Starting with his campaign for the presidency and continuing until this week, President Joe Biden has maintained one clear and consistent position on his son’s influence peddling schemes. As a virtual mantra, Biden — and the White House staff — have categorically maintained that he had no knowledge of any foreign dealings of his son. That has been proven to be a lie, but Biden continued to maintain the position. Yet, on the eve of the testimony of a key Biden associate, the White House has changed its position. Now the President is only claiming that he was “not in business” with his son.Some of us have written multiple columns over the last four years arguing that the President was clearly and knowingly lying in his denials of knowledge and discussions of these deals. Even when he made the statement, it was clearly untrue but most of the media shrugged and happily walked away.
Then the evidence began to mount.
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.
Then there is the 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.”
Nevertheless, the White House has maintained the total denial . . . until this week before the testimony of Devon Archer.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked by Fox News journalist Gillian Turner:
“Chairman James Comer today says that the Oversight Committee has evidence that the president in the past communicated directly with foreign business associates of his son Hunter Biden many times. Curious if the White House and the president still stand behind his comment that he’s never been involved and has never even spoken to his son about his business?”
The response from Jean-Pierre was surprising:
“So, I’ve been I’ve been asked this question a million times. The answer is not going to change. The answer remains the same. The president was never in business with his son. I just don’t have anything else to add.”
It takes an utter contempt for the intelligence of the public to insist that “the answer remains the same” and then give an entirely new answer. However, that is only if most of the public is informed of the contradiction. None of the media in the White House press corp followed up on Turner’s questions when Jean-Pierre immediately moved on.
If that is now the new spin of the President, it is about four years too late. The President assured the public repeatedly and consistently that he never discussed or knew of these dealings even as evidence mounted in contradiction. He made this false denial part of his presidency in having his staff echo the same denials to the press and the public. As allegations of bribery and influence peddling swirl around the White House, this pattern of dishonesty and denial can become a basis for impeachment inquiries, as it was with Nixon.
It is tempting to say that the President is being too clever by half, but this was never particularly clever. Biden was counting on the media watching his back and hoping that he could hold both houses of Congress. The problem is that the media blackout was not total and he lost the House. Now these denials and conflicting accounts are threatening the possibility that he could lose much more than his political standing. If the evidence continues to contradict his blanket denials, Biden could lose his office.
“Rep. James Comer believes President Biden has offshore bank accounts potentially used to funnel in bribe money after IRS whistleblowers confirm they had documents ‘pertaining to foreign accounts.’
“With Joe, I suspect there are offshore accounts.”
“The IRS whistleblowers confirmed when I asked if they had documents pertaining to foreign accounts and they said they did.”
@CollinRugg
Get a move on Repubs! Open up an impeachment inquiry! What are you waiting for?
“It is fascinating to watch the Biden Crime Family story morph from allegation to fact (essentially) without having any impact on Democrats still waiting to be told their new opinion.
The old “there is nothing to the story” narrative collapsed. The new narrative has not yet been assigned.
Democrats field-tested “This is old news” but it didn’t match the reporting.
What happens next? Either the biggest gaslighting operation since the laptop or . . . something much worse.” @ScottAdamsSays
“In a serious country Joe Biden would have been arrested now for selling out our nation.” @JackPosobiec
Fact Check: True
“Biden has placed transvestites, middle-aged women, and affirmative action race-hustlers into the highest posts of our military because he was paid to do that by China. GOP senators must help @SenTuberville to stop this madness.”
@EmeraldRobinson
And lets be perfectly clear here. This is HORRIFIC news for EVERYONE in our country. The only good thing about Joe Biden’s presidency was the same thing that was bad about it. HE wasn’t running the show. Unelected asshats were. But at least there was no worry that they would trip over the nuclear football and launch a first strike (that’s metaphor in case you don’t know). His cognitive level is so low, they were able to just point him where they wanted him to go, which made him less dangerous than the man who thought it was ok to put his hand up an aide’s dress in the halls of congress and shower with his daughter.
