Raskin said the upgraded status for Weiss, who was appointed to his position by former President Donald Trump, serves to “formalize” his authority to pursue a case against Biden, wherever it may lead. “He wants to be certain that he has the authority to bring charges wherever he wants,” the Maryland Democrat said of Weiss.

House Republicans led by House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) have been pursuing an investigation into Hunter Biden’s business dealings and personal conduct.

The ranking member of that House committee, Raskin said he was very much opposed to any presidential family members “who water-ski along for the ride” by using their family name to benefit financially, as Hunter Biden seems to have done.

Raskin said this is a widespread problem, citing former presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner who “pocketed a cool $2 billion” in investment money from the Saudi royal family after Trump left office.

Speaking to host Jonathan Karl, Raskin said that although there are a wide range of accusations against his son for various misdeeds, he thinks Republicans have not connected Hunter Biden’s misdeeds to President Joe Biden.

“They’ve not laid a glove on Joe Biden as president,” he said.

Another Democratic lawmaker who has been involved in in the investigations, Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.), echoed Raskin’s rhetoric on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

‘I defer to Merrick Garland and David Weiss,” he said. “If Hunter Biden has committed crimes, he should be charged with them. I’m a Democrat saying that. You don’t hear any currently elected Republican saying that if Donald Trump committed crimes, he should be charged with them and held accountable. That’s a critical distinction that the public needs to understand.”

Like Raskin, Goldman was also dubious of Republicans who sought the appointment of a special counsel in this case but who are now complaining about it.

“No one knows what the evidence is, so when they say this is a sweetheart deal, they are blowing smoke,” he said.