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“Everybody Needs to Back Off!”: The Media and Political Figures Continue to Ignore the Biden Corruption Scandal

Below is my column in the New York Post on the new allegations from whistleblowers of interference with the Hunter Biden investigation. This weekend, there are reports that, after the threatening WhatsApp message allegedly from Hunter Biden, a Chinese businessman with close ties to Chinese intelligence sent $5 million to his account.

In the meantime, the demand from figures like former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) for people to “back off” on the story is being heeded by some in the media, in again blacking out or downplaying the story . While many of us have stressed the need to authenticate these statements, Hunter Biden has notably not denied that he sent the message and the allegations from the investigation have self-verifying elements. The news blackout again raises concerns over a de facto state media in the United States that operates by consent rather than coercion. This is a major story either way it turns out but networks and newspapers are again showing a distinct lack of curiosity.

Here is the column:

This week, former U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) went on MSNBC to issue a furious warning to everyone looking into Hunter Biden and the influence peddling scandal: “Everybody needs to back off!”

Newly released evidence from the investigation indicates that McCaskill was not the only powerful figure issuing that warning. Two whistleblowers reportedly detailed highly disturbing actions from top officials to slow walk and undermine the investigation.

Many of us have already noted the absence of certain charges in the plea deal given to Hunter Biden. In addition to the lack of any charge as an unregistered foreign agent, there is no evidence that the Justice Department seriously investigated the influence-peddling efforts of the Biden family despite allegations of millions generated from foreign sources.

Now these whistleblowers are reportedly telling Congress that they were actively frustrated in their efforts to investigate as Merrick Garland was insisting that there was no interference or limitations.

This included preventing an effort to search a guest house of President Joe Biden. IRS official Gary Shapley allegedly recalled that Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf agreed that there was “more than enough probable cause for the physical search warrant there, but the question was whether the juice was worth the squeeze.”

Wolf allegedly said that they could never get approval for the search despite the sufficiency of the evidence.

Even more disturbing is the allegation that Delaware US Attorney David Weiss sought to bring charges against the 53-year-old in both the District of Columbia and Southern California last year and was denied both times.

That directly contradicts statements made to Congress by Attorney General Garland.

Democrats and pundits have repeatedly cited the fact that Weiss was a Trump appointee and thus the light plea bargain shows that there was no case to be made. However, these sources are suggesting that Weiss tried and was rebuffed in his effort to prosecute in two different jurisdictions.

There is also an allegation that Wolf gave Hunter’s legal team a “heads-up” that investigators were moving to search his Northern Virginia storage unit and that Wolf again objected to the effort to secure a search warrant.

The only way to establish the truth of any of this would be to call Weiss, Wolf, and others to Congress.

While such efforts are routinely refused by the Justice Department, these allegations (if true) would raise both potentially criminal and impeachable questions. That is an ample basis for Congress to use its oversight authority.

I recently wrote that Garland, by his own measures, has failed as Attorney General in restoring trust in his department. However, this is far more serious than allegations of negligence. It would constitute a knowing effort to delay and obstruct efforts to investigate the Biden family — and to mislead Congress.

The evidence also creates new problems for President Biden, who has repeatedly claimed as a presidential candidate and as president that he had no knowledge of any foreign dealings of his son.

Those statements were long ago proven patently false.

The laptop includes pictures and appointments of Hunter’s foreign business associates with Joe Biden. There is also a recording of Joe Biden discussing a Times report on Dec. 12, 2018, detailing Hunter’s dealings with Ye Jianming, the head of CEFC China Energy Company. He assures his son that “I think you’re clear” after lawyers worked on the New York Times before the story ran.

There is also a recording of his uncle James assuring Hunter that he and his father were going to arrange for “safe harbor” for him as his world began to collapse.

Now, there is a new contradiction. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) read from an alleged July 30, 2017 Whatsapp message from Hunter Biden to one of his Chinese associates, Henry Zhao, the director of Harvest Fund Management and Communist Party official. Zhao was funneling money to Hunter’s firm BHR Partners.

Hunter is quoted as writing:

“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.”

Again, the authenticity of this message has to be established. However, there remains a striking lack of curiosity among the Democratic members who have opposed every effort to investigate these allegations.

Even the recent disclosure of a trusted FBI source alleging a possible bribery scheme with a corrupt Ukrainian official has not reduced this opposition.

