Below is my column in The Hill on President Joe Biden doubling down on his absolute defense of his son Hunter Biden. The comments only magnify the concerns over Attorney General Merrick Garland refusing to appoint a special counsel despite the clear basis for such an appointment. It is clear that the President “absolutely” stands by his son and that the media absolutely stands by the President. The question is whether Garland will stand by justice and appoint a special counsel.
Here is the column:
“We absolutely stand by the president’s comment.” With those words, White House communications director Kate Bedingfield reaffirmed that President Biden maintains his son Hunter Biden did “nothing [that] was unethical” and never “made money” in China.
Those claims appear demonstrably false — and they make the positions of both the media and Attorney General Merrick Garland absolutely untenable.
For the media, the ongoing investigation of Hunter Biden by U.S. Attorney David Weiss in Delaware has presented a growing danger of self-indictment over its prior coverage (or noncoverage). Weiss has called a long line of witnesses before a grand jury, and there is growing expectation of criminal charges against Hunter Biden.
Nothing concentrates the mind as much as a looming indictment.
Thus, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN and other media faced the embarrassing prospect of an indictment based on a story they previously suggested was either a nonstory or Russian disinformation. Suddenly, in recent days, they all rushed to declare the story legitimate, 18 months after the New York Post reported it in October 2020.
What quickly emerged, though, was a new narrative: None of this implicates President Biden. On CNN, White House correspondent John Harwood declared, “There is zero evidence that Vice President Biden, or President Biden, has done anything wrong in connection with what Hunter Biden has done.” Anchor Brianna Keilar then added for emphasis that Harwood was making “an important distinction.”
It was important, but not because it was true. While many media figures now willingly admit the legitimacy of Hunter Biden’s abandoned-laptop story, they are avoiding what the emails found on that laptop actually contain. Hundreds of emails appear to detail a multimillion-dollar influence-peddling enterprise by the Biden family, including Hunter Biden and his uncle James Biden.
Influence peddling has long been the way Washington’s elite enriches itself. This common source of political corruption involves the relatives of powerful government figures who shake down corporations or countries for access and influence.
The Bidens would seem to be standouts in this common practice, engaging in a virtual family business. James Biden has been accused of marketing his connection to his brother. And in the emails discovered on his abandoned laptop, Hunter Biden practically sold timeshares of his father by dangling meetings and dinners for investors.
The key in any influence peddling scheme is to protect the principal. People apparently were told to avoid directly referring to President Biden. In one email, Tony Bobulinski, then a business partner of Hunter’s, was instructed by Biden associate James Gilliar not to speak of the former veep’s connection to any transactions: “Don’t mention Joe being involved, it’s only when u [sic] are face to face, I know u [sic] know that but they are paranoid.”
Instead, the emails apparently refer to President Biden with code names such as “Celtic” or “the big guy.” In one, “the big guy” is discussed as possibly receiving a 10 percent cut on a deal with a Chinese energy firm; other emails reportedly refer to Hunter Biden paying portions of his father’s expenses and taxes.
Despite President Biden’s repeated claims he knew nothing about these dealings, Bobulinski has said he personally met with the senior Biden to discuss Hunter Biden’s business activities. Bobulinski had been selected by the family to handle these deals.
As vice president, Joe Biden flew to China on Air Force Two with Hunter Biden, who arranged for his father to meet some of his business interests. Hunter Biden’s financial interest in a Chinese-backed investment firm, BHR Partners, was registered within weeks of that 2013 trip. Yet, President Biden repeatedly insisted that he never discussed such dealings with his son, a claim Hunter Biden has contradicted.
There are emails of Ukrainian and other foreign clients thanking Hunter Biden for arranging meetings with his father. There are photos from dinners and meetings that tie President Biden to these figures, including a 2015 dinner with a group of Hunter Biden’s Russian and Kazakh clients.
It is important to note that when these foreign interests were clamoring to give Hunter Biden millions of dollars, he was, by his own admission, a hopeless addict. In his 2021 memoir, Hunter Biden admits he was “drinking a quart of vodka a day” and “smoking crack around the clock,” up until his father’s 2020 presidential campaign began. So why would Russian, Chinese and other foreign figures give Hunter Biden all of this money, if not to influence his father?
The new narrative suggests that, while Hunter Biden maintained one of the largest influence-peddling schemes in recent history, it did not involve the object of that scheme — his father.
Even if President Biden was not influenced by all of this, it’s hard to believe he didn’t know his son was selling access. In his book, Hunter Biden claims his father repeatedly intervened due to his addictions — and yet we are to believe that Joe Biden did not express curiosity about how his addicted son was raking in millions from foreign sources?
The point is that President Biden really did not have to ask: Hunter Biden had nothing to sell but influence. All President Biden had to do to facilitate such schemes was to be accessible — to allow his family to deliver face-to-face meetings and photo ops.
And that brings us to the untenable position of Garland.
It is hard to imagine a stronger case for a special counsel. Any effort to investigate Hunter Biden’s dealings will lead investigators to encounter repeated references to the president and how he may have benefited from those schemes. At the same time, the president is “absolutely” standing by his denial that his son did anything wrong or made any money from China.
The White House statement this week serves as a reminder to investigators that the president is heavily invested in this narrative and his denial of now-established facts.
This is not to say that Weiss, the U.S. Attorney investigating Hunter Biden, will not be independent in his efforts. However, the concern is the appearance of how a conflict might affect the investigation or limit the scope of any potential charges. Moreover, absent a special counsel, there is unlikely to be a report on these apparent influence peddling schemes.
