AP Reporter Asks Garland If Hunter Biden Deal And Trump Criminal Case Show ‘Different Standard’ During Global Presser

Associated Press News Director for Northern Europe Karl Ritter veered off topic at a global press conference to ask Attorney General Merrick Garland if Hunter Biden’s plea deal and ex-President Donald Trump’s criminal charges show a “different standard of justice.”

News broke Tuesday morning that President Joe Biden’s only surviving son Hunter has reached a plea deal on three federal charges — two tax misdemeanors and one gun felony.

Many Republicans immediately complained loudly about the deal, contrasting it with the bombshell 37-count indictment against Trump related to Espionage Act violations.

On Wednesday, Garland shared the stage with Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Swedish Minister For Justice Gunnar Strömmer, European Commissioner For Justice Didier Reynders, and European Commissioner For Home Affairs Ylva Johansson at a press conference for the EU-US Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial meeting in Stockholm, Sweden.

At the end of the presser, Ritter asked to go off topic in order to explore the Republican criticisms, and Garland responded by pointing out that it was Trump who appointed the man who made the deal:

KARL RITTER: Karl Ritter here for the Associated Press. If I can drift off topic for a second, I have a question for Attorney General Garland about the deal that President Biden’s son made with the Justice Department, under which he’s pleading guilty to some charges and will likely avoid jail time. Some Republicans say he’s being treated more leniently than he should have, and compare and contrast the case to that of former President Trump, who has been criminally indicted. Do these cases reflect a different standard of justice depending on political leanings?

AG MERRICK GARLAND: So as I said, from the moment of my appointment as attorney general, I would leave this matter in the hands of the United States attorney who was appointed by the previous president and assigned to this matter by the previous administration, that he would be given full authority to decide the matter as he decided was appropriate. And that’s what he’s done. And if you have any further questions about that matter, you should direct them to the U.S. attorney to explain his decision. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Thank you, everyone. Unfortunately, that’s all the time we have. Thank you for coming and joining us online.

Watch above via European Union.