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.
NBC, CBS, and the New York Times have given up on Biden and are now energetically going after the corruption stories. Biden’s people are no doubt ecstatic about the timing of the attempted Russia coup. It won’t matter. His days are numbered.
Your fear of Putin’s nukes was over-exaggerated.
If Wagner isn’t afraid of Putin and his nukes, then
why should NATO be? More could have been done sooner
to help Ukraine. The nukes were just there to bluff.
Buying into the bluff caused more damage to Ukraine than
needed to happen. Maybe the United States can send money
to Wagner to hasten the overthrow of Putin. Maybe Wagner can
invite NATO to help mop-up the remnants of Putin’s regime.
” Maybe the United States can send money to Wagner to hasten the overthrow of Putin.”
Maybe we did and maybe it could spiral out of control. Wars are to be avoided, not embraced. How wars expand unpredictably in the hands of those who promote them, but they frequently aren’t the ones to pay the price.
S. Meyer,
Well said.
Those with no skin in the “game” are the ones who clamor to send others in to harms way.
This is a surprising turn of events.
We need more information to make a real analysis.
Anonymous must be very young. He doesn’t remember the cheers in the US for Castro and look what happened. He forgets the Cuba missile crisis. He forgets how “bad” the Shah was and now we see a nuclear Iran emerging. He is blind to instability and what that causes. He is ignorant of history.
Abraham Lincoln
Famous last words: “You should be afraid of Putin’s nukes.”
“not”.
Overheard at local, social event:
“I’m exhausted, we’ve been working very hard lately,” Colonel, USSF.
Attendee, “On what?”
Colonel USSF, “Ummmmmm, World War Three.”
The funniest part of all this is the use of past tense. Have people forgotten about hunter’s new “art” revenue?
The corruption is active.
Mollie
@MZHemingway
The Biden family could take care of all of this so easily if they would just explain why every single member of the family, except for the unacknowledged granddaughter, was receiving millions of dollars in their bank accounts from oligarchs all over the world.
Literally just explain what the money was for and why was it running through shell corporations. This should be so easy.
seems reasonable.
TL;DR:
Left to Trump: Show us your Tax Records!!!
Trump: Maybe later
Left to Trump: You are hiding something!!!
Right to Biden: show us your financial records!!!
Biden: c’mon man, womyn, xe, xer,
Right to Biden: You are hiding something!!!
Merrick Garland to FBI: go raid them and take CNN and MSNBC with you
ANTIFA BLM: Right wing Christian White nationalists are Fascists!
RFK Jr: I am polling at 20% and climbing
🤡
My favorite is watching lefty sycophants like Nicholas Kristof of NYT write total slop like this to excuse the Biden racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering, shake-down operation that has enriched the Biden family with bribe money paid by foreign adversaries totalling upwards of $30 Million:
@NickKristof
The real meaning of the Hunter Biden saga, as I see it, isn’t about presidential corruption, but is about how widespread addiction is–and about how a determined parent with unconditional love can sometimes reel a child back: https://nytimes.com/2023/06/24/opinion/father-hunter-biden-addiction.html That can give others hope.
Does a motion discomfort bag come with Kristof’s article?
@NickKristof
For now there’s no clear evidence that the president did anything wrong, despite 5 years of investigation by a Trump-appointed US Attorney. But there is evidence that Biden modeled the parental love and support that can save lives. That should be scaled.
______________
“For now there no clear evidence that the president did anything wrong….”
Only “evidence that Biden modeled parental love….”
Where’s my barf bag??
Amazing spin on perhaps one of the biggest bribery corruption scandals by a US president, ever.
Kristof: it’s not about Joe doing anything “wrong”….no, it’s about “unconditional love of a father for his son.”
Kristof is a fool.
It’s so very “loving” of a father to make his troubled son the “bagman” for the crime family’s worldwide racketeering operation.
Joe Biden’s family is one of the most f’d up and bizarre we have ever seen.
Hunter’s debauchery, drugs, drinking, prostitutes, photographing everything, leaving his wife to start f’ing his dead brothers widow, and then also screwing the sister of dead brother’s widow, while running a worldwide shakedown racketeering operation.
But it is a story of fatherly love?
Shove it, Kristof.
Estovir,
Awesome!
A few more,
Leftists to Turley: You are not talking about what I want you to talk about! WAAWWWHHHHH!!
