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Special counsel David Weiss told lawmakers in closed-door testimony on Tuesday that he had full authority to pursue criminal charges against Hunter Biden. Weiss, who was appointed the U.S. attorney for Delaware to lead the investigation into President Joe Biden’s son,said he voluntarily agreed to appear before the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee before the submission of his special counsel report to “address misunderstandings about the scope of my authority” in the Hunter Biden criminal probe but would not divulge information that could impede the ongoing investigation.

According to a copy of his opening statement before the House Judiciary Committee, Weiss said: “I am, and have been, the decision-maker on this case. At no time was I blocked, or otherwise prevented from pursuing charges or taking the steps necessary in the investigation by other United States Attorneys, the Tax Division or anyone else at the Department of Justice.”

Weiss’ testimony comes as investigations into Hunter Biden’s finances and business ventures continue to probe whether senior officials took any steps to obstruct or disrupt criminal investigations into Hunter Biden. Case agents – and IRS whistleblowers – Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, who were previously assigned to the Hunter Biden investigation, told lawmakers they recommended federal charges be brought against the president’s son for tax violations but testified that Weiss said he had been denied special counsel status and was “not the deciding person” to bring charges in the case. They alleged intentional slow-walking and “an undeniable pattern of preferential treatment” in the federal investigation.

Weiss has repeatedly refuted Shapley’s claims and said he did not request special counsel status until August when the request was “promptly granted” by Attorney General Merrick Garland. Weiss had informed him that his investigation had reached a stage where he believed his work should continue as a special counsel, a designation that confers greater autonomy in conducting a probe.

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Authorities are seeking information after a Jewish man in California died following a confrontation during dueling protests over the Israel-Hamas war. Police said Tuesday they had identified a suspect who called 911 after the altercation in which 69-year-old Paul Kessler died from a head injury.

Witnesses reported that Kessler was involved in a “physical altercation” during pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations at an intersection in Thousand Oaks, a suburb northwest of Los Angeles. Authorities said that te event started as a pro-Palestine demonstration and was advertised as a peaceful gathering and that pro-Israel demonstrators turned out with about 75 to 100 people total attending.

Ventura County Medical examiner Dr. Christopher Young said at a news conference Tuesday that an autopsy found Kessler died from a blunt force head injury, and that the injuries were consistent with a fall; however, it remains unclear if a blow to the face caused his fall or not.

Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said no arrests have been made, though authorities identified a suspect who stayed at the scene and told officers he had called 911 to help Kessler.  Sheriff Fryhoff said that deputies determined Kessler fell backward and struck his head on the ground, but ‘what exactly transpired prior to Mr. Kessler falling backward isn’t crystal clear right now,’ and were still trying to sort out what happened and whether a crime had been committed; adding that investigators also hadn’t ruled out the possibility that the act was a hate crime. Fryhoff stated that the suspect, who has been cooperating with authorities, was detained briefly for questioning and authorities searched his home.

The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a statement calling Kessler’s death a “tragic and shocking loss,” and added: “while we strongly support the right of political debate, CAIR-LA and the Muslim community stand with the Jewish community in rejecting any and all violence, antisemitism, Islamophobia, or incitement of hatred.”

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