Below is my column in the New York Post on the very public plan to target potential witnesses — and even media — in the Biden influence peddling scandal. It is rare to see such a scorched Earth campaign intentionally made public. When Hillary Clinton’s campaign funded the Steele dossier, it hid its role and even denied the funding when asked by reporters. This was clearly an effort to not only reveal the plan but to specifically declare the potential targets, including key witnesses, against the Bidens.
Here is the column:
Just when you thought our politics could not get more poisonous, a recent meeting in California suggests the past is mere prelude. The Washington Post, which revealed the powwow, described it as Biden family “allies” planning an offensive to blunt any investigation into the Bidens’ alleged multimillion-dollar influence-peddling schemes.
Republicans will see it more like the gathering of the Legion of (Democratic) Doom. Some of the most controversial political operatives are involved in the all-hands-on-deck effort to protect the Bidens.
The California meeting’s host was none other than Hunter Biden’s friend, agent and lawyer Kevin Morris. After Hunter was placed under investigation for, among other possible charges, tax evasion, Morris reportedly paid off as much as $2.8 million in back taxes for Hunter.
Morris, per The Washington Post, called for a “more aggressive” response to those seeking to investigate the alleged influence peddling. That plan includes hitting critics, such as Fox News, with possible defamation lawsuits. (For full disclosure, I appear as a legal analyst on Fox News.)
The paper also reported Morris “outlined extensive research on two potential witnesses against Hunter Biden — a spurned business partner named Tony Bobulinski and a computer repairman named John Paul Mac Isaac.” “Spurned” is hardly the sole or most relevant description of Bobulinski: The businessman was recruited by the Biden family to manage foreign deals and later directly contradicted President Joe Biden’s claims he knew nothing of those dealings. His testimony could present a serious threat in the coming House investigation in establishing not only the president’s knowledge but his possible receipt of proceeds from the deals.
Morris’ plan could easily be taken as a declaration of all-out war on potential witnesses against Hunter Biden.
What’s most interesting about the piece is why The Washington Post was given such access and such a detailed account. Generally, political operatives lay out scorched-earth campaigns in secret. But someone wanted this campaign to be public before the House can call any witnesses.
For key witnesses like Bobulinski, the message is about as subtle as a two-by-four to the head. The Washington Post is viewed as one of the most pro-Biden newspapers in the country and only recently admitted the Hunter Biden laptop was authentic after pushing the false Russian-disinformation claim. Now the paper is detailing a plan that could create an open season on those who might try to substantiate the Biden family’s influence peddling.
Notably, the article stresses this effort is “operating separately from the White House. [David] Brock said his organization also remains independent of Hunter Biden and his team and is following its own strategy.”
The separation is important to deflect any allegations of witness intimidation. Media and political figures leveled such claims against the Trump White House when impeachment witnesses were attacked in the press. Congressional Democrats denounced criticism of the witnesses as an effort to silence or deter witnesses from coming forward. (For the record, I also criticized the targeting of witnesses against Trump even if it did not constitute chargeable witness intimidation).
Those who view this as a not-so-veiled threat will likely cite the inclusion of David Brock, one of the most controversial and reviled Democratic operatives in Washington.
Long a radical figure closely associated with Hillary Clinton’s campaigns, Brock has repeatedly been at the center of controversial attack campaigns and was most recently tied to news sites criticized as fakes or ploys.
Many see him as the lowest common denominator of Democratic operatives, someone willing to take extreme measures to support Democratic figures and causes. Even Biden senior adviser Neera Tanden allegedly once remarked, “I hope Hillary truly understands now how batshit crazy David Brock is.”
Brock, however, has always given figures like Clinton deniability for direct responsibility for his actions. He described his new group, Facts First USA, as a “SWAT team” designed to “ensure that the media and public do not accept the false narrative that flows from congressional investigations.”
The Post described the meeting as a “glimpse into a sprawling infrastructure that is rapidly, almost frantically, assembling to combat Republicans’ plans to turn Hunter Biden into a major news story when the GOP takes over the House next year.” It also discussed an array of well-known lawyers the Biden family has assembled as well as plans by the White House and Democratic National Committee.
Various Democratic groups plan to attack efforts to disclose the Bidens’ multimillion-dollar efforts by attacking Donald Trump’s family. These include the Congressional Integrity Project, which recently hired Jeff Peck, the chief of staff to Biden when he was a senator. These talking points are already appearing in the media, which are heavily invested in denying any scandal connected to the family.
