Hunter Biden was back in Washington last night for a formal dinner at the White House with the Indian Prime Minister. With his plea deal and settlement in Arkansas, Hunter is apparently back in circulation. However, the House Oversight Committee has released a disturbing report on allegations from two whistleblowers on irregularities and interference in the investigation. The Justice Department is pushing back on these allegations and there should not be a rush to judgment. However, there should be answers.
I have previously stated that I was not surprised by the use of misdemeanors in the tax matters. These whistleblowers are alleging a basis for more serious charges, which may be based on undisclosed evidence. For my part, I have never thought that the tax or gun charges were the most serious matters raised by Hunter’s business dealings. Rather I continue to believe that there was a basis for charges as an unregistered foreign agent under FARA in light of past cases brought by the Justice Department. I also believe that a special counsel should have been appointed on the allegations involving influence peddling by the Biden family.
Yet, the report says that there was an effort to charge the tax matters as felonies and U.S. Attorney David Weiss was rebuffed in his attempt to bring charges in two jurisdictions. I would be frankly surprised that Weiss was prevented in bringing cases before grand juries. Whistleblowers in the IRS may not know the full story on such decisions being made by the U.S. Attorney’s office. However, that should be easily addressed by the Committee in its investigation.
The report also says that efforts to conduct key searches were rebuffed. That is something that these whistleblowers would potentially have direct knowledge of actions. Many of these allegations focus on the role of Assistant US Attorney Lesley Wolf, who is also accused of running interference with IRS agents. Again, in fairness to Wolf, allegations are not proof. She may have had legitimate reasons for her actions or may deny the allegations entirely. At this point, the House needs to call in Wolf to address the allegations.
There is also a very specific (but unverified) account of a message sent by Hunter to a Chinese businessman. Whistleblower Gary Shapley told the Committee:
“[W]e obtained a July 30th, 2017, WhatsApp message from Hunter Biden to Henry Zhao, where Hunter Biden wrote: ‘I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight. And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father.’”
That would be shattering, if true. However, we need to see if it can be authenticated. If this is faked, it would itself be worthy of congressional action for those responsible.
It is also concerning that the whistleblowers recounted active interference with their efforts to steer them away from the influence peddling areas, including questioning a key Biden family associate, Rob Walker. If proven, that would be the first confirmation of an active effort to avoid gathering evidence on influence peddling by the family.
Again, those are areas where these whistleblowers would have direct knowledge and their statements to Congress are made under threat of prosecution if they are found to be untrue. That includes their allegations that key searches were denied or compromised.
Shapley testified that Wolf told them not to “ask about the big guy and stated she did not want to ask questions about ‘dad’.” He recounted how multiple people from the IRS and FBI objected to the limitations. Shapley also said that there was confirmation of meetings being set up with Joe Biden, which would directly contradict the President in his long denials of such knowledge or involvement.
The report is full of very specific accounts of meetings and decisions that warrant investigation. More importantly, there is ample basis for Congress to use its oversight and subpoena authority in light of these sworn statements. If even half of these allegations are proven, the Hunter Biden investigation itself could prove a serious scandal in the making.
So we’re still playing dumb with this. We’ve seen 51 Intel agents lie for Hunter and the big guy, we’ve seen Comey dismiss for the demoncrats and brag about attacks on Trumpers, we’ve seen garland and mayorkas flat out lie over and over again to protect demoncrat plots and illegal government actions like the border issue, we’ve seen the lies with the classified paper handling … it goes on and on
Yet we still have to PRETEND whistle blowers are lying and none of this is real, “possibly”.
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA
The blindness is absolutely astounding – of course one has to “pad the white lily fields” of friendship and comradery in DC … always make it fuzzy and unsure and always give the dead to rights demorcat criminal the total break while watching outrageous non crime BS attack republicans, and in that case “pretend the case is real”.
It’s so sick, so so sick.
I don’t understand why Professor Turley remarked that he would be surprised if Weiss was prevented from brining felony charges before grand juries. The IRS was already found to have interfered with presidential elections by targeting conservative non profits. We already know that the investigation into Hunter Biden has been going on for over 4 years. He’s not a criminal mastermind. Quite the opposite, if fact, as he seemed determine to record illegal doings for posterity.