Garland pledged to protect the Justice Department from such conflicts and to avoid even the appearance of political influence. He now has a president stating that alleged wrongdoing by his son is “absolutely” untrue, including dealings possibly impacting the president personally and financially. If Garland declines to appoint a special counsel, he will absolutely fail on his pledge.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. Follow him on Twitter @JonathanTurley.
Music
Biden! Hunter Biden!
What kind of dog is Hunter Biden?
Fat dog…skinny dog ..
Dog who climbs on docks.
He’s a Ukrainian and he lives with chicken pox.
Only a matter of moments before all the lefty lawyerly types show up here and say how rotten to the core Turley is and hypocritical, etc etc, blah, blah blah. What is truly incredible is that old man Biden is President given that anyone with one eye and half an ass knew what type person he was BEFORE the election. Remember the firing of the Ukraine prosecutor? Biden talked about it with pride, like it was a big joke.
They needed to install someone in the presidency who is totally corrupt, easily controlled, lacking integrity or intelligence…..and Joe Biden fit the bill.
I totally agree, but before Republicans can start patting themselves on the back, don’t forget idiot son GW Bush. All political kingmakers need to have a way to control their candidates, which is why so many of them turn out to be eminently corruptable.
Two items to consider:
1. Documents Show How Hunter Biden Profited
Washington Post: “Over the course of 14 months, the Chinese energy conglomerate and its executives paid $4.8 million to entities controlled by Hunter Biden and his uncle, according to government records, court documents and newly disclosed bank statements, as well as emails contained on a copy of a laptop hard drive that purportedly once belonged to Hunter Biden.”
“The Post did not find evidence that Joe Biden personally benefited from or knew details about the transactions with CEFC, which took place after he had left the vice presidency and before he announced his intentions to run for the White House in 2020.”
“But the new documents — which include a signed copy of a $1 million legal retainer, emails related to the wire transfers, and $3.8 million in consulting fees that are confirmed in new bank records and agreements signed by Hunter Biden — illustrate the ways in which his family profited from relationships built over Joe Biden’s decades in public service.”
2. Secret Service Pays $30K a Month to Protect Hunter Biden
https://politicalwire.com/2022/04/04/secret-service-paying-30k-a-month-to-protect-hunter-biden/
“Hunter Biden is apparently spending his father’s presidency living in luxury in Malibu — and so is his taxpayer-funded security detail,” ABC News reports.
“The Secret Service detail protecting the president’s controversial son has been paying more than $30,000 a month to rent out a swanky Malibu, California, mansion for nearly a year.”
“The agency responsible for protecting the president and his family — among other ranking government officials — selected the property in order to be located as close as possible to Biden’s own rented mansion where he is paying about $20,000 a month according to property listings.”
…
Hunter is the type of human excrement to bang his own brother’s wife, disavow a baby he fathered and therefore be another Harvey Weinsten /#MeToo data point, bring dishonor and scandal to a mentally deficient aging father who has accomplished nothing for the betterment of Americans as a career politician other than pissing on his employer, American taxpayers.
Hunter’s fruit does not fall far from the tree that begot him
It appears some agency was concerned the Biden’s were compromised and wanted to know about the laptop: Ex-intel officer: Spy agency sought Hunter Biden laptop back in 2020 to see if family compromised
https://justthenews.com/accountability/russia-and-ukraine-scandals/hldex-intel-officer-spy-agency-sought-hunter-biden
Don’t look at me,
So what exactly is illegal about making a profit from a Chinese energy conglomerate?
Trump’s children made profits from foreign businesses too. It wasn’t illegal either. Why would Hunter Biden’s actions be illegal?
Wellllll, when you get a little older, Johnny, we can have that discussion on the birds and the bees. However considering the impressive grooming you have received from your
Act Blue troll farm handlersgrade school teachers, you will likely be a LGBTSIA+LMNOPXYZ before you reach the age of reasonBest regards
Xoxoxo
– Seth Warner
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Kellyanne Conway even appeared on camera, while working as a representative of the Trump White House, to promote Ivanka’s stupid fashion business that sputtered and died. No one did anything about that. We really don’t know the extent of Russia’s involvement with their useful idiot they helped install, but the point of Turley’s little crap piece was to create the impression that the Bidens APPEAR TO BE corrupt, all without citing any actual proof, all to set off the truth about Trump’s corruption in trying to overcome the will of the American people.
Natacha, Hunter Biden in one of his emails complained that he had to give half of his income to his dear old daddy. Ivanka had knowledge of the fashion industry but Hunter Biden had no knowledge of the oil industry for which he was paid 4.5 million dollars. If you believe Hunter that means that Joe got 2.25 million from Hunters Chinese foray. Strange, you believed Hunter in the past but you don’t believe him now. You believed The New York Times and The Washington Times in the past but you don’t believe them now when they say that the Steele Dossier was a hoax and that the Hunter Biden laptop is authentic. Why aren’t you angry at the Times and the Post for feeding you the pablum that must now turn bitter in your mouth. You took the pablum and spit it out on these pages for months. Now the best you can offer is but what about Ivanka. Why should we expect anything else? Once a party line mouthpiece always a party line mouthpiece.
Natacha: “Ivanka’s stupid fashion business ”
You call it stupid because you’re just jealous that she can see her reflection in her mirror.
Cindy, a couple of years ago I was at Trump Tower and saw Ivanka’s store selling her jewelry. It was classy and not that high end. She or whoever created the line was good. Natacha has something wrong going on in her head.
