Below is my column in The Hill on the expected formal vote this week on the impeachment inquiry. The vote is only to continue to look into the allegations that President Joe Biden knew of the influence peddling operation of his family and fostered those efforts. The final line of defense is to acknowledge that this was influence peddling but that Biden was only trying to support his son. The question for this vote is: how do you know? We have millions raised in what most view as corrupt influence peddling. Many of those payments are now confirmed by the Justice Department in the second Hunter Biden indictment. Only an investigation will establish the truth on the President’s knowledge and involvement. Yet, for years, Democratic members have opposed any investigation. They now face a moment of truth.
Here is the column:
Author Aldous Huxley once said, “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad.”
Such a moment of madness has arrived in Congress as members prepare to vote on the formal approval of an impeachment inquiry. The second indictment of Hunter Biden shattered long-standing denials and narratives repeated by the White House and members of Congress. What is left in its wake is now plain to the public: corruption.
The vote is not whether to impeach President Biden, but whether members support the investigation into these growing allegations of corruption by the Biden family. According to recent polling, nearly 70 percent of voters (and 40 percent of Democrats) believe that Biden has acted unlawfully or unethically or both. Yet with almost half of the Democratic Party viewing Biden’s conduct as worthy of investigation, it is not clear whether a single Democratic member will vote to look into these allegations.
In September, I testified at the first impeachment inquiry hearing and stated that the evidence had clearly passed the threshold for such an inquiry. While there was no requirement to hold a formal vote to start this process (as the Democrats did with Trump), I encouraged the members to hold such a vote.
Since that hearing, the evidence has only mounted against President Biden. It is now clear that Biden lied when he maintained as a candidate, and later as president, that he had no knowledge of his son’s business dealings with foreign interests. Even Hunter himself contradicted the president on this claim.
It is also now clear that he lied in denying that his son never made money in China. The indictment confirms massive transfers from Chinese sources.
It is also clear that Hunter was engaged in raw influence peddling. This included threatening at least one Chinese businessman that his father was sitting next to him and would retaliate against him if he did not send millions to the Bidens.
President Biden also lied when he claimed this week that he had not had any “interactions” with his son’s business associates. There are emails, audiotapes and testimony now disproving that claim.
Millions of dollars flowed to Biden family members through a labyrinth of shell companies and accounts. Hunter Biden sent emails saying that up to half of his income went to his father while they used shared accounts and credit cards for expenses.
Even Biden associates now admit that they were selling “the Biden brand” and influence with Joe Biden. Advocates simply argue that they were merely selling the “illusion” of influence.
It is now time to see if a single Democratic member will stand against corruption and support an inquiry into the president’s role and later cover-up of this corruption. That includes the use of White House staff to spread false claims and attack critics.
I have previously discussed four possible articles of impeachment that warrant investigation.
One of the false narratives being bandied about is that there is no proof that the influence peddling of Biden’s son and brothers benefited the president himself. Thus, the argument goes, even though he was the subject of the influence peddling, Joe Biden did not legally or constitutionally benefit from the payments to constitute bribery or other crimes.
That is utter nonsense. The courts have repeatedly found that benefits to family members (far more modest than the millions in this case) can constitute bribery for a politician. That has also been the position of the Justice Department in past cases. Regardless of whether Hunter or his associates were speaking truthfully about handing over percentages of these funds to Joe Biden, he practically and legally benefited from the millions going to his family.
Even if members insist that they are not yet convinced, it makes no sense to insist that there is no direct evidence while opposing efforts to establish such evidence. These members have opposed any investigation into the allegations from the start.
Polling suggests most people believe there was a massive influence peddling operation built around Joe Biden, and that the president lied about not knowing about these deals. It is now time to get answers directly from the key players, from Hunter Biden to the president himself.
There is more at stake for the members than a Democratic president. The Democratic Party has already embraced censorship and abandoned its long advocacy of free speech. Democrats are now running on the pledge to expand censorship on social media. The question is whether, as a party, it will now vote to shield corruption, even with almost half of Democratic voters calling for answers.