That’s why the Post article looks like a shot across the bow of any potential witnesses. This is not to say these reporters are knowing agents of this campaign, but Democratic operatives clearly wanted people to know about this alliance.
The article touches all the bases to insulate the Bidens and the Democratic National Committee from responsibility for what Brock and Morris may unleash. However, with the inclusion of former Biden staff and allies, it’s a line that can be quickly lost as investigations heat up. Targeting witnesses like Bobulinski could invite congressional investigators to look more closely at these groups and their funding.
Morris could also be taking a real risk. There are already questions about whether he was acting as counsel, agent or friend in reportedly paying off tax debts for Hunter Biden. Rules of professional ethics demand clarity in legal representation.
Moreover, Morris himself could be called as a witness and face questions over his own role in the scandal and its suppression in the media. That makes orchestrating an aggressive public campaign more problematic if it targets or intimidates other witnesses.
This is, of course, well known to these sophisticated political operatives, which makes the effort to publicize this campaign all the more concerning. House Democrats have blocked efforts to investigate any Biden influence peddling. They will have to take ownership of that refusal if the investigation now establishes a massive and corrupt operation.
But the new campaign is designed to give plausible deniability and comfortable distance from planned attacks on witnesses and commentators. Hunter Biden may have collected millions in selling access and influence, but anyone investigating or accusing the Bidens is now fully warned: Proceed at your own peril.
Jonathan Turley is an attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School.
I remember a similar blitz-krieg during the Obama run for president when it was reported he spent a $million or more sending lawyers and an organized internet offensive to try and nip the bud about the birth-certificate. It was massive and every time someone posted questions about the fake birth certificate they were attacked and ridiculed until, like the vaccine, you thought they would destroy you for even asking questions.
White House Plumbers 2.0
It is clear the Biden crime family has committed numerous crimes. It is also well known that the cover up of crimes leads to many criminal convictions. It must be standard operating procedure to prosecute all who try to cover up the investigation and prosecution of the Biden family crimes, including the crimes of related bureaucrats, politicians, consultants, etc.
Big corruption is what congress is for.
It is time for the corruption in this country to be rooted out and punished severely.
Is it not abundantly that illegitimate president Biden is a criminal?
The Biden crime family is going to “target us”? Bring it on!
There are two mouthpieces in this story. The first mouthpiece is Hunter’s lawyer friend and the second mouthpiece is The Washington Post. There both doing all they can to protect Hunter’s pearly whites. It’s strange that they would work so hard to protect a pair of false teeth.
The question that should leap from our minds is, why would this lawyer guy give two million dollars to Hunter Biden to pay his tax bill? My guess is that he considered two million a small investment that would assure his employment in the future. Has anyone noticed that Hunter has not denied that he got the two million bucks. Just like Hunter has never denied that the laptop was his. There was a popular series named The Wire where the witnesses were intimidated into not testifying by the drug kingpins. Drug lords intimidating witness and the Democratic Party intimidating witness. Brothers in arms.
“The Washington Post, which revealed the powwow, . . .”
Isn’t that just dandy.
Now WaPo’s a billboard for Leftist, political hit squads.
Are you proud of your creation, Mr. Bezos?
California is the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Punch Bowl of the Democratic Party. Kevin Morris & David Brock are the ‘Acid Cooks’ for this Addiction. Cal Dems play Host passing around the Kool-Aid Acid serving trays to the other U.S. Democratic Senate & House Members.
They’re all “Drinking the Kool-Aid”, and America becomes Comfortably Numb (*Pink Floyd)
It’s not a distraction, They keep you ‘tripping’ (the LSD acid-trip), it is the ultimate Hotel California,
You can check-out anytime you want, but you can’t never leave.
Oooh how I wish this Trip was over, I just want to ‘come down’ to Earth.
Your Host:
Nancy Pelosi, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Alex Padilla, Gavin Newsome, V.P. Kamala Harris, Zoe Lofgren,
List of United States Representatives from California
https://ballotpedia.org/List_of_United_States_Representatives_from_California
* https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=PKjr0MGikxc
FACE IT: Our Government is Corrupt.
So much for the “nothing burger” argument. The Bidengate corruption scandal will dwarf anything the Democrats ever tried — and failed — to accuse Trump of.
