Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday he appointed U.S. Attorney David Weiss to serve as special counsel in the investigation into Hunter Biden after Weiss requested to Garland that he be given the authority this week.

"Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel," Garland said.

Federal investigators in Delaware opened an inquiry into Hunter Biden in 2018, and subpoenaed his now-infamous laptop from a repair shop in 2019 as part of it.

In June, the investigation resulted in Weiss's office and Hunter Biden reaching a plea deal, which involved the younger Biden pleading guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and entering into a pretrial diversion agreement to avoid a felony gun charge.

Republicans widely denounced it as a "sweetheart" plea deal, and U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon made a surprise decision last month to defer the deal out of concerns about what she observed as "unusual" provisions.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

She acknowledged her decision was a "curveball" but took issue with the possibility of the deal precluding Hunter Biden from future charges, including any violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

This story is developing.