Leftists to Turley: Your reputation has fallen greatly!! (Not really. The good professor’s blog gets 10 of thousands of views, he gets invited to speaking engagements and also testifies before Congress on more than a few occasions)
Leftists to Turley: You take your orders from your employer Fox News!! (They ignore the fact the good professor also writes for left of center The Hill, very left of center USAToday, right of center the New York Post and The Messenger which so far I would say is pretty neutral)
Leftists to Turley: You are not a Democrat! You are a MAGA Conservative! (No. The good professor is a traditional Democrat. The party has been highjacked by woke leftists that have pushed so far left, they make the good professor look like conservative. As Bill Maher said, “I did not leave the party, the party left me!”)
Is the US possibly involved due to the administrations failures? Is a potential world war in the brew because of a corrupt President? I don’t know that there is any linkage, but I wonder if Democrats feel their cheating and lies are worth it. Democrats have caused tremendous instability and is creating uncertainty among world leaders. That is dangerous.
Vladimir Putin reportedly flees Moscow on presidential plane as Wagner forces advance
https://justthenews.com/accountability/russia-and-ukraine-scandals/vladimir-putin-allegedly-flees-moscow-presidential-plane?utm_source=breaking&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter
“Russia’s Putin Orders Military to Crush Wagner Power Grab, Calls It Treason”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-shoots-down-russian-cruise-missile-barrage-9d9da03a
It is hard to know if the US had a covert role in Prigozhin’s rebellion. I suspect not.
Daniel, one can’t say but the way leaders handle problems signal the actions of others whether or not the signals are appropriately interpreted. The weakness of this President is a major cause for the war in Ukraine. His verbiage and temperament make me worry. Presently he is also promoting war in the Middle East.
“The weakness of this President is a major cause for the war in Ukraine”
The former Senator from MBNA is a puppet controlled by his puppet masters from Obama tenure.
1. “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.”
What was Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) take on this “major story”?
2. “[T]hese allegations (if true) would raise both potentially criminal and impeachable questions. That is an ample basis for Congress to use its oversight authority.”
Which ideas did Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) offer to his not so experienced colleagues in the House?
3. “This weekend, there are reports that, […] a Chinese businessman with close ties to Chinese intelligence sent $5 million to [Hunter Bidens] account.”
As it was “out of my purview”, I don’t know if this are new “bombshell” accusations or simple old wine in new bottles (which makes it easy for “Fact Checkers” to deny allegation as not Hunter Biden but law firm Owasco was beneficiary):
On 9/23/20 Senator’s Grassley (R-IA) & Johnson (R-WI) released a 87-report: “Hunter Biden, Burisma, and Corruption: The Impact on U.S. Government Policy and Related Concerns”. On page 78-79 it says:
“On Aug. 4, 2017, CEFC Infrastructure Investment (US) LLC, a subsidiary of Ye Jianming’s CEFC China Energy Company that listed Gongwen Dong as its director, sent Hunter
Biden’s law firm, Owasco, a payment for $100,000” (confidential document 7)
“On Aug. 8, 2017, CEFC Infrastructure Investment wired $5 million to the bank account for Hudson West III.” (confidential document 8)
“Between Aug. 14, 2017 and Aug. 3, 2018, Owasco sent 20 wires totaling $1,398,999 to the Lion Hall Group, a consulting firm that lists James Biden and his wife, Sara Biden, on the bank account (confidential document 12). This transaction was identified for potential criminal financial activity.”
Who was AG at this time?
I for one am not “backing down!”
I am doubling down.
For investigations into the Biden Crime family.
For sweetheart deals that would anyone else not named Biden in prison.
And I am voting for whomever is the Republican candidate come election day in 2024.
Even if it is Trump from a jail cell.
As it has been so called; MSDNC will do whatever is necessary to keep alliances strong, promote the agreed upon agenda and otherwise subvert the workings of a true Republic because they are firmly in the grips of an ideology that enables them to feel superior and more capable of determining, not only the nation’s course, but our individual lives also. We are a parody of what our founding fathers envisioned and the scandals of such as President Harding rise barely to the surface compared with the egregious treason and sedition committed by so many on the prog/left. It is time to make a drastic change in the populations of our representative members from the President down to our local dog catcher.
OT: Israel’s American ‘frenemy’
As everyone can clearly see, Israel is having to fight to defend itself on several fronts simultaneously.
It faces attack from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Gaza; an escalating Islamist uprising in the disputed territories of Judea and Samaria; some 150,000 Hezbollah missiles capable of hitting the entire country from Lebanon; relentless attempts by Iran to create a similar war machine to attack Israel from its Syrian border; and the threat of a nuclearized Iranian regime that threatens to wipe Israel off the map.
So much is obvious. What is perhaps less self-evident is that Israel faces a mortal threat from yet another front: the United States of America.
Cont: https://jewishworldreview.com/0623/phillip062323.php
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow will not change the fact that Democrats are and will always be Lilliputians. Small petty people!
