GOP split on whether to pursue Hunter Biden probe

Some GOP Senators, believing Trump to have lost the election in spite of voter fraud claims, are signaling a commitment to work with the incoming Biden administration in order to deescalate partisan politics after a highly contentious and polarizing election. Such actions may involve abandoning probe attempts against Joe Biden's son.

Other Senators, however, are keen to vigorously pursue the younger Biden's business dealings in Ukraine and China, and the connection of those dealings to the elder Biden. Both are nations in which the United States holds a great deal of foreign policy interest.

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley submitted a letter to Attorney General William Barr on Monday asking him whether Hunter Biden and his brother James Biden were required by law to register as foreign agents, and whether the Biden brothers have inquired on such a matter with the Department of Justice.

While such a registration would come as an embarrassment to Joe Biden, it would not be the first time that a close family member of a sitting President has registered under the Foreign Agent Registration Act. Former President Jimmy Carter's brother Billy Carter registered under the act in 1979, acting as a foreign agent on behalf of the government of former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Grassley also asked that the Department of Justice provide any and all records regarding Hunter and James Biden's obligations under the act and "other criminal activity for which the DOJ and FBI are reviewing their conduct."

Grassley's pursuit of Hunter Biden was joined by fellow Republican Senator Ron Johnson, who insists the FBI may open their own investigation.

"Tony Bobulinski coming forward, the computer being revealed, the FBI possibly starting an investigation. We had a hard enough time getting what evidence we got to even write a report, and then all of a sudden our report sort of opened up this logjam," Johnson told The Hill.

While no evidence of criminal wrongdoing has yet been put forward, it was revealed in October that Joe Biden had more involvement with his son's business dealings than he had previously admitted, including while he was sitting as Vice President. Senator Johnson has insisted that Biden's involvement with his son's business dealings constitutes a conflict of interest.