McCarthy raises the possibility of impeaching Merrick Garland over the handling of the Hunter Biden investigation

• House Speaker Kevin McCarthy suggested Attorney General Merrick Garland could be impeached.
• The top Republican said he would support such a step if an IRS whistleblower's claims are proven true.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy raised the possibility of starting impeachment proceedings for Attorney General Merrick Garland over the Justice Department's handling of its investigation into Hunter Biden.

"If it comes true what the IRS whistleblower is saying, we're going to start impeachment inquiries on the Attorney General," McCarthy said on Fox News' "Fox and Friends."

McCarthy was referencing a whistleblower at the IRS who has claimed there was undue influence and other mishandling of the investigation into Hunter Biden. The tax agency played a central role in the Biden probe as it pored through financial records to determine whether the president's son paid his entire tax bill.

Garland addressed the whistleblowers' claims on Friday, disputing that US Attorney David Weiss, a Trump appointee, asked him to name him a special counsel. Garland said Weiss, who led the Hunter Biden investigation, never made such a request. The attorney general also reiterated that Weiss had complete authority over any charging decisions in the case.

"The only person with authority to make somebody a special counsel or refuse to make somebody a special counsel is the attorney general," Garland told reporters. "Mr. Weiss never made that request to me."

Gary Shapley, an IRS agent who supervised the Hunter Biden investigation, testified to House Congress that the Justice Department provided preferential treatment to Biden.

A spokesperson for the Justice Department did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Hunter Biden and federal prosecutors reached a plea deal last week that includes Biden pleading guilty to two criminal charges for failing to pay taxes. A gun charge would likely be dismissed if Biden abides by the terms of his deal. A federal judge still has to approve the entire agreement.

McCarthy's comments come as conservative lawmakers, such as Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado jockey to be the most vocal on impeaching President Joe Biden and other administration officials.