Attorney General Bill Barr, who is resigning from the position, made a stand and decided not to appoint a special counsel to investigate President-elect Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden.

Many considered it a parting stab at the president, but it may not stick as word is that the Department of Justice is considering appointing a special counsel, Fox News reported.

“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,” Barr said.

A reporter asked the obvious question, with no special counsel, if he is frightened that the Biden administration would end the probe into Hunter Biden.

“I’m hoping that the next administration handles that matter responsibly,” he said.

But many in the Department of Justice do not share Barr’s optimism that an attorney general who serves Hunter Biden’s dad would investigate the younger Biden’s dealing in a legitimate fashion.

A source familiar with the situation explained to Fox News on Wednesday that there is an "open discussion” regarding hiring a special counsel.

"It is an ongoing discussion," the source said to Fox News. "No decisions have been made either way."

Another source said that many believe a special counsel is needed because it would be a conflict of interest for an attorney general appointed by Biden to investigate his son.

"It was passed to deal with a potential conflict of interest of the attorney general or the president of the United States," the source said. "A president-elect coming in, where his appointed attorneys will be investigating his son? That’s textbook conflict."

At a press conference on Tuesday the president-elect was asked if the topic of his son was mentioned by he or his team as they select an attorney general candidate.

"No, no. I guarantee you, I’m going to do what I said," he said. "The attorney general of the United States of America is not the president's lawyer. I will appoint someone I expect to enforce the law as the law is written, not guided by me."

Jen Psaki, who is slated to be Biden’s White House Press Secretary, said that the president-elect "will not be discussing an investigation of his son with any attorney general candidates."

"He will not be discussing it with anyone he is considering for the role and he will not be discussing it with a future attorney general," she said. "It will be up to the purview of a future attorney general in his administration to determine how to handle any investigation."

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