Attorney General William Barr AP
© APAttorney General William Barr
Attorney General William Barr said Monday there's no reason for the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel to investigate President-elect Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden.

Barr said at a press conference, "I think to the extent that there's an investigation, I think that it's being handled responsibly and professionally currently within the department and to this point, I have not seen a reason to appoint a special counsel and I have no plan to do so before I leave."

Asked by another reporter if he was concerned that the Biden administration would end the Hunter Biden probe, Barr said: "I'm hoping that the next administration handles that matter responsibly."

Hunter Biden, 50, confirmed this month he's under federal investigation for possible tax fraud. His lucrative overseas business relationships drew scrutiny during the presidential campaign.

The Associated Press reports that the probe of Hunter Biden "involves multiple U.S. attorney offices and FBI field offices."

A special counsel cannot be fired without a finding of misconduct, insulating the office from political pressure. The attorney general has the power to appoint a special counsel.

President Trump's allies want a special counsel reviewing the Hunter Biden case so that a Joe Biden-nominated attorney general and Biden-nominated US attorneys can't quash the investigation.

Documents from a Hunter Biden hard drive that were published in October by The Post appear to link the president-elect to his son's business relationships in China and Ukraine.