The lack of curiosity of Democrats in Congress is only matched by the media. A year after the New York Post broke the laptop story, I wrote a column marveling at the success of the Bidens in pulling off one of the neatest tricks in political history. I analogized it to how Houdini used to make his 10,000-pound elephant Jennie disappear on a stage in front of a live audience.

The key to the trick is that Houdini knew the audience wanted her to disappear. Jennie never left the stage but Houdini got the audience to invest in the trick by calling volunteers to the stage.

In the same way, the media wanted the Hunter Biden scandal to disappear — they still do. They are invested in the trick.

So, the Democrats and the media will continue to insist that there is a lack of evidence while opposing efforts to establish the evidence behind these allegations. After all, if there is an elephant behind this scandal, it is an indictment of their concerted efforts for over three years.

Of course, it still remains a challenge to hide an elephant if even one audience member goes looking. Polls show that the public overwhelmingly wants to pull back the curtain and see the elephant.

310 thoughts on ““Everybody Needs to Back Off!”: The Media and Political Figures Continue to Ignore the Biden Corruption Scandal”

  1. McCaskill’s admoniiton to everyone to “back off” is a good indication there’s something there and she and other Democrats are scared they’re about to be found out.

    2. Or they will impose more communism. Above and beyond the standard issue and wholly unconstitutional Central Planning, Control of the Means of Production (unconstitutional regulation), Redistribution of Wealth and Social Engineering, they will force once-free Americans into Gulags.

  3. I watched with great curiosity as a youth the watergate trial and how the administration continued to stonewall the press and malign whistleblowers. Until, finally the truth started seeping our and it finally gave way and the dam broke. The difference between then and now is that, unlike the godfather, Nixon did not have the press and other powerful forces in his back pocket.

    There are so many blabbering babbling politicians and media figures who are so inextricably vested in the bizarre narrative that they refuse to accept truth. If they do, part of their personal identity must be amputated and they would be forced to apologize.

    It is good to see some big media reporters finally asking a few questions (It was especially satisfying to watch the WH spokespersons unable and unwilling to take questions) but their wings are clipped. It is time for those who seek truth to unplug their TV and move into the digital lane and away from state media and also avoid their online presence. There are some very good reporters and small independent organizations with a mission to know and tell the truth growing by the day and who are pulling better numbers than the state run media.

  4. The Biden corruption stories are starting to metastasize and it won’t be long until Joe is removed by the Democrats like the cancer that he is. Sooner or later, or FINALLY, Democrats and some in the media will realize that they are staking their reputations and their future on this loser dementia patient and they will decide to excise the problem.

  5. I have to say I’m heartened by McCaskill’s impassioned “back off!”…!!! It shows so very clearly that they are desperate…!!! Cornered and desperate. Yes, that makes them even more dangerous, but it also increases the chances of them making a mistake, and a big one. BRING IT ON.

  6. It’s only a matter of time before Trump and his supporters call on President Biden to send military aid to Trump’s buddy Putin.

    1. I guess Fish Wings is a big fan of the Wagner Group?? I hate Putin, but I am not so sure that Prigozhin would be any better.

      Fish Wings doesn’t seem to be able to comment on the corruption of Joe Biden and that is because he is a Claire McKaskill Democrat. you know, a loser.

        2. The level of brainwashing the Democrats and MSM has done on you from seeing the obvious is disturbing.

  7. This is not a major story. The major stories are

    – everything people buy costs 50%-100% more than two years ago. True the rate of inflation that lead to that inability to afford food, heating oil, electricity, etc. has slowed but that is only because everyone is broke and is buying fewer things
    – the country is very close to the first nuclear war in history over a few thousand square miles of far southeastern Europe where people have spoken true Russian for centuries but where the now non-existent Soviet Union put a province that speaks pidgin Polish/Russian in charge for political reasons 60 years ago; this area has absolutely no strategic value to the United States (or any other country except Russia… because of Sevastapol)
    – the Democrats cut Medicare Part B 2% this year (Joe Biden wanted a 4% cut), killed Medicare Part D as we know it last year (which will kill seniors because it will reduce available drug therapies 50% to Medicaid/VA formularies), and wants to reduce Medicare Part A and Soc. Security 25% in 5/8 yrs respectively

    Real people could care less about Hunter Biden and IRS whistleblowers and whose more corrupt, the left or the right. They’re all corrupt. We’ve known that forever.