S. Meyer…..thank you for telling me that. I remember seeing her on a morning news show about 20 or 25 years ago,. She was a teenager and had just started her own business!. She was so impressive. Everyone thought she was a remarkable young woman……and she was….and still is!
P.S. there are times when I really miss visiting NYC…..really miss Caffe Reggio, .and walking Manhattan.
Cindy, I miss NYC, but I have little desire to go back. Walking is fun, but some of my friends in NYC report the mayor is as bad as the previous, and they worry about violence in the streets. If you go, be careful. Most of Manhattan used to be very safe. Still, the Democrats are pushing their thing and the violence increases in the direction of the violence in Chicago and other large Democrat cities. I haven’t been to my home in Manhattan for a couple of years and am not anxious to go back to visit. I am hot and cold about selling my coop. Democrats destroy everything they touch.
If you go, be extra careful even in midtown. Yesterday a friend was telling me that his daughter was a little afraid even though she lives where the rents exceed $10,000 per month.
Allan…Thank you! I don’t think we’ll go until it changes back…if ever!….So sad the new mayor is no good! Our daughter lived there under Rudy’s administration………Every parent’s dream!!! He was wonderful and she felt so safe!
Cindy, when Rudy was Mayor, I increased the amount of time in NYC. If you do go back, make sure to visit the High Line. It is very different from most things one would think about (I might have told you before). The walk is glorious. If you ever end up on the west side, adjacent to the Hudson, there are three apartment buildings with large displays of beautiful glass art on the south side. Three great artists, one after the other, Chihuly, David Bennett and a third, who recently retired (in his 80’s). I bought several large Bennetts before he blew this colossal display. That is part of Manhattan’s beauty. I was walking from one place to another and happened on these displays by accident. There is eye candy everywhere in NYC.
Allan,,,Thankyou! I googled High Line…What a great gift to the city!
OT..had a friend whose brother owned Bubby’s on Hudson. Our daughter lived @Canal and Hudson. She cooked at gourmet takeout 14th/Hudson..Before that, Upper West in the 90’s & baked from-scratch croissants at French bakery (Alcazar….Lower East). Miss those days!
Svelaz, there’ a difference in having ladies shoes manufactured in China and advising big oil companies when you have no expertise in the oil industry. Without having knowledge in the oil industry what was Hunter paid for? I believe Hunter when he said that he had to give half of his income to his daddy. It seems to me that you should be very angry that you have been played for a chump with RussiaGate and the laptop being Russian disinformation. The New York Times and The Washington Post played the part of Lucy in the Peanuts cartoons. Just like with Charlie Brown they just keep pulling the ball away when you try to kick. They just keep telling you that this time they won’t pull the ball away and you just keep believing them. You and Charlie Brown are cute little fellows but your not to quick in the brain matter area. Where is your anger!
Does or has the US ever bought oil from China? You are repeating the same crap I’ve heard spewed on Fox. Does someone have to be a geologist or petrol engineer to serve on the Board of an oil company? I want you to produce for me, the exact contents of the lap top and explain to me how these things constitute crimes. If you can’t do that, then you don’t know what you’re talking about and are only repeating drivel you heard on alternative news.
Natacha, if you set on the board of an oil company it would be expected that you would understand something about the production of petroleum. What if you were a stock holder and you realized that people on the board knew nothing about how to properly protect your investment? Oil is a business not some Hollywood charitable entity. Like Hunter you should stick to something that you know something about.
Do people who sit on the boards of pharmaceutical companies know anything about the science behind drugs and biologicals? Of course they don’t. The wife of a senator from my state used to sit on all kids of boards, including the board of a major pharmaceutical company. She had no science background. What makes you think that Hunter Biden doesn’t know anything about the petroleum industry? Do you even have the faintest notion what Boards of Directors do? I know you don’t because of your posts that assume one has to be an expert in petroleum production to be of service on the board of a petroleum company. Boards of Directors make all sorts of decisions about leadership, personnel, investments, contracts, real estate, marketing, dividends and other matters that apply to multiple different industries. You don’t have to be an expert in petroleum production to sit on a board and make business decisions. I know this is a Fox talking point, and that you really, really, believe it, because you believe everything Fox tells you.
Management does not need nuts and bolts knowledge of the industry they manage. Few do.
Management is systems management.
MBA’s not Bachlor of science. Corporated board members are seated for a variety of skillsets. All bring something different.
Having said that. Hunter Biden as exhibited zero abilities in an area. Hunter Biden was not advising . He was selling.
Selling access to the government of the United States.
Iowan2,
“ Having said that. Hunter Biden as exhibited zero abilities in an area. Hunter Biden was not advising . He was selling.
Selling access to the government of the United States.”
Ok…so what’s the evidence?
That’s what this post is about.
Hunter Biden’s purchases without the supporting job’s to fund the purchases.
Natacha, we just heard it on alternative news such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, and Politico Magazine. So now these news sources are alternative news. You need to get out more.
“Does or has the US ever bought oil from China?”
CEFC (the company HB shilled for) was a communist Chinese company with ties to the Chinese military and state police.
It sought major inroads into the U.S., for both economic and propaganda opportunities. It sought to purchase American technology. (Gosh, what could go wrong?)
Guess who had the power to grease the skids for CEFC?
What some desire to evade is that China is a dictatorship that enslaves its own people. It detests American values and is our *enemy*.
It is one thing to influence-peddle for a semi-free, semi-civilized country, such as France or Britain. But to do so for dictatorship, for a country that seeks to destroy you — that makes Benedict Arnold look like a patriot.