Now what prospect faces us??? Kamala Harris. If I need to say more, this person won’t take even good advice from her aides when its given. She is way more dangerous to this country than sleepy Joe.
Dumbass Joe thinks Hunter is the smartest person on the planet. Kamala thinks she is. Which is more troubling??
Far be it from me to defend Biden or KJP.
But the issue of whether Biden has been lying is relevant to the failure of the media.
It is relevant to the effort to decieve voters in 2020 – just ONE of many aspects of election rigging that went far beyond Biden.
It is NOT relevant to whether Biden is a criminal, and only marginally relevant to whether he should be impeached.
We expect politicians to lie. It is up to the media to point that out.
Absolutely Biden LIED.
Absolutely KJP is LYING.
Again that only matters relative to the deception of VOTERS.
It is not a crime.
The question – which is coming very very close to the criminal standard necessary to convict is Was VP Biden Bribed.
The importance of the evidence that he lied is that it is evidence that he is a criminal.
We expect people accused to deny allegations against them.
We expect it whether those allegations are true or not.
We do not even hold the guilty to some standard that precludes them from protesting their innocence.
Biden is allowed to say he is innocent from now until he dies.
Just as Trump is allowed to assert innocence of what he is accused of.
The difference is not in claiming innocence.
It is that it is increasingly likely that Biden is quilty.
While Trump not only has an actual innocence defense to all charges. He also has a valid claim to rely on the existing caselaw even if the courts later decide that is wrong.
Good points. I’ve long maintained that common sense goes a long way and it seems to be in short supply in both the media and the electorate. Is Biden the worst grifter in politics, that’s not entirely clear, but that he is a grifter is crystal clear. The media, however, is designed to serve as a check on lies and corruption, especially at the highest level of government. This is what has been lost and serves as the far
greater risk to this country over time…
Amen.
I highly doubt Joe Biden is the worst grifter in politics.
That said he is the closest we have ever come to catching a president taking bribes.
And we have reached a point where I think you could get a jury conviction based on the evidence in 70% of the country.
And it is highly unlikely that we are done gathering evidence.
But as I have posted elsewhere – the Biden crime family corruption – though certainly enough to remove him from office, is NOT the huge problem.
The country will survive a president that is on the take.
Whether we can survive when the executive branch of govenrment – Cetainly the president, but by far not only the president.
And not necescarily because these people were ORDERED to target the left’s political enemies – but quite often because the WANT to.
We can not survive as a nation when those in govenrment decide who is allowed to be elected. Who is allowed to speak,
Who is allowed to remain free and who must go to jail, and they do so driven by any reason beyond narrow and blind adherance to the law.
We could replace Biden with Trump right now, and though many things would improve – our problem would remain.
Just as it did during the Trump administration.
The left rants about J6.
Those in our government attempted a coup. I do not think we have EVER had that happen before.
DOJ/FBI and even a Special Counsel investigated a sitting president attempting to find a way to remove him, using as evidence to justify that investigation a Hoax created by a political opponent that they are KNEW was a Hoax from the start.
When DOJ/FBI investigate ANYONE based on allegations they KNOW are a HOAX – that is wrong. that is illegal, and it is unconstitutional. It is also immoral.
And these people remain a threat. And they likely will remain a threat even if Trump or any other republican is elected president.
That is far worse and far more dangerous than Biden corruption.
And it involves far more than Biden.
It involves far more than Democrats.
I guess The Big Guy didn’t think that anyone would notice his change in position. “I didn’t know anything about any of Hunter’s business ventures” is a *lot* different than “I was never in business with Hunter”. This is beginning to make Watergate look like a picnic in the park by comparison..Too bad that both Woodward *and* Bernstein have become Swamp Creatures.
Biden is an imperfect man as all politicians shamefully are because of 24/7/365 campaign funding grifting. But you Trumpers might want to remove the gigantic orange splinter from your eyes. Compared to Trump, Biden is a middling problem. His biggest mistake is standing by his son, right? That’s what the party that preaches family first pedals, right? Hypocrites.