In my youth when I studied the French Revolution and read the “Tales of Two Cities” I was disturbed of the use of the indiscriminate use of the guillotine.
Now in my seventies, the more I learn about the Biden Crimes and the cover up by the DOJ, FBI and Mass media and to two tier Justice system the more I understand that the French had it right..
I saw this article this morning. It was written by Joseph Curl and posted on the Daily Wire. The video is very interesting to watch and educational. This is the core of the article which is mostly the transcript of the Press Corps and KJP. It is also instructional to watch Kirby refuse to answer any questions and walk out on the briefing. They do not know how to truthfully answer questions.
It’s Time The White House Press Corps Demands Biden’s Spokesman Be Fired
By Joseph Curl
Jun 23, 2023 DailyWire.com
“On Friday, KJP got hammered by reporters — and this time, even the renowned Peter Baker of The New York Times got his brethen’s backs when Biden’s spokesman just flat-out refused to answer questions.
The daily briefing’s questions centered on new information from IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley, who told members of Congress that Hunter Biden once threatened Chinese business associate Henry Zhao by saying his father was sitting right next to him and that Zhao would “regret not following my direction.”
Jean-Pierre tried to divert (as she often does) by putting White House National Security Council John Kirby at the podium first. But when it was her turn, Newsmax’s James Rosen, formerly of Fox News (and a guy who can do a spot-on impersonation of Howard Cosell) asked about Biden’s previous claims that he knew nothing of Hunter’s business dealings.
After Rosen got nowhere, Baker jumped in. “Can I follow up on that? So Kirby wouldn’t answer James’ question though, are you gonna’ answer the question? It’s not an unreasonable question to ask when the president of the United States was involved, as this message seems to suggest, in some sort of coercive conversation for business dealings by his son. Is that something? If he wasn’t, maybe you should tell us,” he said.
“I appreciate the question. I believe my colleague at the White House counsel has answered this question,” Jean-Pierre said, referring reporters back to the Department of Justice and Kirby. Now, covering the White House for a dozen years, I know that diversion — those guys don’t talk. What’s more, reporters were simply asking Biden’s flack about what he did, a question KJP should be able to answer.
For the first time in a while, reporters got each other’s backs. The New York Post’s Steven Nelson followed up, asking Jean-Pierre to answer his colleagues’ questions after she claimed she had.
“No, you didn’t: Yes or no, was the president involved in the shakedown attempt?” Nelson asked.
“Steven I just answered the question … It’s not up to you how I answer the question,” Jean-Pierre said, adding that her answer was that the White House counsel have responded to the question (they haven’t).
Rosen then popped back in, asking if Jean-Pierre stands by her declaration that Biden had no knowledge of Hunter’s foreign business dealings. “Nothing has changed,” she said.
KJP tried to shut it all down, calling on another reporter, this time from the friendly mainstream media. But CBS News’ Weijia Jiang asked the same question.
“To follow up on what my colleague was saying in regard to this text message and what the president’s son was alleging: Was the president there or not?”
“I would refer to my colleagues at the White House counsel,” Jean-Pierre said.
Then another MSM reporter followed up. “Karine, have you spoken to the president about this? Have you asked him whether he was there with his son on July 30th — ” NBC News’ Monica Alba began before Jean-Pierre cut her off.
“This is not a conversation I’ve had with the president and again, I’d refer you to the White House counsel.”
“Do you plan to have that conversation with the president?” Alba followed up.
“No,” Jean-Pierre said.”
Watch the video of the Press Corps and Kirby and KJP.
E.M.
That was awesome!
Upstate Farmer,
They had to cut the briefing short and walk out because their pants were on fire. This is good to watch. They cannot answer the questions. It was also great to see (for once) the reporters having each other’s back on this one and standing up against this ruse.
Hunter’s Whatsapp message is well written and direct to the point. It sure as hell doesn’t sound like the incoherent ramblings of a drunk, however desperately the mainstream media wants you to believe.
State run media: very evil.
I believe this whole Biden corruption scandal exposed how much the US press is in bed with the Biden regime. I am past the point of calling them an “administration” at this point, since they are getting exactly the coverage of these issues from the press that they want, in a way that doesn’t expose their culpability.
I’ll close with the response given after the 2012 presidential election when Sen Harry Reid was asked about his statement during the campaign season when he stated that a friend had told him that Mitt Romney did not pay his taxes: “We won, didn’t we?”
Because that’s the same way Team Biden operates.
Remember Watergate? It’s the cover up.
Biden isn’t just corrupt he’s a Traitor! He sold his country to China.