Thinkitthrough,
“ Svelaz, there’ a difference in having ladies shoes manufactured in China and advising big oil companies when you have no expertise in the oil industry. Without having knowledge in the oil industry what was Hunter paid for?”
Well, he does have experience in consulting energy companies, remember Burisma?
Ivanka Trump or Jared Kushner didn’t have any experience or knowledge about their positions in the White House as advisors either, didn’t seem like it mattered. Why would it matter if Hunter didn’t have an intimate knowledge of the oil industry? It’s not illegal.
Troll. Time to use your dozens of other sock puppet accounts. Not to worry, your writing voice is such a dead give away, not even butching it up will help you.
We are all Svelaz / Seth Warner / Sammy now
“Ivanka Trump or Jared Kushner didn’t have any experience or knowledge about their positions in the White House as advisors either”
Ignorance is bliss. Jared helped bring peace to the Arab nations and Israel. That is only one thing he did. Don’t you feel foolish? of course not. That requires certain things you don’t have.
Svelaz, you are correct in stating that Hunter gave advice to Burisma. He also had no knowledge of the petroleum industry when he sat on the board of Burisma. Jerad Kushner brokered an agreement that resulted in Arab nations recognizing Israel as legitimate nation and he didn’t have to smoke an illegal drug while he was doing it. The average American recognizes that Hunters position on the Burisma board was simply because of his influence on his father who was the Vice President of the U.S. Joe Biden used a billion dollars to convince a Ukranian prosecutor to drop an investigation of the company that Hunter worked for known as Burisma. With a stink that is so obnoxious I am amazed that you can’t smell the smell. Can’t see can’t smell.
Thinkitthrough,
Because it’s an energy company it doesn’t mean every board member must be knowledgeable about the industry. Jared Kushner was not knowledgeable about foreign policy or anything else he was an advisor for the same goes for Ivanka.
What is the crime? The ousting of the Ukrainian prosecutor had nothing to do with Hunter Biden being on the board of Burisma holdings.
The entire European union and bipartisan committees in congress supported the ouster of that Ukrainian official.
The Godfather said to the funeral parlor owner that he was going to help him out now but he was expected to return the favor in the future. Like the Godfather the Chinese give 4.5 million dollars to Hunter Biden for doing nothing. Must we assume that they just did it out of the kindness of their heart to help a junkie out or did they think that it was a good investment for a favor in the future? This here ain’t rocket science ya’ll.
Where do you get your facts from? Where does the $4.5 million figure come from? Where did you get the idea that Hunter Biden did “nothing”? Believing lies isn’t “rocket science y’all”.
Where do YOU get your facts from?
Natacha, once bitten you would think that you’d become shy. You always say that the information I put forth is always a lie and I always back it up with a reliable source. You ask. Where did I come up with Hunter Biden receiving 4.5 Million dollars from China. I apologize the dollar amount was 4.8 million and I left out the diamond ring worth $80,000.https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/state-linked-chinese-energy-company-paid-4-8-million-to-hunter-biden-h90xgqttp. if you want more I’ll be happy to oblige. You have said in the past that you never click on my links including the ones that I provide from CNN, NYT and The Washington Post. You display that you are not interested in gaining any knowledge even if it come from outlets on the left. Consequently you remain in a hazy fog of your own making. 4.8 million dollars and a very pretty diamond is a lot of shekels.
“ The documents unveiled this week showed that, beginning in August 2017, Hunter Biden and his uncle received $4.8 million from CEFC China Energy, an oil and gas giant linked to the ruling Communist party and the People’s Liberation Army. The documents, first disclosed by the Republican senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson, have fuelled allegations that the president’s son and others in the family were seeking to profit from Joe Biden’s political connections.”
So what? The Trumps have shown us that there’s nothing wrong with that. All of Trump’s kids have done the same thing profiting from Donald Trump’s political connections.
What exactly is the crime here?
Don’t be so stupid. The Trumps have done nothing even close to resembling the shakedown rackateering syndicate being run by Big Guy Biden’s family for decades.
Natacha, if you would provide the proof of Hunters degree in any discipline related to petroleum extraction we would be very appreciative of you efforts. You should be able to find it in just a few minutes if it doe indeed exist. We await your enlightenment.
“profit” is defined as, adding value.
Just explain what value Hunter added, and we can move on.
“The Post did not find evidence that Joe Biden personally benefited from or knew details about the transactions with CEFC,
We do know at least one bank account commingled money deposited by Joe and Hunter Biden. We in fact do have proof Joe Biden was in on the grift.
Joe Biden is a damn liar and a nasty SOB corrupt treasonous politician who deserves to be hung out to dry.
The sad part is there are actual voters out there who believe Joe Biden is a “nice guy” trying to “do the right thing” for the good of the country.
What a joke.
President Biden is still at home in DE as of this morning. Biden spends more time relaxing at home in Delaware than he does actually staying in DC and working on all that matters to the American people. The man is a corrupt, demented, controlled puppet of the left. Anyone who believes Joe Biden is in charge of anything in this regime is an idiot.
You’ve been watching Fox again, haven’t you? Everything you’ve said is a total lie.
Prove it.
I also ask that you prove your groundless assertions. And saying someone on the MSM said so is NOT proof.
Biden is not in charge. He’s too stupid and too lazy.
He is a corrupt, deeply compromised, puppet-on-a-string who has terrible judgment on everything from foreign policy to judges — as everyone in DC knows.
If President “Unity” was truly wanting to unify the country, he would be making very different policy decisions. He is not a ‘unifier.’ Never was. Never will be.
