A group of Senate Republicans are demanding President Biden withdraw his pick to helm the US Office of Special Counsel due to the nominee’s connection to the president’s problematic son, Hunter.
The GOP group, led by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, is seeking the withdrawal of former Hunter Biden associate Hampton Dellinger’s nomination to lead the agency which is tasked with protecting whistleblowers.
“It is critical for the American people to know that the Special Counsel is fair and impartial,” the senators wrote in a letter to Biden. “Mr. Dellinger’s connection to the Hunter Biden Burisma matter gives us serious pause.”
Dellinger was nominated by President Biden last month.
To secure his position as head of the OSC, Dellinger will need to get confirmed by the Senate.
Dellinger worked on the Crisis Management and Government Response team at Boies Schiller Flexner in 2014 — the same year Hunter Biden tapped that firm to assist Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings.
The first son served on the board of Burisma from 2014 to 2019.
The pair dined together in March of that same year, emails from his abandoned laptop show.
It is unclear if Dellinger did any legal work on Burisma’s behalf.
Blackburn (R-Tenn.) was joined by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Ia.), John Cornyn (R-Tx.), Ted Cruz (R-Tx.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) — all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee — in her disapproval.
One of their major concerns was that Dellinger could oversee the agency tasked with protecting whistleblowers — such as the ones who alleged political interference in the probe of Hunter Biden.
“It is important to note that Mr. Dellinger, as Special Counsel, would be charged with ensuring retaliation against whistleblowers—including the IRS whistleblowers in the Hunter Biden matter—is investigated and corrective or disciplinary action against retaliators is sought,” they wrote.
“The Burisma matter creates significant doubt that he can carry out his duty to safeguard the IRS whistleblowers, who are critical in shedding light on the two-tiered system of justice perpetrated under your watch.”
Back in July, Grassley, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and others implored current Special Counsel Henry Kerner to evaluate allegations of retaliation against IRS supervisory agent Gary Shapley and agent Joseph Ziegler.
Shapley and Ziegler have accused the Justice Department of dragging its feet and favoritism in the five-year-long investigation of Hunter Biden.
Kerner began serving in the post in late October 2017. Leaders of the OSC serve five-year terms.
In 2021, Dellinger was confirmed by the Senate to serve as the assistant attorney general to oversee the Office of Legal Policy in the Justice Department.
He served in that role until June 2023, per the White House.
“[Dellinger] work has led to taxpayer savings by overturning unnecessarily costly bid awards. His writings on a range of topics include criticism of government actions and proposals for public sector improvements,” the White House said in a statement announcing his nomination last month.
The Post contacted the White House for comment.
Republicans in the House opened an impeachment inquiry into the president back in September to evaluate alleged influence peddling by his family members.
Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and willful failure to pay federal income tax charges.