Below is my column in the New York Post on the confirmation that Hunter Biden will finally appear before Congress on December 13th. After years of delays and denials, Biden will now be faced with questions not from an enabling media but an investigating committee. While he once pledged to do “exactly what the Chairman wants,” he is about to face another chairman in James Comer who wants something that Hunter has previously refused to supply: answers.
Here is the column:
“The Bidens are the best at doing exactly what the Chairman wants.”
Those words from Hunter Biden to a Chinese businessman came at the height of the alleged influence peddling by the Biden family.
After years of delay and denials, the House is about to confirm exactly what the Bidens were so good at doing . . . and what foreign figures wanted so much that they were willing to pay the Bidens millions.
Hunter Biden is now scheduled to appear before the House Oversight Committee on Dec. 13 to answer questions about what is alleged to be the largest influence-peddling operation in history.
Despite being subpoenaed, Hunter is still demanding conditions for answering questions.
His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, previously said Hunter would testify only when “the time is right” and is now saying that Hunter would testify in public, not the scheduled private session.
Republicans rejected that demand.
Biden has long shown a sense of entitlement when asked about his past.
Even with supportive journalists, Hunter has snapped at questions and instructed them to “say it nicer.”
The House Oversight Committee historically is that place where nice went to die. Hunter will now have to answer questions on the pain of perjury after years of protection from the media and Democratic-controlled houses.
For decades, the Bidens (including Hunter’s uncles) have cashed in on their connections to Joe Biden when he was a senator, vice president and later president.
Despite that history, the Bidens have been able to largely avoid inquiries into their alleged corrupt practices. This was facilitated by an obliging media that long dismissed the scandal. Recently, media figures are admitting that Hunter was indeed selling influence, but insist that it was an “illusion.”
When witnesses detailed how Joe Biden would call into meetings or dinners and be put on speakerphone with foreign associates, Democratic members like Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) insisted it was merely “niceties.”
The committee will now be able to ask Hunter Biden for specific answers on millions in transfers from foreign sources using dozens of shell companies and accounts. This money found its way to a variety of Bidens, including grandchildren.
There were diamonds as gifts, lavish bank accounts and a sports car to account for. There were massive payments that Hunter claimed as “loans” without any written schedule for repayment, any contract, or interest.
There are emails where Hunter discusses paying the bills of his father and accounts (and credit cards) used jointly, including paying for prostitution.
There are messages like the one to the Chairman openly threatening the displeasure of Joe Biden if money is not sent to them immediately. In the WhatsApp message, Hunter stated:
“I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight. And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the Chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father.”
‘Man sitting next to him’
Hunter will now have to answer for exactly what the “man sitting next” to him was prepared to do if money did not continue to flow to the Biden family.
There are other specific communications that will likely be raised with Hunter. For example, Devon Archer reportedly recounted how, in 2015, Mykola Zlochevsky and Vadym Pozharski, two executives of the corrupt Ukrainian energy firm Burisma, pressed Hunter to “get help from D.C.” to fire a Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating Burisma for corruption. Archer said that Hunter, Zlochevsky and Pozharski stepped away to make the call.
Hunter can also address communications with government officials on behalf of foreign clients. His access to top officials was clearly due to his family name and influence.
The irony is that the long delay in bringing Hunter to this moment could prove his undoing. The committee has waited until it collected a massive amount of data and records on these financial records. It has interviewed witnesses on the influence-peddling operation.
Hunter must now address highly specific questions and evidence under oath. If he is found to have lied, he can be charged with a criminal felony.
The threat of prosecution is real. Hunter has benefited from the Justice Department limiting its investigation and inexplicably allowing the statute of limitations to run on key charges.
False statements on any of these questions could result in new charges and pressure on Attorney General Merrick Garland to prosecute. After all, Trump officials were prosecuted for contempt of Congress under Garland.
Hunter is likely to cite his past drug use and the passage of time for failing to remember details. He continues to vacillate on whether the laptop itself is really his or, as he has suggested in the past, possible Russian disinformation.
The use of his drug addiction as a defense was successful with the media, but is likely to be less so with Congress. During periods where he claims to have been a hopeless junkie, he was a key player in a global influence-peddling scheme netting millions through a complex labyrinth of accounts.
Hunter will have to testify at his own peril for the first time under oath and leave the niceties behind.
Jonathan Turley is an attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School.
The Repubs in this hearing better be sure they’ve never benefitted financially from holding Public Office, because Hunter can use his opening statement to call them out, then invite them to “cast the first stone”. He can do incredible damage in that 5 minute opening statement (if equipped with facts about grifting on the part of Committee members). He can say, “you are legislators….do your job and close the loopholes that make it legal for relatives and business associates to rake in gifts”. He can make the Rs look like fools and hypocrites.