GioCon: Did you notice how many times Turley said “alleged” or “allegedly”? No, of course not, because that wasn’t on the Turley assignment list for today, which were. 1. imply that there IS a “Hunter Biden Scandal” that IS valid; don’t go into proof or details, because the disciples will believe there IS something amiss despite any citations to facts, just like the disciples believed and still believe Trump when he says that his “landslide victory” was “stolen” by fraud; 2. feed into the “deep state” conspiracy theory by implying that there’s some broadly-based effort to conceal evidence of wrongdoing; all without any citations to facts; does Turley think that Demcrats should just let Republicans go after our legally-elected President without pushing back, especially given their support of not only the Big Lie, but the Big Liar? 3. take potshots at Hillary Clinton. According to Rick Wilson, author of “Everything Trump Touches Dies”, throwing in a reference to HIllary Clinton or Nancy Pelosi always riles up the disciples; 4. imply that there is proof that the entire Biden family has engaged in wrongdoing, all without citing any facts or evidence; 5. imply that somehow the person who paid Hunter Biden’s taxes committed a crime, all without any citation of proof or facts; if it’s illegal to pay someone’s taxes, Turley would cite the law, but he doesn’t; 6. all of which is a deflection away from the true scandal of Aileen Cannon, Trump’s hand-picked judge who appointed the Special Master, getting benchslapped by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals (3 judge-panel, 2 of whom Trump appointed, and the third was also a Republican) and forced to admit she had NO jurisdiction, and was, therefore, forced to dismiss his challenge to the Mar A Lago document seizure. THAT is a major political story. There are calls for her to be impeached.
I notice how true believers like you GioCon, still believe Trump is a victim, and not only that, but there is a “corruption scandal” involving the Bidens that’s worse than Trump’s criminal behavior. All without facts or evidence, which is why gulllible people like you scare the hell out of me. Everything Trump was “accused of” doing was well-proven. Trump has always been someone who not only skirted the law, but bragged about it. Notice your opening statement: “so much for the ‘nothingburger’ argument”, as if Turley’s post proves anything, which it doesn’t. It’s just more red meat–part of the Fox agenda. It’s what he’s sold his credentials for–and he should be ashamed.
Reading these scholarly legal arguments here is fascinating in its inability to “solve” anything. Much like dry humping. Eventually everyone gives up and goes home.
Typically, Washington D.C.’s “law-fare” game is going to freeze every scandal and slow walk every prosecution. Why? The politicians and the legal system have joined forces to see that nothing gets done that can touch our royalty.
Durham failed, Epstein “died”, Sam the crypto scammer will go dark. Billions stolen from Covid, unemployment, etc. No, the government doesn’t know how to get it back, so please “Just drop the subject”. And we did.
While these games play out, average citizens are arming themselves for personal protection against vicious random crime. Even I, Joe Nobody, was threatened in a grocery store in my upscale bubble. I got lucky.
The government has lost sight of the ball: Our government is becoming more ineffective, election after election. Us peasantry is losing faith as the machine marches in place, making noise, but going nowhere.
“How many protesters were violent? Many.
How many protesters broke the law? Many.
When will you get your facts straight?”
ATS, you don’t really get to the point. The deaths were of protestors. The cause of J6 becoming violent (not much) was Pelosi. She had the troops made available by Trump. The Capitol Police are partly responsible as well because they did things that caused things to flare up instead of down.
4 protestors were killed.
protestors were locked up in solitary and kept from their lawyers
Many protestors were injured, including the murder of two people Babbitt shot by a Capitol Police officer without meeting the guidelines and Boyland who is being seen beaten by a black female Capitol Police officer on video.
The authorities placed many protestors who likely did nothing in jail, but we haven’t seen that Capitol Police officer up front and close.
You ask, when will I get my facts straight. Considering everything I have said and the meager words you provide, it shows you do not know what you are talking about.
ATS writes and deletes: “Ten bucks says Allan’s family records him frothing at the mouth every year, plays it back to him at new years and hopes he’ll voluntarily enter a psyche ward.”
The only frothing that exists in my life is the milk being frothed for my morning cappuccino when I excoriate you.
Politically speaking, this is a “circular firing squad” for all members of Congress and all politicians in general (Republican or Democrat). Voters continue to lose faith in either party. It harms everyone in Congress.
The solution could be either “legal-war” (prosecution, lawsuits) or “major comprehensive reform” of this broken system for our children and grandchildren’s benefit. Basically admit everyone has bent the rules but what about the future.
If Republicans want the “legal war” option they have way more to lose. There is no statute-of-limitations on war crimes like torture (adopted from the Spanish Inquisition), cruel treatment (illegal under Reagan’s treaty), kidnapping, operating gulags, assassination programs, Cointelpro style blacklisting (lethal torture program) and other war crimes.
If Trump can be prosecuted after leaving office, so can members of the Bush Administration (some that are federal appeals court judges, judging other people today more law abiding than they were and sitting members of Congress).
