Biden defends son Hunter, says 'not concerned' about federal investigation

President-elect Joe Biden says he is "not concerned" about accusations leveled against his son Hunter Biden, who is under federal investigation over his tax affairs.

“We have great confidence in our son. I’m not concerned about any accusations been made against him. It’s used to get to me. I think it’s kind of foul play,” Biden said in an interview on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

Biden, who was voted by the Electoral College as president this week after defeating President Donald Trump in the November 3 election, said he believed the probe was “foul play” being “used to get to me.”

The president-elect was asked whether he would be able to work with Republicans who might be interested in using the investigation as a “cudgel” against him.

“If it benefits the country, yes. I really mean it,” Biden replied.

On December 9, Hunter Biden disclosed his taxes were under investigation by the US attorney for the District of Delaware.

The probe reportedly involves multiple US attorney offices and FBI field offices.

Hunter Biden has long been the subject of Republican attacks.

President Trump and his allies in Congress have raised questions about potential conflicts of interest from Hunter Biden’s position on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma at the time his father was vice president.

US president pressuring long-time ally to investigate Hunter Biden before 2020 election

US President Donald Trump is pressuring his long-time ally at the Justice Department to investigate Hunter Biden before 2020 election.

Documents from a hard drive belonging to Hunter Biden and published in October appear to link the president-elect to his son’s business dealings in Ukraine and China.

In a tweet on Thursday, Trump said he had nothing to do with any potential prosecution of Hunter Biden.

“I have NOTHING to do with the potential prosecution of Hunter Biden, or the Biden family. It is just more Fake News. Actually, I find it very sad to watch!” the president said.

The tweet was in response to reports that Trump was considering appointing a special counsel to take over the investigation.

Jeffrey Rosen, the incoming acting attorney general, declined to say in a recent interview whether he would appoint a special counsel to look into Hunter Biden and his foreign business dealings.

Rosen, who is set to take over when William Barr steps down on December 23, told Reuters that he would continue “to do things on the merits and to do things on the basis of the law and the facts. That’s how I thought about it from the beginning and that’s how I’ll think about it through the end.”

Trump is reportedly still weighing his options, considering whether to pressure Rosen to appoint a new special counsel or to replace the acting attorney general with someone more likely to do his bidding.

The attorney general has the power to appoint a special counsel.

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