The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a statement firmly denying any attempt to obstruct or prevent Devon Archer from providing his testimony before Congress on Monday.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced on Sunday “that anyone who tries to obstruct Congressional oversight will be held accountable.”
A key witness in the Biden Inc. corruption scandal has confirmed he’ll cooperate with @GOPoversight investigators, despite the weekend filing by Biden’s DOJ.
Anyone who tries to obstruct Congressional oversight will be held accountable.
What is the Biden Admin trying to hide?
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) July 30, 2023
The weaponized DOJ made it clear that the claims circulating about their intentions to arrest Archer, a key witness in the case involving Hunter Biden, prior to his testimony, were baseless. The clarification comes amidst allegations of the DOJ’s attempted interference in the Congressional proceedings and witness intimidation.
Matthew Schwartz, Archer’s attorney, also dismissed the speculation that the timing of the DOJ’s request was meant to intimidate Archer.
“To be clear, Mr. Archer does not agree with that speculation. In any case, Mr. Archer will do what he has planned to do all along, which is to show up on Monday and to honestly answer the questions that are put to him by the Congressional investigators,” said Schwartz in a statement.
In a follow-up letter to Judge Abrams regarding the Second Circuit’s mandate affirming Archer’s conviction, the DOJ clarified its position.
“The Government writes to follow up on its July 29, 2023 letter apprising the Court of the Second Circuit’s mandate affirming the judgment of conviction in this matter,” the letter read.
The DOJ clarified that it has not, at any point, requested Devon Archer to surrender before his scheduled Congressional testimony on Monday, July 31, 2023. The DOJ claimed that it respects Archer’s obligation to testify and has never intended to disrupt this process.
“The Government understands that the defendant is scheduled to provide testimony to Congress tomorrow, July 31, 2023. To be clear, the Government does not request (and has never requested) that the defendant surrender before his Congressional testimony.”
The DOJ further clarified that the process for a defendant to surrender and commence a prison sentence, which includes designation to a federal facility by the Bureau of Prisons, can take several weeks or months after a surrender date is set by the Court.
In an effort to alleviate doubts about its intentions regarding Devon Archer’s imminent Congressional testimony, the DOJ has backtracked and requested that, should the Court decide on a surrender date for Archer, it be set after his Congressional testimony is completed.
This reversal comes in the wake of allegations from several House Judiciary Committee members who called for emergency hearings on the DOJ’s interference with Congressional Oversight.
Update: The weaponized DOJ now “clarifies” they won’t try to prevent Devon Archer from testifying tomorrow. Witness intimidation & obstruction? Nah, nothing to see here. pic.twitter.com/tHQ6ueFfZs
— Rep. Mike Johnson (@RepMikeJohnson) July 31, 2023