If Republicans want “legal war”, Democrats should give it to them! A better option would be major comprehensive reforms to minimize future abuses of power.
[source: documentary “Boogie Man…the Lee Atwater Story” 2006].
Ashcroft’s Zersetzung,
I do not disagree with your assessment of voters losing faith in our system and the harm it is causing. A major reform would be nice, but that would take real leaders standing up and doing what is right. Not what those on K street want. And that is on either side.
But if you have not noticed, the Democrats have been waging a legal war on the GOP in the form of using the FBI and DOJ against them for quite some time.
(this responds to the first Anonymous (above) whose comment begins with “No surprise…”
Also, I ask “who” is paying him/her, not “why.” sorry.
Lin, I often consider a person’s motivations. I don’t think ATS is paid. Instead he appears to be a true believer in the basics of Marxism and the brutality that such people possess. IMO his comments are modified to be more palatable for people who believe in our Republic. It is his type that become dangerous followers of vicious individuals. He is not a leader, nor does he have the knowledge to be one.
Lin, S. Meyer,
I am perfectly indifferent to what ATS motivation is.
However, it does offer insight into what if ATS is in fact a true believer mindset.
If it were not for the good professor’s blog, I would have little knowledge into Leftist wokeism, the insanity it is and how we must fight against it. The mental gymnastics, the lengths they will go to spread misinformation, disinformation and out right lies is simply awesome and not in a good way.
For that alone I am thankful for the professor’s blog.
Upstate: I find it helpful to discern between persons/plants who use this blog and commentary section for purposes other than general expression of views/opinions, -and those like you, who do the latter.
It is good to know where people are coming from in their [expressed] views. thanks.
Lin,
An excellent observation.
It is funny, as I am no one of importance. Yet as the professor’s blog is something of a digital town square, not only I but others to include yourself have a presence here.
For all I know, you, my and others comments are being read by some people of importance.
They may or may not agree with our comments, but they are being read.
Upstate, I supported America and our military since I was a teenager, but opposed the Vietnam War while most Americans were in support.
Involvement forced me to be close to many leftists who I found despicable and with violent tendencies. My protests of the war didn’t mean opposition to America or its soldiers. Unlike many, I stood up for America when the war was winding down, shocked that Democrats failed to stand up to their agreements.
I participated in the first Mother’s Day March against the war and in many local demonstrations. The Mother’s Day March was peaceful, marred by a Maoist group that ran crazily up to the Washington Monument. The men, myself included, were well dressed, and many families were there. Many married men wore suits, hats, and ties despite it being warm. They were lovers of America. Press reports by the NYT focused on the very few Maoists, typical of the NYTimes.
In NYC I protested many times, but there, I was pushed together with violent leftists and watched them incentivizing the young to become violent and attack the police. I saw them pushing a young guy out into the police hoping the police would knock him out or kill him for better press. That was their nature. This is the same time a leftist group built a bomb and accidentally blew up their Brownstone three blocks from the Washington Square arch, a place I frequented regularly. I got first-hand experience with the violence leftists were capable of.
I remember when the NYC police force permitted the police to grow facial hair and let them be the point men while carrying no weapons. Most of the protestors were peaceful and tried to stop the leftists from pushing forward and starting a riot. That is what leftists do. Did they do some of that on Jan 6? Possibly. I don’t have first-hand knowledge, only my prior experiences that showed me the violence the left was capable of.
“he appears to be a true believer in the basics of Marxism and the brutality that such people possess.”
This is one of your many lies. Or perhaps you actually believe it, in which case it’s not technically a lie, even though it’s wildly false — one of the many false things that you claim day in and day out. The rest of your claims about me are similar garbage.
ATS, I base what I say on your words. If you are cheating and copying the words of another, then it is the other who has those problems.
California is the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Punch Bowl of the Democratic Party. Kevin Morris & David Brock are the ‘Acid Cooks’ for this Addiction. Cal Dems play Host passing around the Kool-Aid Acid serving trays to the other U.S. Democratic Senate & House Members.
cadem.org/elected-officials/
They’re all “Drinking the Kool-Aid”, and America becomes Comfortably Numb (Pink Floyd)
It’s not a distraction, They keep you ‘tripping’ (the LSD acid-trip), it is the ultimate Hotel California,
You can check-out anytime you want, but you can’t never leave.
Oooh how I wish this Trip was over, just want to ‘come down’ to Earth.