Name me the last top Democrat to leave office without a $100 Million kicker(family included)? Gore, Clintons, Obamas, Pelosis, Bidens, etc?
Now compare Bushes, Trump, Pence, Boehner, Gingrich, etc?
what don’t you get? We live in a Fascist state with full propaganda, a police state for political opponents and rife billions for politically connected…egHunter, Ashley, Frank, James, etc Bidens.!
The full death knell was Republicans GIVING Trillions to Democrats LAST WEEK…when the full depth of crimes are becoming apparent!
Eg…the Jan 6th entrapment is obvious, just like the Soros DAs, BLM/antifa Brownshirts, etc
The USA is Germany 1930’s…flyover America is becoming a virtual concentration camp, inner cities are plantations of failure and so on.
All overlayed on $120,000 of Federal Debt….PER American….$555,000 of Federal Debt per American Child.
Democrats actions are to sow distraction from their theft!: Illegals, drugs, crime, trans, etc
Follow the MONEY!
don’t worry the CIA Google, Banksters, etc aren’t going to help you!
Is not this about the time we talk about the “Walls Closing in”? Or about the big snowball crashing down the mountain as it gathers bodies and debris and spokespeople on its way. Some of the anger shown by Claire MacCaskill, spokesman Kirby and KJP seems to be the response of people who thought the cover story of 2 misdemeanors and and a diversion ploy would make it all go away. I think that they are “Shocked!, Shocked!” That such an obvious news diversion failed. Our fellow citizens may be gullible at times but they are not all stupid. There are a lot of skeptics out there and intelligent people who can figure out what happens in Washington DC.
Why even Mr. Obama says we should be focusing on all those drowned people off Greece and not a tragedy in our own back yard. He’s trying to be the Wizard of Oz, saying “look here, look here! Don’t pay any attention to that strange man behind the curtain”.
I think that they are starting to lose control of the narrative and that’s when tempers flare, rash statements are made and even bigger mistakes happen. If 1-2 or whistleblowers come forth and survive, and their narrative takes root, then others see that and are often emboldened to act and talk. They really don’t want to be there and answer the question about “why did you say nothing when people were attempting to crash the country and cover crimes”. Silence implies consent. “I was just following orders” does not shield you in the military or private life.
Some people are disheartened but there have been many scandals over our 2+ centuries. Bank of the United States, War profiteering in every war, “The really stolen 1876 election”, Multiple crimes in the age of the Robber Barons, Teapot Dome and Warren Harding, FDR and his lover, JFK and his lovers, Spiro Agnew, The Plumbers and Nixon, The Pentagon Papers, Iran-Contra, Bill Clinton (I lost count of the ladies) and more. Men, Women, power and money are always a combustible mix.
GEB,
Well said.
Just read about Jack Kirby storming out of the WH press room when a real reporter dared to ask about the most recent whistleblower allegations.
Good for him.
I agree, the Democrats and the MSM do appear to be loosing control of the narrative. People are seeing through the propaganda, the misinformation and disinformation being spread by the Democrats via a compliment MSM.
Independent media is gaining more views, more support by way of paid subscriptions, and bringing real news to the people.
Unfrickenbelievable or rather, so fricken predictable!
so fricken predictable!
Turley would like you to believe that this whole Biden thing has been hidden, and not reported. Trump had 4 years of what he called “his” justice department, countless AG’s, appointed prosecutors and the whole law enforcement of the US. He called on investigations of any political foe and reporters he could think about, and yet, they came up empty. So if the so-called “Biden crime family” was so vast and real, one would think something could be found. Turley’s job these days is to hold the football as the cult comes running to kick it, and pull up with another “Hillary is in trouble this time” “The Durham investigation will find the real story this time” “The laptop will blow up the whole Biden Administration” and it goes on and on and on. One would think the Trump supporters would not fall for more lies, but they thrive on it.
fishy, are admitting Republicans are pure?
Are have tripped and fallen into the truth there is a deep state?
Fish wings, your premise is faulty. Trump was a babe in the woods and had no idea how deep things went in the DOJ, FBI . Intelligence apparatus. It spans parties. You ignore quite a bit. We know Durham hit the right nail simply by the hostility of the Democrats to his testimony. Hillary destroyed evidence and was given a free ride after all her crimes were listed by Comey (you obviously were not listening to him when he did that). You should crawl back in to your cave. We’ll wake you sometime in the future.
What you do is Fire every single person that you can legally and then transfer all the rest to the new DOJ / FBI office in Thule, Greenland, with limited bandwidth and tightly monitored. They can count snowflakes or measure the ice melting. Tour of duty not less than 5 years.
GEB,
Well said.
Thule, Greenland! Awesome!