For example, he would have nominated a black woman like Judge Michelle Childs. Instead, Biden chose a leftwing radical with a troubling record like Judge Jackson. Hardly a unifying choice for the Supreme Court.
Biden is a mess. His choice for VP is an even bigger mess. These are the facts.
The democrats, including their deep state FBI, State Department and Special Counsel, proved themselves capable of spending enormous sums of money, obtaining search warrants using false information, and planting hundreds of false stories in their pursuit of criminal conduct– that is, in their pursuit of imaginary criminal conduct. Now, confronted with actual high crimes by actual elected and appointed criminal office holders they and their media hand-maidens suddenly are feckless. Is anyone surprised?
What more can they do? They are all tangled in the same dark web. The only cure fore this nation, at this point, is a call to The Orkin Man to rid us of an infestation of locusts/rats/cockroaches and termites. Tent all federal, state and local governments and gas all the vermin. It is quite obvious that any and all legal procedures as directed in federal and state constitutions are impotent at this point for ridding us of bad governance.
Honestlawyermostly,
“ Now, confronted with actual high crimes by actual elected and appointed criminal office holders they and their media hand-maidens suddenly are feckless. Is anyone surprised?”
What exactly are these high crimes you are referring to?
Turley hasn’t mentioned any crimes or criminal statutes being violated. Perhaps as a lawyer, you can enlighten us on what these “high crimes are?
“What exactly are these high crimes you are referring to?”
It’s called: “Bribery of public officials” (18 U.S. Code § 201).
The bagman, HB, is the nexus to JB (the “public official”).
Sam, influence peddling is not bribery.
18 U.S. Code § 201 Deals with public officials. Hunter Biden is not a public official in any capacity.
“ (1) the term “public official” means Member of Congress, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner, either before or after such official has qualified, or an officer or employee or person acting for or on behalf of the United States, or any department, agency or branch of Government thereof, including the District of Columbia, in any official function, under or by authority of any such department, agency, or branch of Government, or a juror;
(2) the term “person who has been selected to be a public official” means any person who has been nominated or appointed to be a public official, or has been officially informed that such person will be so nominated or appointed; and
(3) the term “official act” means any decision or action on any question, matter, cause, suit, proceeding or controversy, which may at any time be pending, or which may by law be brought before any public official, in such official’s official capacity, or in such official’s place of trust or profit.”
The statute only deals with public officials. Hunter Biden is not a public official.
Ironically Ivanka Trump and her husband were public officials because they were operating in an official capacity for the White House. Their actions were much more likely to have run afoul of bribery than Hunter Biden.
“Hunter Biden is not a public official.”
Never said he was (and you know that or can’t read.) JB was and is the “public official.”
You seem to be unclear on the concepts “bagman” and “nexus.”
Sam,
“ Never said he was (and you know that or can’t read.) JB was and is the “public official.”
You seem to be unclear on the concepts “bagman” and “nexus.”
Joe Biden is not the one being investigated. You are trying to conflate Hunter Biden’s dealings as if they were Joe Biden’s. Claiming bribery as one of the “high crimes” cannot apply to either one.
Even Turley can’t cite exactly what it is that is corrupt while ignoring the fact that Trump’s children engaged in the same kind of “raw” influence peddling and profiteering because of their father’s position. It was far worse under Trump.
Sam isn’t the only one trying to conflate whatever Hunter and James Biden have done with Joe Biden. That is the entire point of Turley’s little piece of sh*t published above, and, sadly, the disciples are buying it, just like they bought the Big Lie. Turley is echoing the message of his employer and other alt-right media. All of this is, of course, a distraction to set off the bad news that the Jan. 6th Committee is coming up with, and part of the ploy to try to take over Congress in the midterms, so the Republicans can shut down the Jan. 6th Commission and try to re-install the fat, lying hog in 2024. And, the disciples all think they are smart.
The laptop proves Joe Biden is directly in-the-know.
Cite me proof of this. If you can’t, then stop repeating garbage you heard on Fox.
It’s there. Big Guy is clearly implicated. A Delaware Grand Jury is now privy to all the evidence.
Do your own research.
“. . . trying to conflate whatever Hunter and James Biden have done with Joe Biden.”
Influence-peddlers need someone who wields the influence.
In this case, who is that — Harvey the invisible rabbit?
Of course Professor Turley is correct on all points; unfortunately Garland, who I think is even worse than Eric Holder will protect the Biden family at all costs. As to the so called MSM, they are doing exactly what Turley observes. Take for example, the phony and dishonest “fact checker” Kessler of the ComPost. His article yesterday focuses on some of the more speculative and unreliable accusations thrown up by Tucker Carlson and others to deflect from the core accusations for which there is an abundance of evidence of the treachery of the Biden family. He traduces all the accusers and exonerates the Bidens. The new narrative is that Hunter Biden was making money just like the Trump children and the Big Guy was totally unawares so this is just a “nothingburger” This narrative will be supported vigorously by the MSM and Garland and the DOJ will continue to prevent a real investigation of the President. We shall see if the Republicans have any spine should they take over in November. We know how effective they were in investigating Lois Lerner who should be in San Quentin,
Its a woke world after all
Jared Kushner, another trump family member cashing in on his father-in-law’s position.
Kushner’s conflicts of interest are so vast as to almost defy accounting. But a few highlights:
Joshua Harris, founder of Apollo Global Management, attended a series of White House meetings about infrastructure policy and shortly thereafter refinanced a loan on a Chicago skyscraper for Kushner.
While working on Middle East policy, Kushner’s family company sought loans from a Qatari sheik.
The family business has also done a series of deals with Israeli investors.
