The appointment on Friday of a special prosecutor to investigate Hunter Biden will force the criminal investigation of the president’s son to cast a shadow over his father’s re-election campaign, Reuters news agency reported on Saturday, citing Agerpres.

The new job of U.S. Attorney David Weiss, announced Friday, could push Joe Biden into unpleasant headlines and distract him from his campaign, where he prefers to talk about the economic recovery or the legislation he is promoting, senior Democratic sources said. .

“This will greatly affect the re-election. They face the risk that attention will be constantly diverted from the message being sent. Whenever someone is subpoenaed for a grand jury or subpoenaed, the press will ask about it. Biden wants to talk about the economy, weapons, national security, and he will be less able to do it,” said a Democrat with experience in the party.

Democrats also fear that the special counsel’s investigation could expand.

“Special prosecutors always find something they don’t expect. (The investigation into former President Bill Clinton) started as an investigation into a real estate deal he and Hillary made when he was governor and ended with Monica Lewinsky,” the Democrat added.

Biden’s campaign team did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment on the claims.

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty in July to charges that he failed to pay more than $100,000 in taxes on more than $1.5 million in income in 2017 and 2018. He has yet to plead guilty in a separate case that charges him with unlawful possession of a firearm while intoxicated, a felony.

Democratic leaders had hoped that the deal between Hunter Biden and Weiss would allow the president to resolve his son’s legal problems by referring the case to the Republican-led congressional investigation committee.

A federal judge declined to accept the proposed settlement, and Weiss said Friday that negotiations between the two sides have since ceased.

The potential trial raises the possibility of an unprecedented spectacle in US history: the son of a sitting president is being prosecuted while his father is campaigning for re-election, most likely against Donald Trump, who will soon face three criminal trials.

Republicans have accused Joe Biden of profiting from his son’s business in Ukraine and China, although they have not yet provided any evidence of any illegality, Reuters notes.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said in July that the legislative forum could begin investigating the suspension in the fall.

According to a June Reuters/Ipsos poll, half of Americans believe Hunter Biden received preferential treatment from prosecutors who tried to get him a plea deal before the deal fell through.