    1. Dennis, all of the ails that you rightly cited are due to Joe Biden, the man that is also a corrupt pol that should never have been elected. Why can’t we complain about the border, inflation, crime, sex talk for kids, men beating women in sports AND CORRUPTION? I guess back in 1973-74 you would have said, “forget about Watergate, we have the Vietnam War and women’s, black’s and gay rights to worry about”.

      Stop allowing or enabling Joe Biden to be Spiro Agnew and Warren Harding rolled into one corrupt VP and POTUS.

      1. Dennis, all of the ails that you rightly cited are due to Joe Biden,
        True
        Joe is the name on the desk. But he is powerless without the Democrat legislature. ALL of the ills are the result of Democrats enacting exactly what they demand. See Chicago and San Francisco.

        DO NOT, allow the notion that getting rid of Joe gets rid of the problem.

        The PROBLEM is the Democrat Party Platform

      2. Number 9:
        I have no problem with you adding those items to the list of real problems real people are concerned about. My point is that Hunter Biden is not one of them. This is not Watergate (or Contragate or the Gulf of Tonkin lies). This is Billy Beer. This is Hillary’s brother.

        1. “My point is that Hunter Biden is not one of them. “

          Though Hunter isn’t by himself important, he is a central key in corruption that has affected Joe Biden who is President of the US who was taking money from our enemies.

          Hunter isn’t major? You must be kidding.

          1. It ain’t true until you can prove it. More important – true or not – it is not actionable unless you can prove it. Grassley, Johnson, Guiliani, etc. have been peddling this crap for 5-6 years now. There’s no there there as someone famously said.

            (I’m not defending Biden. I’ve not liked the guy since 20 years ago when he lied about the trucker that almost killed himself and then saved Hunter and Biden when the first wife cut him off on some state road in PA or DE.)

            1. Byron, believe what you wish. What I said is clear to those paying attention.

    2. “This is not a major story.”

      Bribery is an impeachable offense. Selling out your country to your greatest enemy is a moral offense. Having a compromised “president” facing that enemy is a crime against America. A pathologically dishonest media is a fraud. Using the DOJ/FBI as a praetorian guard is a historic crime.

      Those are *major* stories.

      1. Nonsense. Bribery of what? What enemy? I thought Ukraine was our great ally

        1. “Bribery of what? What enemy?”

          Five letters. Starts with a “C”, ends with an “a.”

  8. The tide has turned.

    Last night, CBS and NBC did stories on the evidence of Joe Biden’s corruption revealed this week by whistleblowers, with NBC describing the whistleblowers as “credible”.

    These new revelations will be a bridge too far for Democrats. A man with significant cognitive decline, who has also demanded and received millions of dollars in bribes from leaders in foreign countries, is not who you want to see go up against Trump ’24.

    Biden will certainly be impeached this year, if not removed from office.

    What is uncertain is whether he will be indicted for his massive corruption. I wouldn’t bet against it.

  9. That is why politicians running for office spend $10 million on their campaigns for a job that pay $150,000 a year.
    Its not their money. If your union, a big percentage is yours.

    2. Iowan2,
      You make an excellent point. They need to wear placards that states who supports them. A doctor, for example, must report every gratuity received down to a cup of coffee and bagels. This information is published yearly for all to see.

      1. ” A doctor, for example, must report every gratuity received down to a cup of coffee and bagels.”
        In what universe do you live? Perhaps you meant Supreme Court Justice? No, not them either.

  10. I still cling to the notion that America is special, that we have a form of government that honors honesty, decency, hard work and other virtues. Our government is a den of thieves, a big one.
    I hate to let go. I still want to live in a place where I can be proud of who and what we are.

  11. Jonathan, Biden can’t complete a complex sentence. He needs to be replaced. But, Kamala can’t do the job. In their desperation to prevent conservatives from running the government the MediDems placed a diseased, incompetent, mentally defective 80 year old man in office who has no idea what day it is. His mental decline was well established, but they insisted we hire the decrepit old coot. That was as unpatriotic an act as rioters storming D.C.

      1. Donald Trump speaks better than you can write and he can do it extemporaneously.

      3. Did you watch the so-called press conference where Biden took two pre-scripted questions and could barely read from the notes in his hand a response?
        Oh, this would be at the same event where Biden placed his hand over his heart when they started to play the India national anthem. When he finally realized his mistake, he tried to cover his mistake up by very slowly lowering his hand.
        It is going to be fun watching him campaign from the basement again!