Oscar Health, another Kushner family company, was tapped to build a federal Covid-19 testing website.
Somehow Kushner has also been getting coronavirus emergency money from the Small Business Administration.
Let’s not forget Don Jr.
Foreign money has poured into the Trump International Hotel near the White House, and Trump’s sons’ international travel has cost the Secret Service hundreds of thousands of dollars. Of course, security expenses for the president’s family are a public investment worth making. But it does seem notable that a large share of that Secret Service tab has ended up being paid to properties the Trump family owns. In other words, it’s not just that Eric and Donald Jr. are touring the world at taxpayer expense to use their family connections to cut business deals; they are personally pocketing some of the government’s cash as they do it.
It seems in comparison to Hunter Biden’s “raw” influence peddling schemes are no different. It’s just Turley wanting to make it more than it is because he is biased against President Biden.
Delusion! BTW… Jared Kushner is a BILLIONAIRE…where as the Democrats string along there political hacks with financial rewards!
Tell me a Democrats who family doesn’t TRADE off they access to government? Clintons, Pelosi, Biden, Clintons, Gore, Kerry, etc!
Svelaz, Sammy, and other “sock puppet” profile names are owned by the same person. He is paid to spam the forum, change the subject and fit the narrative his employer crafts. He works for a troll farm known as Act Blue, meaning he is not here to dialogue, so dont waste your time thinking he will engage you in honest dialogue. He is paid to troll for the Democrats.
Guyventer, whether Kushner is a billionaire or not is irrelevant. It’s the influence-peddling and corruption that still makes Turley’s criticism of Hunter Biden’s own quite hypocritical.
That’s not saying what Hunter Biden did was unethical, unfortunately, it’s legal. Turley has not said, anything about Hunter Biden did was illegal or criminal.
The supreme court itself maintains that influence peddling is constitutionally protected speech. Turley recognizes this but he doesn’t want to bring it up because it conflicts with his biased narrative on Hunter Biden trying to implicate something illegal exists.
Ok. So you’re fine with Special Counsel to investigate those Kushner claims and another Special Counsel to investigate Hunter Biden…and his father. Right?
Anonymous,
Why would there be a need for special counsel for President Biden? I would be totally fine with a special counsel for both if both warrant a special counsel.
The “appearance” of corruption however is not enough to appoint a special counsel especially when there is no clear evidence that anything Hunter Biden did was illegal. What exactly would be the crime? Influence peddling is legal and so is making a profit from foreign companies. Trump’s children engaged in similar transactions and profited from their father’s position. Was that illegal?
According the :Psaki law, they are not federal employees. The Federal govt has no interest in their private affairs.
So you agree, Hunter Biden is corrupt and should be indicted?
Turley is PAID to not only be biased, but to endlessly echo the messages that: Joe Biden is corrupt because Hunter Biden is corrupt, and mainstream media and the Jan 6th Committee cannot be trusted. All of this is an effort to deflect away from Trump’s criminal efforts to defeat the will of the American voters, and to try to take over Congress in the midterms and shut down the Jan 6th Commission. Then, as several ReTrumplicans have promised, they’ll start impeachment proceedings against Joe Biden, all to try to undermine his presidency and to reinstate the fat hog that decimated our economy, lied about the pandemic, which exacerbated it. insulted our allies, trashed the EU and NATO. If that hog gets back into office, he WILL withdraw the US from NATO, so his pal, Putin, can proceed with taking over Ukraine, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. WHY CAN’T YOU DISCIPLES SEE THE TRUTH? There is no proof that JOE Biden did anything wrong.
Scott Adams put it this way:
“The cat is on the roof.
1. What laptop?
2. That laptop is Russian disinformation
3. Okay, it’s real, but it doesn’t implicate Joe Biden.
4. Okay, it implicates Joe Biden a little, but nothing to worry about.
5. [You are here]”
there is no question that Garland is corrupt as the DOJ he leads
The fact that NO ONE is in jail for the biggest criminal hoax in US history…the Russian Hoax….tells you all you need know!
Gee, influence peddling in Washington D.C. I guess that explains why people run for office and then become extraordinarily rich while in office. Who would ever thought such could be done by public servants. To quote a famous film “I am shocked, shocked to discover that this happens.” Does not speaker Pelosi and her family also fall into that scheme, as well as the Clinton Global Initiative that took in millions and mostly went to staff with minuscule contributions to the poor of the world. As well as the discovery of a new artist whose works command remuneration of several hundred thousands of dollars with the first canvas. And that is just some recent democrats. I am sure there are as many republicans also. However, the vast majority of the richest senators and congressman (women) at this time are democrats. There are remedies for such as this like term limits, requirements that every elected or appointed officeholder at the federal level place all income and assets in blind trusts with limited interaction between the officeholder and the trust and all such interactions placed in the public sphere as well as a nonpartisan ethics commission. Requirement that all officeholders place a total financial review in the record, including income tax forms with a stipulated time limit. Once you leave office then you can pick it up and resume active management.
Or we could set up the Censors like in Ancient Rome, whose job was to sue or try those who misplaced the public trust. Of course they could also remove senatorial families from the senate if their wealth dropped too much.
Don’t expect any love if you do that. Julius Caesar is a case in point. His assassins were reportedly trying to save the Republic when mainly they were trying to maintain their wealth and influence in the Senate in the face of him bringing in many more new senators from across the empire who had little connection to the older senatorial families. Bad idea, for him. The senate had tolerated Sulla and Marius prior to Caesar but they had not tried to remove all the senatorial families from influence. Those families tolerated lists of people to be killed and such as long as their wealth was maintained. Not surprising.
