On ABC’s This Week, co-moderator Jonathan Karl committed a random act of journalism Sunday during an interview with California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna in which he actually asked him about the bombshell IRS whistleblower report alleging that U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware David Weiss was constantly hamstrung during his investigation of President Joe Biden’s drug addict son Hunter Biden on various tax charges.
The shocking moment of actual journalism came after a half hour of caterwauling by Karl over three blockbuster Supreme Court decisions ranging from upholding religious liberty to overturning the institutional racism of Affirmative Action.
“Republicans in the House have released testimony of this IRS whistle-blower suggesting, saying that he's got evidence that, in fact, the contention that the decisions are being made by the U.S. Attorney in Delaware and not by the Attorney General is not true,” Karl said before asking “are you concerned about what's coming out of this case?”
Khanna, of course, denied he was concerned and completely twisted the facts of the situation to fit his party’s false narrative. First he claimed former President Donald Trump appointed Weiss. While that is technically true, Trump mistakenly did so at the request of the Democratic congressional delegation in Delaware, and that Weiss was originally acting U.S. Attorney under then-President Barack Obama.
Karl then shot back at Khanna for his denials: “What the whistle-blower is saying is that Weiss, who was appointed by Trump, said that he was not the deciding official on this case.”
“If that turns out to be true, doesn't that directly contradict what the Attorney General has said?”
Khanna responded by deflecting: “If Weiss was saying that, I would have a concern. If Weiss was out there saying, I didn't have total authority, there was interference, but Weiss is the key person and he's not saying that. There were charges that were charges that were pursued.”
While Karl didn't push back on Khanna's misinformation, he at least gets credit for bringing up the subject and forcing him to respond.
To read the transcript of this segment click "expand":
ABC’s This Week
7/2/2023
9:31:58 a.m. EasternJONATHAN KARL: And Congressman, I want to ask you about the latest developments in the Hunter Biden case. As you know the House has—Republicans in the House have released testimony of this IRS whistle-blower suggesting, saying that he's got evidence that, in fact, the contention that the decisions are being made by the U.S. Attorney in Delaware and not by the Attorney General is not true, that ultimately it was the Attorney General—the main justice deciding this. Would that—are you concerned about what's coming out of this case?
REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Jon, no. I mean, let's just review the facts here. You had President Trump appoint a U.S. Attorney in Delaware, and President Biden had the ability to fire that U.S. Attorney if he wanted, as is customary. The new President comes in, they remove the U.S. Attorneys. President Biden didn't fire the U.S. Attorney. He had his past opponent’s appointee have total power over making a decision on Hunter Biden.
KARL: But sir, what the whistle-blower is saying is that Weiss, who was appointed by Trump, said that he was not the deciding official on this case. If that turns out to be true, doesn't that directly contradict what the Attorney General has said?
KHANNA: But Weiss is not saying that. Isn't the source Weiss? I mean if Weiss was saying that, I would have a concern. If Weiss was out there saying, I didn't have total authority, there was interference, but Weiss is the key person and he's not saying that. There were charges that were charges that were pursued.
