House GOP chairmen announce probe into Hunter Biden plea deal

Three House GOP chairmen sent a letter Monday to Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding documents and information regarding circumstances related to Hunter Biden's plea deal with the Justice Department.

The Republicans - House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan of Ohio, Oversight Chair James Comer of Kentucky and Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith of Missouri - are also requesting a Justice Department briefing over the Hunter Biden probe.

The announcement marks the latest line of inquiry by House Republicans connected to the president and his family. Earlier on Monday, the Oversight Committee held a closed-door meeting with Hunter Biden's former business partner, Devon Archer.

A plea deal between Hunter Biden and the Justice Department is on hold after a dramatic court hearing Wednesday.

Hunter Biden failed to pay between $1.1 million and $1.5 million in federal taxes before the legal deadlines and was poised to plead guilty to two tax charges with prosecutors agreeing to recommend a sentence of probation.

But before the original plea could be entered, the deal began to unravel and a revised agreement reached during the hearing was not accepted by the judge.

"I cannot accept the plea agreement today," said District Judge Maryellen Noreika.

Noreika said she had "concerns" about the parties seemingly linking the tax plea agreement to resolving a felony gun charge. During the proceedings, prosecutors confirmed that the investigation into Hunter Biden was ongoing.

While the investigation was ongoing, Hunter Biden fully paid his federal tax bill, along with interest and penalties, his lawyers have previously said.

The Trump-era Justice Department started investigating Hunter Biden in 2018, and the probe steadily expanded to examine whether he violated money laundering and foreign lobbying laws with his multimillion-dollar overseas business dealings. Federal investigators also looked into Hunter Biden's unpaid taxes and lavish spending, which came amid a struggle with addiction.

US attorney David Weiss has led the investigation. He was appointed by then-President Donald Trump, and President Joe Biden kept him at his post so he could continue handling the probe. There is no public indication that Joe Biden or the White House ever tried to intervene in the probe.

Last month, Garland rejected claims the Justice Department improperly interfered in the Hunter Biden probe.