Your Host:
Nancy Pelosi, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Alex Padilla, Gavin Newsome, V.P. Kamala Harris, Zoe Lofgren,
List of United States Representatives from California
https://ballotpedia.org/List_of_United_States_Representatives_from_California
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=PKjr0MGikxc
Tweaking Out in AMERICA,
You might not be aware but this web log only permits two or fewer hyperlinks per comment. I edited your comment so that it would post. If in the future you would like the readership to review more than two comments, this can be accomplished by using multiple comments having two or fewer links each.
Thank you Daren,
Do wish I knew how to contact you direct (for some post with links to multiple legal cites).
Also there are some Cases/Topics that I would bring to Jon’s attention, for example:
Moore v. Harper
https://spectator.org/why-moore-v-harper-terrifies-democrats/
Maybe a Open Topic / Submission / Free Day, wherein we can submit our Interest in the comments to Jon would work.
Just post the suggestions here, they’ll be seen by us. If you mark the top of the comment with “Professor Turley:” it will make it more visible that you want him to see the comment.
No surprise that JT is silent about the tranche of Meadows texts that were revealed yesterday to and from Republicans who were plotting to overturn the 2020 election after Trump lost.
Consider Rep. Ralph Norman’s (R-SC) text to Meadows on January 17, 2021, “Mark, in seeing what’s happening so quickly, and reading about the Dominion law suits attempting to stop any meaningful investigation we are at a point of no return in saving our Republic !! Our LAST HOPE is invoking Marshall [sic] Law!! PLEASE URGE TO PRESIDENT TO DO SO!!” That’s right, folks, a Republican member of Congress wanted Trump to invoke martial law to prevent Biden from being inaugurated.
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/feature/a-plot-to-overturn-an-american-election — and the subsequent articles in this series
Interesting that Norman mentions the Dominion Voting lawsuits, which continue to progress. In fact, Rupert Murdoch is set to be deposed today for one of the suits. JT is silent about that too.
Typical leftist, not only does he want to censor speech but he wishes he could force others to write what he wants on his own blog.
Anonymous: You seem to have much time on your hands, -not only for a daily review of the good professor’s column, but also to research text, congressional proceedings, current related litigation, and to feel the pulse and check respiration on any resistance to the Biden administration. Why is paying you, my Anonymous friend?
No one is paying me, my “friend.”
I’m retired, just like your other friend S. Meyer, who posts at least as many comments as I do, half of them posted anonymously. Do you assume that someone is paying him too?
This isn’t an appeal to authority but similar. To protect yourself, you attempt to show you are not alone. I agree. You are a follower as I mentioned in my post elsewhere.
Previously said:
Lin, I often consider a person’s motivations. I don’t think ATS is paid. Instead he appears to be a true believer in the basics of Marxism and the brutality that such people possess. IMO his comments are modified to be more palatable for people who believe in our Republic. It is his type that become dangerous followers of vicious individuals. He is not a leader, nor does he have the knowledge to be one.
I assume that your thorough review of everything said every day, and your attack-oriented political comments, are motivated by more than personal opinion, which is why I suspect additional purpose.
I have only seen S. Meyer use ‘anonymous’ when in a defensive posture, following a responsive comment by him that pointed out someone else’s error or dishonest/deceptive comment. He also explained his use of same.
You assume wrong.
Thank you Lin.
ATS, let me add, I don’t need the money. But I do have the time to squeeze you in between my other activities. You are here almost 24/7. I am not. When I am it means I am working. Work is one of my pleasures.
BTW, I worked as a researcher, published, and when I was in grad school I also had a research assistantship for the editor of a research journal, so perhaps I’m just quicker at both research and writing than you are.
If you had half the brain of Lin, your comments would be quite different.
Yes, I know what you mean, having four academic books under my name, and 20 years of writing for legal and public reference books as a side gig. I just don’t find it necessary to comb through everyone’s comments here on a daily basis–and attempt to usurp their opinions with specious condescension.
(this is responding to Anonymous @ 10:35) No more from me, thanks
“. . . usurp their opinions with specious condescension.”
Great line!
^^^
What Sam said.
Lin, that was brutal!
Isn’t the article essentially saying if Biden is attacked through legal means, Biden will simply defend himself through legal means?
Is witness intimidation legal?
Upstate Farmer: Great response, in four words or less!
Lin,
Just pointing out what the good professor, and to a degree WaPo, was pointing out.
Biden allies are not making it a secret. They will come for any witnesses, legally or illegally.
in Democrat Fascism with a 100% corrupt DOJ…all things are possible!
Time to cut 50% of federal government and TAKE AWAY the Centralized Power!
Move 75% of DC Fed Gov to the Heartland! DC is LOST!