The Democratic Party that I was raised in and supported was more than the party of censorship and corruption. It fought for free speech and good government. There were principles that came before personalities.
That is why we have reached a point of inescapable clarity. There is no principled basis to oppose an investigation into these chilling allegations. Stripped of the false narratives and faux constitutional claims, what remains are raw politics and utter madness.
The only question is, who will step forward on the Democratic side to demand not impeachment but answers?
So let’s call the vote.
Jonathan Turley is the J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at the George Washington University Law School.
Sad, silly article, filled with lies and unfounded accusations. Another SWIFT BOAT smear campaign.
Read Kessler’s article on the Hunter Biden’s business activities. You are talking about $7 million in flows and they are generally related to actual business activities.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/17/how-republicans-overhype-findings-their-hunter-biden-probe/
I would listen to a Republican’s opinion on Hunter Biden, if that same person called out Jared and Ivanka’s criminal activity when THEY WERE IN THE ACTUAL WHITE HOUSE. Problem is, THERE AREN”T ANY.
I would answer for hitting my sister if my brother answers for doing it yesterday, mom
Washington post….lol..what a kunt
@tuxlemons
17h
Hunter Biden spent $1M on hookers, emptied his daughter’s college fund to buy crack, refused to support a stripper he impregnated, snorted cheese when he ran out of cocaine, f*cked his sister-in-law after his brother died of cancer, and today claimed “Republicans have no shame.”
“criminal activity when THEY WERE IN THE ACTUAL WHITE HOUSE. “
Did they live there with mom and dad? Did they bring cocaine in???
It’s most apparent that you haven’t looked at any of the evidence that Comer’s committee has disclosed. Millions of dollars have flowed from China, Ukraine, Russia and several other countries and laundered through fake companies to the Biden crime family. You say that those millions that were hidden were actual business activities. What actual business activities? Instead of blindly believing the lies the DNC Media is perpetrating, why not take a close look at the evidence that has been disclosed. Why not look at the lies of the Biden family that have been debunked such as the denials that the laptop wasn’t Hunter’s. Or how about the 50 some intelligence individuals who claimed that Hunter’s laptop was Russian disinformation, which has been debunked as well. Saying that Trump’s family broke the law with overseas business is wishful thinking. They had actual Bona fide businesses that provided services and material goods to overseas customers and they didn’t use fake company accounts to pass the money through. Mr. Turley is a Democrat who has integrity and will call out any corruption whether it comes from the left or the right. Maybe you should adopt that same integrity and not blindly believe the lies you have been told and support corruption because it comes from the left. Shouldn’t we do our research and support the crushing of corruption from our leaders whether they are Republican or Democrat?
Joyce White Vance:
“It’s very odd for a litigant who files a motion asking a court to dismiss an indictment against him, as Trump has with [his motion about having absolute] immunity, to then argue against having the courts decide that motion as quickly as possible. Almost like they think the motion is a loser.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley today: “I have no evidence of it [i.e., Biden corruption]. The facts haven’t taken me to that point where I can say that the president is guilty of anything.”
Gee, that must be why there is no impeachment trial before the Senate
Brilliant post, kunt
There’s no impeachment trial before the Senate because it doesn’t fall into their range of responsibility. If you had been educated in government processes, you would know this. It is the House that is responsible for investigating possible high crimes and misdemeanors of the President of the United States. Then based on the results of the investigation, the House could vote to impeach the President, which is decided by a simple majority. Then it flows to the Senate who is mandated to hold a trial which chosen members of the House act as prosecutors with the impeached President’s attorneys, presenting the defense. The Senate members are the jury. In order for a President to be removed from office, 2/3rds of the Senate must vote to do so. Since the Senate has the majority of 51 Democratic members who vote in lockstep, the likelihood of Biden being removed from office is nil. Do your research.
So, professor Turley, kinda makes you ashamed to be a Democrat, yeah?