        1. I think the end is near for Joe Biden, petty thief and traitor to America. I doubt he will be the Democrat candidate.

  12. Mikegre2014,

    They spend Ten Million for a Buck-Fifty gig as pre-employment training…..using someone else’s money to fund that training.

    But then, they become official members of the National Grifters Club with a few exceptions making it to the President’s Club where they become “Made Men” in the largest most public Crime Family in the Country.

    They even have their own Legal Staff on their payroll….paid by someone else’s money.

    One thing can end this sweet ride they are on….and no one wishes to admit it.

    It is called the West Africa Public Official Retirement Act….that guarantees a permanent ban upon the culpable.

  13. Why Do we still have a “lack of evidence” about “matters” that happened up to ten years earlier?

    To recap: There is documentary evidence [AG Sessions (R)/DOT Secretary: Mnuchin (R) House & Senate controlled by R] in the form a dozen of banking records (and much more) such as:

    2/13/17: $ 10K to Hallie Biden from Robinson Walker, LLC
    3/6/17: $ 5K to “Biden” from Robinson Walker, LLC
    3/13/17: $ 25K to “Biden” from Robinson Walker, LLC
    3/20/17: $ 25K to Hallie Biden from Robinson Walker, LLC
    3/27/17: $ 50K to Owasco from Robinson Walker, LLC
    3/31/17: $ 50K to Owasco from Robinson Walker, LLC
    3/31/17 $ 100K to Owasco from Robinson Walker, LLC
    4/18/17: $ 300K to Owasco from Robinson Walker, LLC
    4/21/17: $ 25K to “Biden” from Robinson Walker, LLC
    5/17/17: $ 15K to “Biden” from Robinson Walker, LLC
    8/4/17: $ 100K to Owasco from CEFC Infrastructure Investment
    8/8/17: $ 5M to Hudson West III from CEFC Infrastructure Investment

    * Why didn’t REPs investigate so called “Biden Crime Family” in a timely manner when they lead the government and Congress?

    * What did AG Barr do after he was aware of “1023”.? He passed it over to Attorney Scott Brady in Pittsburgh, PA. After eight months of a “thoroughly” investigation, Mr. Brady’s assessment was closed in 8/20. A month later, Senators Grassley and Johnson’s 87 pages report “Hunter Biden, Burisma, and Corruption: The Impact on U.S. Government Policy and Related Concerns.” was released. What was the order of AG Barr?

    * What’s the point of waiting eight years hoping for better weather?

  14. Our federal government collects something like five trillion dollars in taxes every year. And that isn’t enough. On top of that they borrow trillions more. Our nations capital is surrounded by seven of the ten wealthiest counties in the US. As much as I can’t stand the Biden grifting machine, right now they are only the tip of the ice berg. Once upon a time politicians would get elected to the house or senate stay for a while then leave to a position on the board of directors of one or more large corporations. Now they don’t leave.

  15. In other news: “PMC Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin claims his march to Russia’s capital will look ‘Like Charles Minard’s 1869 map of Napoleon’s march on Moscow in reverse.'”

    Former Vladimir Putin ally turned renegade Yevgeny Prigozhin declared his private military group will only get stronger as it marches toward Moscow to sack and plunder the military establishment garrisoned there. Dissatisfied with what he calls incompetence and vainglory rife within the Russian military establishment, Prigozhin reversed course in his company’s onslaught against Ukraine and instead set his sights on Moscow.

    “Today I’ve got 25,000 mercenaries heading into good weather, who are motivated and set to plunder Moscow,” he told the BBC, “I will return home with two and a half million loyal men at my side, and Sergei Shoigu as my trophy.”

    2. Isn’t his idea that the current Russian military is not killing enough Ukrainians fast enough and if he were in charge he could end the war in 24 hours and level Kiev. Not quite sure why everyone is all a twitter about this guy

    3. Did not see that one coming.
      This could be a major game changer in several ways.
      Could also be a real disaster too.
      In wait and see for more information before making any kind of analysis.

    4. Today I’ve got 25,000 mercenaries heading into good weather, who are motivated and set to plunder Moscow,” he told the BBC, “I will return home with two and a half million loyal men at my side, and Sergei Shoigu as my trophy.