How many times does a 3 letter agency, or the media, have to cover for a prominent Democrat politician before someone is no longer surprised?
I think one can give the benefit of the doubt to a fault. Nothing will improve if we’re too eager to accept excuses for political activists who abuse their positions of authority.
It is a common saying that an ideal journalist is skeptical of any sitting President. That needs to expand to 3 letter agencies, as well. There has been too much political favoritism, and shocking abuse of power. That will never be reeled back as long as we voice disappointment, and surprise, but do nothing effective to root it out.
I couldn’t agree with you more and can only attribute the comment to wishful thinking. Like William Barr, who in an interview acknowledged two tiers of justice in the Biden Administration, nevertheless stated that the Justice Department should not give Trump a pass. In order to preserve the rule of law? However, unlike William Barr, Turley is more honest. And like most of us cannot believe our lying eyes. I think we need to look farther back to the Obama Administration, Brennan, Comey, and Clinton. The corruption runs deep and will require ” We the People” to demand change and pass new laws that will make influence peddling illegal.
https://youtu.be/a0p7rJsYisw
https://youtu.be/a0p7rJsYisw
FBI validated Hunter Biden laptop months before experts claimed Russian disinformation
https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/fbi-validated-hunter-biden-laptop-months-experts-falsely-claimed
So you have two things.
1) Clapper making a nonsensical statement that tells you to disprove a negative. (i.e. Show me that there is no evidence of Russian tampering w laptop…)
2) The FBI knew the laptop was real.
The first shows Clapper willing to lie until put under oath behind closed doors.
The second shows the willingness of the FBI to slow walk and bury embarrassing evidence. More than likely this is being done to curry political favors.
Interestingly enough… Biden has bent over backwards in support of Ukraine. Gee I wonder why…
More than enough evidence to call for impeachment, although we want him to run and beat out JFK in the primary and to have DeSantis beat out Trump.
Trump vs JFK… tougher race.
-G
(I accidentally deleted the word “either”)
more specifically, that “the majority of comments on this blog EITHER …(1)… or (2) resent[ed] the imbalance in investigating/addressing/correcting…, or (3)…”
See the difference:?
Jonathan: As mentioned in an earlier comment Jack Smith is aggressively moving forward to lock in Dec. 11 for a trial to begin in his indictment of Donald Trump. Without waiting for a discovery request from Trump’s defense attorneys Smith has voluntarily turned over all his evidence–except for the classified material. That includes a list of all the 84 witnesses Smith intends to testify at trial. Not only that but Smith gone a step further. He is turning over the transcripts of the grand jury testimony of witnesses he doesn’t intend to have testify at trial. Normally, prosecutors don’t have to supply defendant’s with witness testimony they don’t intend to introduce at trial. But Smith is doing it anyway because he believes he has an overwhelming case against Trump and he doesn’t want delays by Trump’s attorneys with spurious claims about maybe other witness testimony before the grand jury may be relevant and those transcripts should be revealed. So Smith has laid out all his cards on the table. He wants the trial to start without delay!
So what is Donald Trump’s response now that he sees who will testify against him, like Mark Meadows who knows where all the bodies are buried? Predictably, Trump has become unhinged and has gone off the reservation with this Truth Social post:
“CONGRESS, PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE POLITICAL WITCH HUNTS AGAINST ME. CURRENTLY BEING BROUGHT BY THE CORRUPT DOJ AND FBI, WHO ARE TOTALY OUT OF CONTROL. THIS CONTINUING SAGA IS RETRIBUTION AGAINST ME FOR WINNING [2020 election?] AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY TO THEM, ELECTION INTERFERANCE REGARDING THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. IT WILL BE THERE (sic) UPDATED FORM OF RIGGING OUR MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION. LOOK AT THE POLLS–THEY CAN’T BEAT ME (MAGA) AT THE BALLOT BOX. THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN WIN IS TO CHEAT. STOP THEM NOW!”.