Updated
Archer gave no details about the meeting at the Naval Observatory with Marc Holtzman—-Svelaz aka Mr Peetape
Archer had no idea what was on those phone calls. He admitted it under oath—Svelaz aka Mr Peetape
Evidence isnt permissible unless its incontrovertible—-ATS
Circumstantial evidence alone is not enough to convict——Svelaz aka Mr Peetape
Republicans are the only ones calling for violence these days—-Dennis
Democrats call for violence when the cause is right—-Dennis in the same post
Gas prices spiked because Texas uses crude oil to make electricity—-Gigi
AR-15’s ruin the meat—-Dennis
The inflation rate was 8% when Trump left office—-Gigi
Biden only released the strategic oil reserve once—-Svelass Mr Peetape
Archer never said it was Joe that was called from Dubai—-ATS
The State of Florida does property tax “appraisals”—-Svelass Mr Peetape
You can’t convict without incontrovertible proof—ATS
Trump was convicted of rape—Svelass Mr. Peetape
The Jefferson County school board has a supermajority of republicans—-booger boy
Trumps attorney forgot to “check a box”——Dennis
An insult or name calling is not a personal attack—-Svelass Mr. Peetape
The DC NG answers only to the President—-Gigi
Christianity teaches to treat your fellow man the same way you treat Jesus—-Svelass Mr Peetape
The ideal athlete is 6’2” and 175#—-Dennis
There is no way a fat person can shoot a 67 in golf—-Dennis
“Bright red Alabama is the “wild west”,” (when its bright blue Birmingham that accounts for 95% of the gun violence in Alabama)—-Dennis
That’s why McCarthy didn’t hold a vote. He was going to, but upon realizing he didn’t have the votes he chose not to hold one.—-Mr Peetape
McCarthy never said he didn’t have the votes.—-Mr Peetape
When you venture away from your fever dream and approach real statistics you fall down quite hard, Scat Fetish Tommy…
What Gigi was probably quoting in terms of inflation was the consumer price index, which was indeed at 7.6% when trump left office. So she rounded up. Quite the standard practice, actually…
Here’s a good summary of trump stats so we don’t have to survive your interpretation of them…
https://www.factcheck.org/2021/10/trumps-final-numbers/
As I often do, I forgot to ID myself. Posted by eb.
What she said was the inflation rate. I quoted her exactly. It was a discussion about guess what??? INFLATION. You want to conflate it and say that I did? Typical.
Gigi wouldn’t know a CPI from her sphincter. But you make a nice apologist for her as you do Biden. Well done. You do know sphincters.
Instead, you post some worthless link about “Trumps final numbers”. Are you of the sincere hope that we are all as dumb as you, and don’t remember a little thing known as COVID? Nice try, pip. And from factcheck.org…bwahahahahaha
What do you think the current polls reflect, little man? That Trumps economy sucked and Biden’s is great??? That’s what Gigi claimed. Oh yes, yes, lets all except YOUR interpretation.
Your interpretation of where we all stand now compared to 2018. Your interpretation of Gigi’s lie. Your interpretation of my motives. You’ll survive, little cockroach, you always do.
You don’t like me calling them lies? I do that because I give you people the benefit of the doubt, that you couldn’t possibly just be WRONG that often.
As I said, I stayed away from my “interpretations” on this list. These are just the objectively provable lies. I’ve left off the 100’s of arguably provable lies.
Here ya go, twerp. From the New York Times…
Voters, by a 59 percent to 37 percent margin, said they better trusted Mr. Trump over Mr. Biden on the economy, the largest gap of any issue.
Thanks for asking me to explain. Here it is in a nutshell….
See, no one gives a flying f*ck about factcheck.org. Thats my interpretation.
But hey, I’ll update the lefty lie list with your input.
Tom, if you listen closely, you can hear the sphincters slamming shut in the Biden campaign.
Go see my next reply, you total jacka$$ numbskull, posted at the top of most recent column for the next 3 days.. you’ve earned it
You don’t know your a$$ from a CPI either, apparently.
That number (7.6%) was the total rise in CPI across 4 f*cking years, not what the CPI was “at” when he left office.