The constitution left us with one sure remedy for this and that is the ballot box. The fact that we, the citizens, are totally responsible for this mess by allowing theses cads to be elected and remain elected indicates that we, the citizens, are also responsible for cleaning this up – if not by constitutional means via votes and law suits, then by the other constitutional means of refusing to comply with an illegitimate government and replace it by whatever means needs be required.
As long as we quit the Mail In voting, that the Democrats used to cheat and get this buffoon installed. They will do EVERYTHING in their power to cheat again. They HAVE nothing else.
Alma…..in time we might have to look back to the Declaration of Independence for our guidance.
I suggest at some point….even our own Federal Government might become such that we might be confronted with a situation that would warrant that should Constitutional methods become unable to prevent it from becoming “tyrannical”.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
In my opinion, we either come together and defeat the Leftist Agena that is causing such harm to this Nation now…..or we shall have to deal with it later when it shall be far more destructive to the Country.
We have fought a Revolution and a Civil War already in our short history……each being far. more costly in Lives and Treasure that the earlier one.
But….at some point the price must be paid if we are to maintain our freedom from an all powerful and corrupt government.
2022 and 2024 Elections should and must be the way we turn this around and begin the process to put the Federal Government back into the hands of the People and not just the establishment politicians.
Even then….that would only be the beginning of the process.
The problem is that the legislators, entrusted with producing the laws, also create the laws and rules for themselves. Insider trading? Guess who is exempt… etc. etc. And with the astronomical sums of money being amassed by the ultra-wealthy, the kinds of enticements that are dangled before the politicians are difficult to resist for all but those of the highest morality and strongest ethical backbone = rara avis in terris.
Turley’s keen eyes must have “missed” these Trump corruption issues while Trump was in office.
Donald Trump’s tax returns, as leaked to the New York Times, suggest that he may be illegally disguising gifts to Ivanka as consulting payments to avoid estate taxes, something Donald’s father did but that we didn’t learn about until the statute of limitations had expired.
Ivanka was involved at a very high level in a Panamanian real estate development scheme where her key partner was a money launderer for various organized crime figures (oops).
She was also the most senior official from the Trump Organization involved in a real estate development project in Azerbaijan that appears to have been a money-laundering scheme for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (double oops).
Last but by no means least, back in 2012, Ivanka was nearly indicted by the Manhattan district attorney for fraud, but the inquiry was quashed by the DA himself after a timely $25,000 campaign contribution from the Trump family attorney Marc Kasowitz.
can you explain the Russian HOAX to us? It is Clear Democrats worked with a British Spy and Russians….and then Democrat operatives in the DOJ, CIA, NSA, etc used this HOAX to harrash Trump and jail his people…and TRY TO OVER THROW THE ELECTION!
TREASON!
Have you read the Mueller Report or the Report of the Republican Senatorial committee that investigated Russia’s intervention in our election in 2016, all of which concluded that Trump cheated? The Steele Dossier was not the impetus for the Mueller investigation. Trump cheated in 2016 with Russia’s help, and because every poll predicted his loss, began the Big Lie even before election day. He tried to bully, litigate and then caused in insurrection, all to try to stay in power, because he refused to accept the will of the American people. Where’s the proof that the election was rigged? The American people didn’t want Trump, proved by his consistent polling at less than 50% approval. Trump is the big, fat, hoax: pretending to validly be a President, pretending to be a self-made billionaire, pretending to be successful, pretending to be competent, constantly lying, bullying people, trashing our economy, botching the pandemic, alienating our allies, and undercutting American intelligence by siding against them in favor of Putin. He won’t shut up or go away, either, and he constantly tries to undercut Biden, the EU and NATO. He even praised mass-murderer Putin for invading Ukraine, by calling it “savvy, genius”. If he got back into office, God forbid, he’d pull the US out of NATO, clearing the way for Putin to invade Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and maybe Poland. NATO needs the US to prevent WW 3. Trump continues to be Putin’s puppet. Why can’t you see this? Have you seen the images from the outskirts of Kyiv, showing Ukrainian citizens lying dead in the streets, some with hands tied behind their backs? Putin even had their dogs and cats killed. I saw an interview with a Ukrainian journalist who says that there’s evidence that the Russians raped people, too, including children, because the victims were found with their pants down, shot in the head. These images are not being shown on American television This is the person your hero admires and is siding with. The admirer of this monster is who you and Turley are trying to help get elected by trashing the Biden family with claims of crimes they “appear to” be involved with. What’s wrong with you?
Does Act Blue pay you by the word?
“Donald Trump’s tax returns, as leaked to the New York Times, suggest that he may be illegally disguising gifts to Ivanka as consulting payments to avoid estate taxes”
Do you not understand that any consulting fees to Ivanka are taxed at 37%? Since when do you or anyone else determine how much a person should be paid for consulting? That statement alone would prove you are a Marxist if you had any understanding of Marxism.
Anonymous,
How about tax fraud? It seems Ivanka is taking a page from daddy’s tax fraud playbook.
Or it could be bribery since she was a public official.
How can it be tax fraud if it was declared and taxes were paid? What was the quid pro quo? Is doing a job you are paid to do quid pro quo?
I don’t know the amount or Trump’s financial arrangements, but he could have given his daughter money tax-free.
Ignorance is bliss.
Anonymous,
“ How can it be tax fraud if it was declared and taxes were paid?”
“Consulting fees” declared without proof of actual consulting are considered tax fraud.