Who did Hunter and Z call from Dubai?
pbinCA, goes full inKalifornia Soviet Democrat: “The Repubs in this hearing better be sure they’ve never benefitted financially from holding Public Office, because Hunter can use his opening statement to call them out, then invite them to “cast the first stone”.
And which Republican would our Kalifornia Soviet Democrat want The Bagman Formerly Known As The Crackhead Kid to name as a Republican who benifitted financially from holding Public Office?
Like Bribery Biden. Like Bolshevik Barack. Like Bernie The Commie Sanders. Like Commissar Nancy Pelosi. Like Diane Feinstein. Like the Clinton Crime Cartel.
This is what Soviet Democrats look like while making Soviet Democrats not only appear to love their criminal politicians like The Big Guy and I’m With Her! Clinton, but also to make themselves look like Marxist Useful Idiots (or in the words of pbinCA: ‘look like fools and hypocrites’).
The Democrats should have realized that throughout the course of history the pendulum swings to and fro, and the rate of swing has no clock. In their pursuit of President Trump, they adopted Judge Isaac Charles Parker of Western District of Arkansas mantra, Hang the scoundrel, of course not literally. Biden et al. should be concerned that the swinging pendulum may make a sudden move back towards center or beyond demanding the enforcement law’s which as of yet not been charged.
Nah Biden’s perch is at best tenuous, any testimony (answer) he may give risks implicating his father, uncle or other participants in the various legal entities he organized or was involved in. Testimony about, banks, private lenders, attorneys or foreign parties’ involvement, could have far reaching impacts to America’s policies in the future. The widely reported charges that face Nah Biden and Biden et al. have never happened in America to such a great of an extent. Yea of course there’s Grant’s, Gould and Fisk along with his brother-in-law Abel Corbin attempt to corner the Gold market; or the Whiskey Ring, or Harding’s Teapot Dome, or Taylor’s Galphin Affair, but history shows no innuendoes of other administrations being corrupt with foreign entities. We know little about the FACTS, but what has been presented, sure raises a lot of suspicion of nefarious plotting and conniving with foreign player by Biden et al.
George W,
Well said.
I question the swinging of the pendulum.
Some argue Trump is the cause of the rise of fascism and the far right MAGA.
As I have noted before, MAGA is actually nothing new as an idea. What it amounts to is America and her citizens first. No more forever wars. Secure border. Help Americans first before illegal immigrants. Trump just packaged and marketed it into a nifty slogan. Biden attempted the same with Build Back Better which was a failed attempt of basically the same idea. He then tried again with Bidenomics which also failed as it did not match the reality Americans are experiencing.
Others would argue that Trump is not the cause but just a symptom of a far larger issue that even predates him coming down the escalator to announce his candidacy.
There is a demograph of the American public who, even prior to Trump, began to embrace Marxism. A radical shift away from obvious gains for many. It really took off with the Fergenson riots and the birth of the SJW movement, which in turn lead to CRT and DEI that has infested not only academia but public education as well. Even the insidious groomer/pedo agenda is being promoted to kindergartners. The degree the Democrat party has embraced censorship is very concerning to the point parts of the party and society at large look more and more like 1930s Germany or Mao’s culture revolution.
So what is answer to this swing of the pendulum?
I for one do not want some kind of swing to the degree of a civil war but fear that just may be what is coming. When looking at the degree of the sexualization of the woke leftists of 6 year olds, the “from the river to the sea,” types, where is the line drawn? A woke leftist Mao cultural revolution?
At some point, we have to say, “No.”
Upstate
I’m in total agreement with your statement. I have no idea how to stop stupidity, maybe better way said would be ‘Functional illiterates’. They exist at all levels of our society, but seem to congregate in government or government funded organizations. They have corrupted most everything that protects the public, be it Law, Speech, Fact and the list goes on and on. The worry I have is there are so many similarities to the French legacy of revolt and the draconian measures that ensued. The left seems to think all their measures will result in a Utopian Paradise with fields of plenty for everyone.
May God help us all!!!!
OT
“CHINA FLU 2.0”
Real President Donald J. Trump is running for president again in 2024.
It is now time for the global, communist, Deep Deep State “swamp” to begin pre-election operations to “stop him.”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“What Is Mystery Virus Spreading Through China And How India Is Preparing?”
“India has issued a directive urging states to review their readiness and put their health infrastructure on alert. The new virus has already hit several schools in China. New Delhi:
“The sudden spike in respiratory illnesses across China has brought back memories of the early days of Covid, which had also emerged as a mysterious pneumonia. The new virus has already hit several schools in China, but the government claims that no unusual or novel pathogens have been detected yet.”
– New Delhi TV
Prof. Turley wrote “criminal felony”. That’s like when Tom Cruise asks about “grave” danger in A Few Good Men and Jack Nicholson answers, “Is there any other kind?” (Same goes for “global” pandemic.)