@Tom,
Again… if you’re using an AR to hunt squirrel, yet it will ruin the meat unless you can get a head shot. (Just saying)
Also as someone who was a college athlete and 6’2″ @ 155lbs, yes I was ‘ideal’ for a lightweight oarsman. YMMV.
Now why are you keeping this list?
Nothing here is really that noteworthy.
-G
If you don’t find it noteworthy, thats OK.
And you are wrong. Why would anyone use a .22 if it required a head shot? It leaves about a 1/8″ to 3/16″ hole clean thru typically. Sometimes you can’t even see the damage in the prepared meet. An AR or a Marlin, it matters not.
Yep, but you were too light to be an “ideal athlete” according to Dennis. I play baseball in two leagues at 61 years old and 6′, 175#. I have one Roy Hobbs and one MSBL World Series ring in the last 5 years. According to Dennis, my weight is too high to be ideal for an athlete. The point was the asininity of his hyperbole, in a weak attempt to make an incorrect point.
Not to mention a headshot is highly discouraged where I’m from. The brains are some of the best parts.
Here is a link to an excellent recipe for squirrel brains. Please note that its at Rimfire.com. Do you know what a rimfire is? Hint—its not a shotgun. I’m starting to find it plausible that you’ve never shot a squirrel, or even a rimfire rifle for that matter lol.
https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/squirrel-brains-recipe.1270630/
Okay, I would have to be pretty dang desperate if I get to the point of eating brains.
However, a good friend of mine, wildlife biologist, noted that at one time the brain of an animal was used in the tanning of the hide.
Tom,
I think it depends on the bullet type as to if it would really ruin the meat.
I know guys who have shot prairie dogs using .223REM or even smaller but moving faster bullets in round noses. Passes clean through them without ruining the meat.
Flip side, I shot a rat from the standing with a .22 air rifle with a 18grn crow magnum hollow point at 15 yrds. I could only see the head. It took the whole top of the skull off and all the gray matter with it. No kidding, you could see down into where the brain stem passed into the spinal column. I had a big problem with rats that year.
If I am shooting to keep the pelt and not damage the meat, a 110grn round nose over a light charge in .308WIN.
Varmint shooting for things like coy, a 110grn Hornady V-Max over a heavy charge in .308WIN.
“I would have to be pretty dang desperate if I get to the point of eating brains.”
Upstate
According to Estovir, that day is just around the corner LOL.
Yes. You and I both know that bullet design and ballistics are principally what ultimately determine the amount of soft tissue damage. Hell, shot placement and luck have more to do with it than rifle type, which has none.
I have one small caliber weapon, I won’t say which, that can either pierce cleanly thru body armor, or can leave a two inch diameter exit wound, depending entirely on the round I choose.
My fav for varmint these days is my .224 Valkyrie, just because its an AR and I built it super freakin light. Under 6 pounds before optics.
My old standby was a beautiful Remington 700 in 220 Swift. Still have it.
Investigations and impeachment proceedings would be a godsend to the Democrats. It would allow them to dump senile, loser in favor of the candidate s far more attractive at the top of the democratic party ticket. The Republicans would be smart to convene sufficient hearings that expose Biden has hopelessly corrupt; but not enough to knock him off the ticket.
Already tried. Already failed.
There is also only one company mentioned. What about the other 20+ shell companies? Presumably they were set up to collect money. Did they file tax returns, or are they also late?
There is no mention of all of the classified documents that Joe was not entitled to have. He had them lying around his houses and offices and not stored safely; Hunter had access to them. Everyone keeps asking what Hunter was selling to the foreign entities. Those documents might have had some value.
@SD,
They investigated Biden… then gave him a pass. This was something that was called out by Trump and the conservative press.
This is also going to play in the Florida case. There’s more to it and the case in Florida will blow up in the Dems face.
If Trump wins… it would not be wise to be a Dem who went after him. He would have a lot of options to legally go after them.
I imagine many of you reading this entry this morning are remembering when we could read Prof. Turley’s blog and it was always enlightening, whether we agreed or not. But in the past months or longer, it is not so anymore — there is so much personal invective between this commenter and that commenter that it’s more like walking through a minefield —
I realize Prof. Turley does not have a policy of eliminating the personal attacks on his blog but maybe there could be a way to segregate the personal attacks among commenters from the enlightening stuff?
