The Saturday editions of NBC’s Today, ABC’s Good Morning America, and CBS Saturday Morning all mentioned Republican objections to Friday’s announcement that David Weiss was named special counsel in the Hunter Biden investigation, but only CBS managed to remember the IRS whistleblowers that give GOP accusations that Weiss initially negotiated a “sweetheart deal” an added dose of credibility.
On Today, White House correspondent Monica Alba noted “some Republicans rejected the decision, arguing Weiss had been central to what they called a sweetheart deal that would have spared Hunter Biden from any prison time, though it ultimately broke down.”
She then played a clip of Sen. Lindsey Graham on Fox News wondering “Who in their right mind believes that changing the title of what you call Mr. Weiss solves all the problems associated with Mr. Weiss. Nobody.”
Over at GMA, reporter Jay O’Brien recalled that Republicans are “still pledging to do their own investigation” before he played another portion of the same Graham-Fox News interview, “Nobody in their right mind believes that making him a special counsel, Mr. Weiss, cleans up the mess that's been created.”
O’Brien also reported, “James Comer, the chair of the Republican-led House Oversight Committee claiming Weiss' appointment was an attempt by the DOJ to, quote, “stonewall” his investigation.”
Things were better over at CBS, where a recorded segment featured senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge recalling “An IRS whistleblower told CBS News the evidence supported more serious tax felony charges.”
Included in the segment was footage from a July 17 interview Herridge did with one of the whistleblowers, Joseph Ziegler:
ZIEGLER: It’s a matter of are we treating everyone the same?
HERRIDGE: And in this case?
ZIEGLER: No, I don't think so.
After reading a statement from Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Herridge played an additional clip from Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, that looks less partisan with the added context of the Ziegler clip, “It's 100 percent political move, I mean, how can you appoint someone who less than two weeks ago tried to negotiate a sweetheart plea deal?”
The report from Herridge also aired on Friday’s CBS Evening News while NBC Nightly News and ABC World News Tonight again omitted any mention of Ziegler or fellow whistleblower Gary Shapley.
NBC’s Today was sponsored by Honda and ABC’s Good Morning America was sponsored by 4imprint.
Here are transcripts for the August 12 shows:
NBC Today
8/12/2023
7:11 AM ET
MONICA ALBA: While some Republicans rejected the decision, arguing Weiss had been central to what they called a sweetheart deal that would have spared Hunter Biden from any prison time, though it ultimately broke down.
LINDSEY GRAHAM: Who in their right mind believes that changing the title of what you call Mr. Weiss solves all the problems associated with Mr. Weiss. Nobody.
***
ABC Good Morning America
8/12/2023
7:15 AM ET
JAY O’BRIEN: Republicans on Capitol Hill pressed the Justice Department to do more, still pledging to do their own investigation.
LINDSEY GRAHAM: Nobody in their right mind believes that making him a special counsel, Mr. Weiss, cleans up the mess that's been created.
O’BRIEN: And James Comer, the chair of the Republican-led House Oversight Committee claiming Weiss' appointment was an attempt by the DOJ to, quote, “stonewall” his investigation.
***
CBS Saturday Morning
8/12/2023
8:12 AM ET
CATHERINE HERRIDGE: Nice to meet you.
JOSEPH ZIEGLER: So nice to meet you.
HERRIDGE: An IRS whistle-blower told CBS News the evidence supported more serious tax felony charges.
ZIEGLER: It’s a matter of are we treating everyone the same?
HERRIDGE: And in this case?
ZIEGLER: No, I don't think so.
HERRIDGE: Responding to the special counsel announcement Hunter Biden's attorney said “we expect a fair resolution not infected by politics.” Republican Congressman James Comer chairs the House committee investigating the Bidens.
JAMES COMER: It's 100 percent political move, I mean, how can you appoint someone who less than two weeks ago tried to negotiate a sweetheart plea deal?