Does this sound like a desperate man or what? No doubt Jim Jordan And James Comer, and the rest of the MAGA Republican in the House, would like to help Trump. But they can’t. Congress has no authority to intervene in and ongoing federal investigation or stop a trial. Trump is tilting at windmills if he thinks his MAGA supporters in Congress can prevent the train wreck he now faces. Trump faces a relentless enemy in Jack Smith and he knows it. And this all didn’t have to happen. Over as year ago all Trump had to do was return all the classified and other docs that NARA requested. The matter would have ended there without prosecution. But Trump refused. His narcissism.is so malignant he believes he is above the law. That will be his undoing and why the guy would be King needs to held accountable. Does anyone believe any of the Founding Fathers would come to Trump’s defense now?
Go Trump! The heart of America is with you!
You repeat the same lie every other deranged lib does
“Trump refused to turn over documents.”
That’s a flat out LIE.
ALL of his attorneys in the matter said the normal negotiation procedure was ongoing and they were hit by surprise like a ton of bricks with the raid.
You’re just LYING.
Some day you might go look at it, instead of repeating your MSM liars lies.
It’s a talking point, and it is a flat out lie.
When you have 84 witnesses, it means you have nothing, and it’s a process is the punishment fraud.
We have seen the demoncrats do the same thing every time.
In recent past cases it was hundreds and hundreds of people, anyone vaguely associated with anything Trump, and everyone else who ever helped in the campaign or Presidency except the demonrats internal spies, unless they needed false testimony, then that was set up.
No one needs 84 witnesses if they have a case.
Idiots think it great, and it is for them, because it shows the giant attack against political opponents. Bankrupting and disrupting everyone’s life. THE PROCESS IS THE PUNISHMENT.
Jonathan: No, you don’t want to “rush to judgment”. But in the next breadth you do just that. You refer to a “disturbing report” from Comer’s House Oversight Committee. Comer has already concluded the Biden family was involved in a great criminal conspiracy. Only one problem. Comer can’t find the “informants” that would back up his claims. Comer reminds me of Rudy Giuliani who ran around claiming massive election fraud in the 2020 election. Giuliani had a lot of “theories” but when pressed he could supply no actual evidence. That’s Comer’s dilemma and yours.
So now you cite a purported message from Hunter to a Chinese businessman that Gary Shipley, a so-called “whistleblower”, gave to Comer’s Committee. You admit the message has not been authenticated but that doesn’t stop you from claiming the message could be “shattering”–if verified. Funny, but you sound more and more like Rudy Giuliani.
What is more problematic is that you falsely claim AG Garland refused to appoint a special counsel to investigate the Bidens. On Friday Garland put that claim to rest. In a press conference he addressed the issue. He stated in clear terms: “The only person with authority to make somebody special counsel or refuse to make somebody special counsel is the Attorney General. Mr. Weiss never made that request to me”. Garland further stated that he gave Weiss “more authority than a special counsel would have had” and was never prevented from bringing charges in other jurisdictions. Garland went even further. He said he would not object to Weiss testifying before Jim Jordan’s kangaroo Committee–that makes a mockery of the word “Judiciary”.
There is no evidence Garland tried to interfere with David Weiss’ investigation of Hunter Biden. You are on a wild goose chase if you think Comer is going to come up with anything to charge the Biden family! So far it’s just a big bun without either the meat or a pickle!
After being soundly rebuffed and discredited yesterday by multiple commenters, Dennis’s dander is up today. Dander Dennis.
There is evidence that Garlands DOJ interfered.
There is evidence of corruption involving VP Joe Biden and the $ millions raked in from China, Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Kazakhstan etc.
Millions upon millions funneled to Biden family members through over 20 shell companies and cutouts. The crimes are racketeering, wire fraud, tax fraud, money laundering, and bribery. Along with failing to register as FARA.
President Biden has never had to answer for it. Never. He simply dismissies it with his lies and then the fake news media accepts and repeats his lies — insisting he’s done “nothing wrong” rather than probing the evidence staring them in the face.