Well done!
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2023/12/11/turley_not_indicting_hunter_biden_for_fara_violations_like_arresting_a_bank_robber_for_speeding_away_from_the_crime_scene.html
JONATHAN TURLEY: It was a fascinating indictment. Obviously, it shatters things stated by the president and the White House, it documents a level of influence-peddling that we have never seen the like of, just millions of dollars coming from foreign sources, going through all of these accounts.
But throughout this, there’s one person who just seems to be completely omitted and that is Joe Biden.
It’s like arresting a bank robber for speeding away from the crime scene without mentioning why he was speeding. And you know, all these details are how Hunter Biden got all of this money from all of these foreign sources, from Ukraine, Romania, China. But there is nary a mention of the president himself.
There’s also no mention of FARA, you know, the Department of Justice has given out FARA charges like Paul Manafort in short order. They were not in any way reluctant to bring those charges that you are an unregistered foreign agent.
This complaint screams of being an unregistered foreign agent but that is also not mentioned. But finally, it’s also not mentioned, of course, that they allowed some of these crimes to expire. There is still no explanation why the special counsel decided, when he didn’t have to, to let the early felonies expire and all of those questions are left unanswered.
Has everyone seen the video where Joe Biden, some years ago, was complaining that he “should have raised Republican children”, so that when he goes to the old folks home, he could have a room with view?
He bought his Rehobeth beach home in 2017 for 2.75 million dollars cash, 2 weeks after Hunter shook down the Chinese business man, or else daddy….
Zyclone b. No one ever goes to jail they just get a paperclip. Sane business not even different name bayer Monsanto. There will never be justice tribes just need to watch their own backs.
Hunter wrote off over 338 thousand dollars in “travel expenses” in 2018, but Dennis and Svelaz think yea, a $4k loan from daddy for a truck….makes sense!!
@Tom….
Actually its possible. (Which is why its dangerous)
You could have 338K in travel expenses where you’re billing them back to the client, or that its an expense against revenue from the client. And it would be in a business account.
Note: That would be a lot of business class international travel and 5 star hotels , meals and car services along w security depending on where you go…
I think you meant to say 40K loan for a truck.
That’s possible. Considering that Hunter put so much blow up his nose and paid off his hookers, he had nothing left in his personal checking account and couldn’t touch the business account.
Of course Joe would have a counter check image for that amount… that he wrote for Hunter and marking it as a loan for a truck. At least in the memo. (Hate to see it as a loan for Brandy and Prancer’s services)
But we don’t see that.
The reason I point this out… its the fact that its plausible is that it would normally fly under the radar. It could generate an alert, but could be explained. The monies from China thru a shell company… can’t.
Upon closer review… it fails the sniff test. That would only happen if they got flagged for the other alerts. (Which they did)
-G
“I think you meant to say 40K loan for a truck.”
I said what i meant to say. It was a little over $4k, repayed in 3 payments in 2018.
He reported 2.1 million in 2018, and was worth 10 million, but couldnt afford a down payment on a truck. Had to get a loan from daddy. Yet these “people” say it with a straight face.
If i somehow gave the impression that i thought it was “impossible”, my apologies. What I found it was preposterous.
@Tom
Ok, sorry I haven’t been following the numbers that closely. I’ll defer to you…
As to the ‘loan’ from daddy.
Like I said… in Hunter’s defense he spent so much on hookers and blow … their pimp not only put his kids thru school and grad school, he also funded his and their Roth-IRAs.
Like I said, these types of things would normally fly under the Radar were it not for the SARs and the off shore cash flows. I mean had Hunter held the money in the accounts for 90 days or longer then moved it… it would have been harder to tie the cash flows together.
-G
Democrats will behave like Sgt. Schultz from Hogan’s Heroes who, despite obvious evidence to the contrary, they never say nothin’! Democrats do have an eerie way of sticking together, thru both thick and thin – scandal after scandal. The loyalty makes me wonder what the ratio of sticks versus carrots is needed to keep the regime together. I guess they either hang together or are hanged together.