Sammy, Dont you ever tire in swimming your own diarrhea? Or is it a highly coveted skill set you acquired at Act Blue and you are here to demonstrate it nonstop? Cmon dude, flush that toilet already.
Cash Flowed to Clinton Foundation Amid Russian Uranium Deal
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/us/cash-flowed-to-clinton-foundation-as-russians-pressed-for-control-of-uranium-company.html
Svelaz, it looks like you are confused as usual. You may be thinking about independent contractors that do not pay their taxes.
This is another topic you need to research. You are batting 0 out of 100
Donald Trump’s tax returns, as leaked to the New York Times, suggest that he may be illegally disguising gifts to Ivanka
That has to be a lie.
I know for a fact, the NYT does not publish, or respond to “leaked” documnets
Iowan2,
“ New York Times publishes details of Donald Trump’s tax returns”
https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/27/new-york-times-publishes-donald-trumps-tax-returns-election
It didn’t publish the actual papers but it did report what was on them and were confirmed by his niece.
Again, NYT does not report on leaked documents. That is a hard rule the NYT has stated.
“ The Bidens would seem to be standouts in this common practice, engaging in a virtual family business.”
Turley sure loves to paint a dramatic picture over a common occurrence in D.C. Turley keeps leaving one pertinent derail, influence peddling is legal AND constitutional protected speech.
Hunter Biden isn’t the first to use his father’s position to gain an advantage. Trump’s kids did it also. Trump himself even profited from influence peddling using his Trump hotel in Washington, D.C.
Turley as usual is making a mountain out of a molehill. This is why the media is not making it as big a deal as he wants it to be. Trump’s kids got away from similar influence-peddling schemes that Turley is complaining about. Turley couches his statements with noncommital claims with words like “appears”, “seems”, and “ alleged”. Because nothing Hunter Biden has done is illegal. He’s innocent until proven guilty and Turley is deliberately engaging in the kind of journalism he often complains about, advocacy journalism.
The essence of Nepotism is the inappropriate bestowing of a responsibility to an unqualified family member. The Appointment of brother Edward to AG by JFK was not nepotism because he was qualified to hold that position. Just because he had his brothers back didn’t disqualify him the same way Eric Holder being Obama’s wingman didn’t disqualify him. The Presiden’s duty is to and plenary right is to choose anybody he wants if they are qualified. Was it competence or nepotism that got Kushner a Nobel peace prize nomination. I have a poor memory that Biden is the person who changed the standard from competence to judicial philosophy.
Now break that down to monosyllabic words and really short sentences, emoticons if need be. Svelaz isnt paid to think but rather copy/paste talking points from his handlers
Anonymous, in other words, you can’t refute the facts.
John says:
“The essence of Nepotism is the inappropriate bestowing of a responsibility to an unqualified family member.”
Turley would agree:
https://jonathanturley.org/2020/04/09/doubling-down-trump-adds-massive-small-business-program-to-daughters-portfolio/
I must have missed when JT wrote many posts about the Trump kids doing 10x worse, and while they were working in the White House.
ATS, Molly G., Edison, and Sammy tell us what the Trump kids did that was 10X worse. You can’t.
“I Did Not Have Sexual Relations With That Woman.”
Bill Clinton
“One, that I had no knowledge whatever of the Watergate break-in before it occurred…”
Richard Nixon
I listened to both press conferences. Both President stood before a press corps who asked tough questions. In the case of Nixon, the transcripts are substantial.
Will Biden himself stand before a press corps of reporters who would ask tough questions? He couldn’t and many “news” organizations wouldn’t let their reporter ask the tough questions.
President Biden just cemented his ‘Mens Rea’ of his son, Hunter.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mens_rea
mens re·a
/menz ˈrēə/
Law | noun: mens rea
The intention or knowledge of wrongdoing that constitutes part of a crime, as opposed to the action or conduct of the accused.
JONATHAN- Is it possible that Barr made Weiss a SC in secret and never announced this to the public? He did so with Durham and announced that fact 2 months later. Perhaps with the election and the optics of it all he just decided it would be best to not announce this SC appointment. The only Trump USAT picks that Biden didn’t fire was Durham and Weiss. It’s obvious why they didn’t fire Durham maybe the same is true with Weiss? Because he absolutely could have fired him and out a yes man in his post and Hunter Jim and Joe Biden would have been safe. I strongly believe Barr did make Weiss a SC, didn’t announce it and it’s not like they the Biden administration would announce it either. I’m curious as to what you think about that. Thanks!
The only hope for the nation if it were possible, Republicans sweep the coming election and impeach everyone in this administration.
first the Republicans need to REMOVE McConnell, Graham, Romney, etc…. It seems the longer one is in DC…the more corrupt they become!
I have learned to live with hypocrisy from all sides. The one thing that continues to stick in my craw, however, is the sanctimoniousness of those point out all these enormous flaws but still insist that the rest of us behave as if it is not happening. By way of example, the same people who draw my attention to Joe Biden’s crookedness still insist that the election was honest. I have one word for that and it is not polite.
The Biden think we are stupid. Joseph Goebbels was right if you tell a big lie often enough, people will believe it.
CNN, White House correspondent John Harwood declared, “There is zero evidence that Vice President Biden, or President Biden, has done anything wrong in connection with what Hunter Biden has done.”
Just by coincidence, the very nest story was a 3 minute, piece on why Justice Thomas should be impeached if he did not recuse himself from any case involving elections.
Appropriate how time reveals a person’s character.
Garland was going to be a great supreme according to the lefties; only the dastardly Republicans deprived Garland of his destiny.
Truth is,Garland is a lefty hack and McConnell saved the country.