in jeopardy,” Blinken said, according to the book excerpts. ‘Everyone who is written about gets one sentence. That’s the legacy. If this decision results in you staying and winning re-election, fine. If it results in you staying and losing your re-election, that is the punishment.”
Blinken then asked Biden, “Do you see yourself doing this for another four years?” You have to answer that question.’
Ultimately, on July 21, 2024, Biden dropped out of the 2024 reelection race against Trump and endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place as leader of the Democratic ticket.