      Maybe they will take a left turn at Albuquerque and arrive at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave? It happened to the Left’s peaceful protestors™ during Trump’s presidency.

      🤡

  16. The irony that the Trump can do no wrong cult is obsessed with this story is telling. Hunter was a crackhead. Peddling influence is par for the course in Washington, but Joe is too seasoned to do something so obvious. This is one of those waste of time and money games solely for the purpose of clearing the guilt ridden minds of those who refused to see what Trump was doing and who wrote off Jan 6 which will tar the legacy of Republicans a decade if the rats don’t all jump off the Nixonian ship.

    1. It is more than clear, more than obvious that Dems and the Big Media are once again conspiring to cover up and restrict access to many records of criminals and their felonious behavior.
      They need to be held accountable. With the Big Media, aka the 4th Branch of the government, firmly affixed to the rear-end of Dems in an illegal monopolistic endeavor to steal power from the people, it is past time to get busy. Time for revolutionary changes.

    4. Sounds like this might be Bug waking up with another empty bottle by his side. The disappearance of all the links beneath will be proof enough.

    5. Seasoned? Joe is filled with hubris and (rightly) expects the media and the other corrupt officials in DC to cover for him. He may also have plenty of dirt on RINOs who played also along with corruption all these years.

    6. Just how much koolaid has been pumped in to your brain? Starting in kindergarten, or were your parents prog/left zealots even before you were born. Wake Up and read our true history and the constitution instead of the propaganda crammed into your noggin on a nightly basis.

  17. It is very sad that Claire McCaskill would succumb to whatever fever is out there that is clouding minds to the corruption scandal enveloping the Biden family. McCaskill took on the drug makers like Mallinckrodt in her state when it was politically dangerous to do so. We need honest and decent Democrats in this government and, unfortunately, McCaskill has now taken herself out of this category. The Biden scandal is reaching a crescendo as each passing day brings us new revelations and new evidence of massive national-security threatening corruption by this administration. The media, like McCaskill, have gone over to the dark side and the public understands this. Just as Hillary’s corrupt practices cost her the election in 2016, we will see corruption drive the Bidens from office next year, if not before next year. Conservative radio and TV, like Radio Free Europe back in the Cold War days, is getting through to the people and delivering the whole news, not the state-run propaganda of the Biden administration. We all pay taxes and we all have a dread of the IRS. This means that from the biggest billionaire to the smallest wage earner there is something in common about the recent brooming of Hunter Biden’s tax evasion that smells to high heaven. The average Jane may not understand the highfalutin world of bribery and treason but when it comes to paying taxes we all understand and we all resent someone getting an undeserved break that the rest of us would never get from the IRS.

    2. “Undeserved break the rest of us would never get” is the understatement of the year! Don’t forget Joe is pushing for 87,000 new IRS agents, some of them armed. The only break the American public is going to get is our kneecaps.

    1. When the New York Times starts reporting the glaring corruption scandal that has been obvious, yet ignored by mainstream press for years, then you know the “word” has gone out….time to move Biden aside for their next chosen one to ‘install.’

  19. Much like Captain E.J. Smith ignored the ice reports sent to ‘Titanic’. Didn’t mean the ice field wasn’t there. Did it.

  20. If you can’t see the festering corruption, then get new glasses, or get your eyes checked. It is right in front of your eyes. These people are sick. They hate us, they lie, and the media covers for them.

    1. The message is clear. They all do it. That is what Washington DC is. That is why politicians running for office spend $10 million on their campaigns for a job that pay $150,000 a year.

      1. mikegre2014,
        You are but one example here of someone repeating something they read as if it were a fact. The salary of the President of the United States is $400,000. I get the point but you are using a lie to make it. Turley’s piece is full of allegetations and statements from questionable people. From what position is Claire McKasgill able to make demands of anyone. She holds a similar position at MSNBC as Turley does at Fox News. Turley, as always, is shifting the focus away from the stories he doesn’t want covered.

        2. “Turley, as always, is shifting the focus away from the stories he doesn’t want covered.”

          Enigma, every other media organization covers, ad nauseum, the stories you suggest Turly “doesn’t want covered.”

          Turley is bringing attention to stories that nearly every other mainstream “news” organziation has intentionally ignored, or given minimal coverage to — for years now. You can’t see this bias because you are still plugged into the matrix.

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