Washington Post admits Hunter Biden got 'special treatment' in plea deal, president's behavior not 'spotless'

The Washington Post’s editorial board admitted Hunter Biden "shouldn’t get special treatment" on Saturday after saying it appeared he did in his initial plea agreement, adding President Biden’s behavior isn't squeaky clean, either. 

Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed investigator David Weiss as special counsel in the Hunter Biden investigation on Friday, prompting the liberal newspaper, which cast aspersions along with other legacy media outlets on the infamous Biden laptop, to speak up.

"This was the right move. It should encourage Americans that the process will be independent and transparent and, therefore, that it is more likely to be fair," the Post’s editorial board wrote.

The Post wrote that "such assurances might not have been necessary at the beginning of the Justice Department’s Hunter Biden probe" but they are critical in the wake of a plea agreement between Weiss and Biden’s attorneys falling apart under judicial scrutiny. 

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Weiss is the federal prosecutor who has investigated the business dealings of Hunter Biden and brought charges against him in Delaware. His appointment as special counsel indicates that, contrary to Hunter's defense lawyers' claims, the Justice Department investigation into President Biden's son is not over.  

In July, Weiss announced a probation-only plea agreement for Hunter in which he'd plead guilty to tax evasion charges. However, U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika, a Trump appointee, rejected the agreement after expressing several concerns over its provisions.  

Republicans had criticized the agreement as a "sweetheart" deal and have pursued their own investigation into the Biden family's business dealings, with an eye towards possibly impeaching the president. 

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Talks between federal prosecutors and Hunter Biden's defense team subsequently broke down after the government acknowledged he was still under federal investigation.

"Initially appearing reasonable, the deal turned out to include peculiar details suggesting critics might have been justified to suspect that Mr. Biden was being given special treatment," the editorial board wrote. 

"Special counsels should not be appointed lightly. They have tended to overspend and overreach. One temptation in the Hunter Biden case might be to investigate the president himself, as many of his critics wish," the board continued. "So far, the record suggests President Biden’s behavior was not spotless — but also not criminal."

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The Post declared "Garland’s move was justified" and Weiss’ public report will "give him a greater incentive to proceed by the book."

"The imperative in this case remains what it has always been: to treat Hunter Biden, as far as possible, like any other defendant. Mr. Weiss has all the independence and resources he needs," the Post’s editorial board wrote. 

In a press release, the Justice Department said Weiss will serve as special counsel "for the ongoing investigation and prosecutions referenced and described in United States v. Robert Hunter Biden, as well as for any other matters that arose or may arise from that investigation."

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Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report. 

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