The world is in chaos, but Joe and Hunter are off to Camp David for a weekend getaway.
Wonder what’s on the menu…
Jonathan: There have been some important developments in the Jack Smith criminal case against Donald Trump and Walt Nauta. Yesterday. Smith made separate filings with supervising Judge Eileen Cannon. Smith first asked for a delay in the trial from August 14, originally set by Cannon, to Dec. 11, 2023. The reason is that CIPA requirements are lengthy and no one expected this could be accomplished by Aug. 14. In another filing Smith revealing he has at least 84 witnesses who will testify at trial and wants a protective order preventing Trump from intimidating or threatening any witness. This is the first time we have seen the breadth of Smith’s case–84 witnesses! That’s a big number.
It appears Jack Smith’s strategy is pretty clear. He is telling Judge Cannon that, given her pro-Trump bias and unlawful rulings in a previous case, there is no valid reason to delay the trial beyond Dec.11. Naturally, Trump wants the trial delayed until after the 2024 election. Delay, delay and delay. That has always been Trump’s tactic in any case he has faced. This time Smith is telling Judge Cannon: “Listen Judge, this is not a complicated case. The law and the facts are clear. Let’s move this case along because the defendants are entitled to a speedy trial under federal rules. And we didn’t wait for defendants’ discovery request. We have already turned over all our non-classified material to them including a list of all our witnesses. So there is no reason to delay the trial beyond Dec. 11.” Jack Smith has laid down a marker. We will have to wait and see how Trump’s lawyers respond and, more importantly, how Judge Cannon responds. She has little or no criminal trial experience and Jack Smith doesn’t want her to try to pull another stunt by appointing a “special master” in this case!
“Judge Cannon “has little or no criminal trial experience . . .”
If you want to get away with lies and smears, be sneakier.
The fact is that she was for 7 years a federal prosecutor of *major crimes*.
Sam: Excuse me but I was referring to Judge Cannon’s experience as a presiding judge–not as a prosecutor. Prior to the indictment of Trump Cannon presided over just 4 relatively routine criminal trials. And in all 4 cases the trials were brief–no more than about 3 days. As a federal prosecutor she did handle some rather complex cases. No “lies and smears” intended.
The Left and its media lackeys have an infinite ability to whitewash the Bidens’ corruption. In this case, they are attempting to deceive you by focusing on the *date* of the WhatsApp message. Here is the NYT’s version of that deception:
Joe Biden was “then a private citizen, having finished his term as vice president six months earlier . . .”
Anyone with common sense knows that bribery and extortion do not start with the date of a threatening message. In fact, the Bidens’ bribery scheme with Zhao, a communist party official, began in *2103*. JB was VP and with HB riding on AF 2.
Anonymous – there are some of the WB’s allegations that should be trivial to verifiy.
Hunter plead Guilty to approximately 3M + in tax fraud. The WB aleges the correct number is 8.3M that is a significant difference,
It should at this time be easy to check. If the actual amount of unreported income is closer to 8.3 than 3 then the WB’s should be trusted over the DOJ
There are numerous other similarly easy means to verify or reject the claims of the WB’s.
If there were requests to interview witnesses, or to charge in specific venues, there are near certain lots of documents supporting that.
If DOJ has closed the Tax fraud case as is claimed – then DOJ can not withold that information.
Must be nice … it’s the beginning of the end for Joe.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ObZQZczVp5E&pp=ygUOU3dlZXRoZWF0IGRlYWw%3D
Anonymous
Actually the Hunter Biden plea deal was a huge mistake for Biden.
Republicans can now investigate the IRS/DOJ./FBI
Because there is no “ongoing investigation” – they will have to turn over documentation on the investiation.
Hunter Biden will be forced to testify. He can not plead the fifth,
Most americans beleive the deal is corrupt.
Democrats have undermined trust in themselves and in the DOJ/FBI and in Biden, and they have torn down their best obstacles to thwarting republican investigations.
I know that Republican leaders are pretending to be angry – voters ARE angry.
But this deal is an “own goal” by democrats.