A former enterprise associate of Hunter and James Biden, who labored instantly with them on a 2017 China vitality deal, was by no means requested to testify to a Delaware grand jury investigating Hunter Biden, two sources acquainted with the discussions inform CBS Information.

Tony Bobulinski, the previous enterprise associate, was open to testifying, and his lawyer reached out to the workplace of Delaware U.S. Lawyer David Weiss. Weiss didn’t return their calls, the sources stated. Weiss’ determination to not convey Bobulinski is the newest indication that prosecutors investigating Hunter Biden might have averted investigating allegations about his father, President Joe Biden.

In October 2020, Bobulinski was invited by the Trump marketing campaign to attend a presidential debate after he launched enterprise data about his dealings with Hunter and James Biden. At a press convention earlier than the talk, he claimed to have met with Joe Biden in Might 2017, as a part of discussions over a possible enterprise take care of a Chinese language vitality agency, CEFC.

“I’ve heard Joe Biden say that he is by no means mentioned enterprise with Hunter. That’s false. I’ve firsthand information about this as a result of I instantly handled the Biden household, together with Joe Biden,” Bobulinski stated on the press convention. Contacted this week by CBS Information, Bobulinski stated he stands behind these statements.

Bobulinski’s claims have garnered new curiosity amongst GOP congressional investigators after IRS whistleblowers gave closed-door testimony to the Home Methods and Means Committee.  In these transcripts, launched final week, the whistleblower alleges the president’s son obtained preferential therapy that allegedly stymied federal investigators. The whistleblower, Gary Shapley, testified that investigative leads which may have led to Joe Biden weren’t pursued within the late summer season and fall of 2020.  On the time, Donald Trump was president and the lawyer basic was Invoice Barr.

Shapley alleges that in August 2020, an iCloud search warrant recovered a July 2017 WhatsApp message from Hunter Biden to Chinese language businessman Henry Zhao about an excellent cost.

Shapley testified that prosecutors “denied” investigators’ efforts to study extra in regards to the message.

“I’m sitting right here with my father and we wish to perceive why the dedication made has not been fulfilled. Inform the director that I wish to resolve this now earlier than it will get out of hand, and now means tonight,” Hunter Biden allegedly wrote. “And, Z, if I get a name or textual content from anybody concerned on this apart from you, Zhang, or the chairman, I’ll make sure that between the person sitting subsequent to me and each particular person he is aware of and my capability to without end maintain a grudge that you’ll remorse not following my route. I’m sitting right here ready for the decision with my father.” 

Requested about Shapley’s testimony, Ian Sams, a White Home spokesperson stated, “As we now have stated many instances earlier than, the President was not in enterprise together with his son.” 

“As we now have additionally stated many instances earlier than, the Justice Division makes choices in its felony investigations independently, and on this case, the White Home has not been concerned,” Sams stated. “Because the President has stated, he loves his son and is pleased with him accepting accountability for his actions and is pleased with what he’s doing to rebuild his life.”

Hunter Biden’s authorized crew didn’t reply to a request for remark. 

Shapley delivered to his Congressional look what he stated have been transcripts from an FBI interview with Robert Walker, one other former enterprise associate of Hunter Biden. Walker allegedly informed the FBI that Joe Biden was concerned in no less than one assembly associated to the take care of the Chinese language vitality agency. Within the transcript of his testimony earlier than the Committee, Shapley indicated he was quoting from the FBI interview with Walker, wherein Walker described Joe Biden’s look on the assembly.

“We have been on the 4 Seasons and we have been having lunch and (Joe Biden) stopped in, simply stated ‘hey’ to all people. I do not even suppose he drank water. And I feel Hunter Biden stated, ‘I could also be making an attempt to begin an organization or attempt to do one thing with these guys and will you?’  And I feel (Joe Biden) was like, ‘if I am round’ and he’d present up,” Walker stated, in line with Shapley.

In keeping with Shapley’s testimony, the FBI agent requested: “So that you undoubtedly obtained the sensation that that was orchestrated by Hunter Biden to have like an look by his dad at that assembly simply to type of bolster your possibilities at making a deal work out?” In keeping with Shapley, Walker answered: “Positive.” 

Throughout his interview, Walker informed the FBI brokers, “I actually by no means was considering at any time the VP was part of something we have been doing.”

CBS Information reached out to Walker by way of LinkedIn, e mail and textual content message however there was no response.

Shapley additionally claimed in his congressional testimony that Weiss’ deputy, Assistant US Lawyer Lesley Wolf, annoyed investigators’ efforts to discover leads associated to Joe Biden. 

Shapley testified that in December 2020, there was a “12-hour lengthy assembly at the USA Lawyer’s Workplace in Delaware with the prosecution crew” that included Weiss and Wolf. Shapley stated the technique session included a dialogue about questions for Walker, and that Wolf sought to restrict questions associated to then President-elect Joe Biden.

“Wolf interjected and stated she didn’t need to ask in regards to the large man and said she didn’t need to ask questions on ‘dad.’ When a number of folks within the room spoke up and objected that we needed to ask, she responded, ‘there is not any particular criminality to that line of questioning,'” Shapley testified.

Requested in regards to the claims within the Shapley transcripts, a spokeswoman for the U.S. lawyer declined to touch upon behalf of Weiss, and Wolf. 

James Comer, chairman of the Home Committee on Oversight and Accountability, criticized the prosecutors in an announcement to CBS Information, saying they “prevented investigators from taking any steps to confirm this proof that would result in President Biden.”

“The truth that a key witness related to the CEFC deal was not introduced in to testify earlier than the grand jury proves once more that the Justice Division is engaged in a coverup,” stated Comer, who vowed to “pursue a radical investigation into the Division of Justice’s misconduct.”

Lawyer Normal Merrick Garland stated on June 23 that Weiss had “full authority to make all choices on his personal.”

“Because the U.S. lawyer in Delaware and assigned this matter throughout the earlier administration, [he] can be permitted to proceed his investigation and to decide to prosecute any method wherein he needed to,” Garland stated.

Earlier this month, Hunter Biden agreed to enter responsible pleas to 2 misdemeanor tax costs that associated to his failure to pay tax on greater than $3 million in revenue. As a part of the take care of Weiss — who was appointed by then-President Donald Trump and was saved within the place by the present administration to proceed the probe — Hunter Biden will keep away from full prosecution on a separate gun possession cost.

 A Delaware decide should approve the settlement at a listening to at present set for July 26.