WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The special counsel investigating President Joe Biden's son Hunter has employed a grand jury in Los Angeles, CNN reported on Thursday.

Special Counsel David Weiss is using the grand jury to seek documents and possible testimony from multiple witnesses as part of the federal investigation of Hunter Biden’s business dealings, the network reported, citing sources familiar with the probe.

Weiss's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

The president's son has been the subject of relentless criticism from Trump and Republican lawmakers, who have set his foreign business dealings at the center of an impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The White House argues the impeachment probe is politically motivated and unsubstantiated by evidence of wrongdoing by the president.

Hunter Biden, 53, in October pleaded not guilty to charges that he lied about his drug use while buying a handgun, in the first-ever criminal prosecution of a sitting U.S. president's child.

Weiss brought the charges against Hunter Biden after a proposed plea deal unraveled under questioning from a judge.

On Wednesday, Hunter Biden sought a federal court's permission to subpoena documents from former President Donald Trump and top Justice Department officials in the Trump administration as part of his defense against the federal gun charges.

(Reporting by Paul Grant and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Eric Beech)