Trump is up by TEN POINTS over Biden….
In MICHIGAN
Smith better get busy!!!!
LMAO
Estovir Says:
I have a confession. I am a booger eating, foreskin licking, pedophile troll who lays awake at night counting and recording all the different posters that are Thinkthrough, James, Upstate Farmer, Iowa2, Edward Mahl, Tom, Guy Ventner, Margot Ballhere, Hullbobby, Shakidi, J. Feldman, Ralph Chappell.
Then I realize they are all ‘me’.
261 posters are all Tyrannosaurus Estovir!!!
Now back to your booger eating and corn holing little boys, brandrunner the sh!tstain.
There’s quite the plagiarism scandal pressuring Harvard’s Claudine Gay to step down:
For any Harvard grads out there reading this blog:
Chris Brunet
@realChrisBrunet
“If you, or someone you know, knows someone who has been expelled from Harvard by Claudine Gay for plagiarism, please email me:
chrisbrunet@protonmail.com
It would be fascinating to see what sorts of things SHE considers plagiarism.”
Don’t wait for Gay to resign, FIRE her Harvard.
Do the right thing and FIRE her.
But of course, we know THAT won’t happen.
What a disgrace Harvard has allowed itself to become.
Paywall. Now. Before it’s too late.
What is the purpose of a “shell company?”
It is so funny to see folks avoid this obvious truth. Shell companies are to avoid the connection, the problem is the Biden Family are grifters, they care not about a single thing but serving their masters. So the Laptop contents, which can be reviewed by anyone now, are a monument to depravity, grifting, lying, drug use, and things with children. It is all there in color, yet somehow because the TV talking heads say “Hunter is a kid, the children he’s with, naked, and the drugs, and the lying and the grifting, well that is just the life of a little scamp, now, that 15 minute meeting Trump Jr. took with a guy who spoke russian, that’s treason.” Mind boggling, people are stupid.
What I find hilarious is that Turley testified in the Ukraine based impeachment one, a “trial” where the forces that created it were mostly Ukrainian (it’s called vested interest) and the issue was that Ukraine would not get money to fight russia in the future. Turley hasn’t made the simple connection, Joe and Hunter have their entire lives tied up in Ukraine, so deep they get frequent stayer perks at hotels. And, remarkably, Joe is in office and greenlit all the Ukraine aid needed, the very thing Trump was accused of doing but never did.
Why are Hunter and Joe so caught up with Ukraine, why was Trump impeached over Ukraine, why is everything Ukraine tied to NATO, death to Russia and even the bioweapons labs Hunter helped set up, labs used to create death pathogens aimed at Russia btw?
I have a confession. I am a booger eating, foreskin licking, pedophile troll who lays awake at night counting and recording all the different posters that are all Estovir the Terrible!!!!
Adam Schiff ladies and gentlemen.
From Turley’s Own Link:
Only One Third Approve Of Inquiry
Yet, while most believe the current president acted illegally or unethically, only a third approve of the impeachment inquiry undertaken by the House of Representatives into Biden’s potential involvement. Republicans are more likely to approve of the impeachment inquiry while Democrats are more likely to disapprove.
Fifty-four percent of the public have read or heard little or nothing about the impeachment inquiry. Of those who have read or heard at least something about the impeachment inquiry, 49% disapprove compared with 31% of those who have not paid much attention to the inquiry.
Edited From:
https://apnorc.org/projects/most-say-biden-has-acted-either-illegally-or-unethically-in-his-sons-business-dealings/?doing_wp_cron=1702229222.9387021064758300781250
Too funny. Its over 2 months old.
Want to take that survey again?
You’re misinterpreting the data.
Sorry but its how you interpret the no opinion section.
The numbers are really 60/40 overall in favor of the inquiry.
Its hard to explain if you don’t know how to read the data.
The question is more of looking at those who are against an inquiry than those that are for it.
Any doubts now that these people would rig an election to get closer to power and the chance to shove their greedy paws [or is it claws?] Into big piles of money?