Jonathan: Why the overkill? This your second column in 2 days re Hunter Biden. The problem with all you columns on Hunter is that you are forced to admit that everything about Hunter is “what is alleged to be the largest influence-peddling operation in history”. The key qualifier is “alleged” because Jim Comer has yet to come up with anything to tie Hunter’s business affairs to his dad. As pointed out in many previous comments “influence-peddling” is not a crime. If Hunter traded on the family name to make money the record so far doesn’t indicate Joe Biden, when VP, took any official actions to be benefit his son. The deposition of Devon Archer confirms that Joe Biden’s frequent calls to his son during business meetings were personal in nature and Archer clearly stated Joe Biden was not part of the business discussions.
You say the “House Oversight Committee is that place where nice went to die”. Under Comer’s Chairmanship the Committee is where the “truth” dies. When Comer finally released Archer’s deposition it was selectively edited. He left out the important part–where Dan Goldman elicited from Archer that he was not aware of any wrongdoing by Joe Biden, he didn’t witness the Bidens discussing Hunter’s business activities or that Joe Biden tried to change official government policy to benefit his son. Archer further stated that during the 20 different calls from Biden to his son the talk was “casual” in nature and Biden was never part of the business discussion of the company. That’s the important part of Archer’s deposition Comer left out. Those were inconvenient facts Comer didn’t want part of the record.
Whatever the forum Hunter will testify. What we should pay attention to is whether Comer will release the ENTIRETY of Hunter’s testimony–not just the portion Comer thinks will confirm his conspiracy theories. I think, like the Archer deposition, Hunter’s testimony will be selectively edited. It will be up to the Dems to release the FULL record of what Hunter has to say.
Comer doesn’t want a Hunter public hearing because that would prevent the Chairman from concealing the real facts about the Biden family. Comer’s investigation is all about insinuation and innuendo without any evidence to back it up. A public hearing hearing would expose all that!
Public hearings before Congressional committees are next to useless, for several reasons. First, each member gets only 5 minutes to ask questions, which is clearly insufficient to probe into documents, meetings, conversations, etc. More often than not, the questioning from the majority party devolves into grandstanding, and the minority party simply acts as spokesmen for the witness. As in judicial proceedings, a deposition is the discovery forum in which serious questioning of a deponent occurs, conducted by experienced litigators familiar with the documentary evidence and financial records. That’s why Jamie Raskin and the Democrats insisted on deposing the January 6 witnesses in closed session. I agree that following the deposition Comer should release a full, unredacted transcript. The problem I see is that Hunter Biden is very unlikely to testify in closed session since he remains under criminal investigation. Abbe Lowell’s proposal that Hunter testify in public session is merely a ploy to refuse to testify once that proposal is rejected.
“Public hearings before congressional hearings are next to useless.” Definitely didn’t stop Professor Turley from appearing before the cameras at the public hearing on September 28th. But you make a good point that when Hillary Clinton testified for 11 hours at the Benghazi committee public hearing, the questioning from the majority party devolved into grandstanding.
“Definitely didn’t stop Professor Turley . . .”
I don’t recall him being under a subpoena or the target of a congressional investigation.
If HB wishes for a public hearing, let him do both.
@Anon,
Biden can’t refuse to testify.
He could probably plead the 5th or say that he couldn’t recall.
But he has to show up or face a criminal contempt of congress charge.
(Hmmm didn’t the Dims pull that one already?)
Not a lot of wiggle room here.
-G
“Public hearings before . . .”
Thank you for injecting some facts into the issue.
You are a propagandist like Goldman. Here is a comment from Archer to Tucker Carlson; TUCKER CARLSON: I’ve got kids, I talk to them every day. Never called them on speaker during a business meeting. That’s weird. You’ve got kids, you’re close to them. Do you call them on speaker during business meetings? … I mean, what is that? A grown man calling his dad on speakerphone during a business meeting?
DEVON ARCHER: To be clear, sometimes the call was coming in and the speaker would come on. You have to be, you understand DC right, so the power to have that access and that conversation is not on a scheduled conference call and that’s a part of your family. That’s like the pinnacle of power in this city.
Yeah, in the rearview, it’s an abuse of soft power.
Joe was involved. Joe got a check delivered to his house. His own CEO, referring to an email on the laptop confirmed that Joe was “the big guy” getting 10%. There are bank records showing Joe got paid as a part of influence peddling. You will probably be telling us next that despite all those gold bars found at his home, Menedez is innocent. You are a source of disinformation just like Goldman who wants to say the laptop is a Russian plot. Hunters own attorney called to try to get it back from the computer shop. Those liars like you in government who said it was Russian disinformation have been proven wrong. You are lying