His biggest mistake is standing by his son, right?
It’s where he was standing by his son. While making deals to sell his office to the CCP and extort money out of Burisma to get a prosecutor fired. Be a sucker all you want, but have some dignity and don’t do it in such a public blog.
Ned: let me help you. Here is a great place to get started: https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/. What you’re engaging in is a logical fallacy known as “tu toque”. Trump is not the issue here, much as you’d like him to be – he’s been out of office for quite some time now. Biden is the current president, and as such, his behavior while in office – and past behavior that may impact his current suitability for said office – is absolutely ripe and germane for current examination. If he instructed his surrogates, including the white house press secretary to say one thing, and then when evidence came to light that was undeniable that showed he was lying to the public for 4 years, that is a problem.
And by the way, it’s “peddle”…
Ned, Trumpss biggest problem is his mouth and his ego. He was wealthy before he entered politics. Unlike the Biden Klan, graft and pay for play.
No, his biggest mistake is selling out the US and using his son as a middle-man to try and keep investigations away from him. The fact that you haven’t realized that Biden and the DNC’s actions while Trump was in office, was projection to protect the DNC says a lot more about you. Than anyone else.
His son was running all over the world picking up bags of cash on the family name. Don’t even try that biblical preaching, this corrupt family has been breaking the law since forever and has done more damage to this country than your pea brain can comprehend.
Hahahaha.. you can try and spin Bidens corruption 6 ways to Sunday.. Trump has NOTHING to do with it, so stop with the deflections
Yeah, family like not embracing a grandchild who was born out of wedlock. Shameful.
Guys, you are responding to a person who has been brain dead for decades.
“His biggest mistake is standing by his son, right? That’s what the party that preaches family first pedals, right? Hypocrites.”
******************
Yep and Don Corleone was just “standing by” Michael Corleone when had all those chiselers rubbed out. Very family values those Bidens but shameless copycats.
speaking of Italians, this is a must see movie. The story of Italians suffering upon arrival to the US is a good reminder. Mother Cabrini rocks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuFkt3w-7kI
TDS is a disease, please seek help!
Family first doesn’t mean enabling first!
Getting family help with addiction & supporting spiritually even if it means jail time is supported love of family.
No,his biggest mistake is selling his soul…or whatever it is that he has that resembles a soul…to the Chinese Communist Party leadership. Need proof?…check the laptop.That would be the laptop that even MSLSD has recently acknowledged is *not* “Russian disinformation”.
Joe Biden abused his office as vice president, and now as president, to enrich his family, using Hunter as the bag man, and he lied to the American people repeatedly, for years. Corruption the entire world can see. Impeach the m’f’er.
Wouldn’t it be a site if his pants did catch fire?
If conservative voters had stayed home in 2022 because the election process was still crooked in many ways, Nancy Pelosi would still be in charge and much of this evidence would not be coming to light. The fact that the Democrats have been fighting like hell to hide the evidence is evidence that they think exposing it will cause a lot of damage.
“As allegations of bribery and influence peddling swirl around the White House, this pattern of dishonesty and denial can become a basis for impeachment inquiries, as it was with Nixon.”
*************************************
One of the great axioms of political science is that a society “never gets the government it wants, but rather gets the one it deserves.” Every serious person knows that a society thrives when its emphasis is on purpose-driven work, thrift, sacrifice, merit, achievement, honor, moral character, justice and truth. Likewise, they know a society built on sloth, salacious indulgence, conspicuous consumption, depravity, excess, dishonor, criminality, injustice and denial of the truth is doomed to chaos, degradation and failure. Biden and his cronies Clinton and Obama are emblematic of a society in decline. These politicians stood for none of the former and most all of the latter and all wrapped in some caustic virtue signaling that would make a Roman emperor blush. We have to return to truth and character as our lodestones elsewise we have a cosmic marble tablet with our name on it alongside the Babylonians, Romans, Goths and countless other empires doomed to disaster not originating from external forces but squarely from internal ones. We are undoubtedly flawed creatures, but ever since that apple bobbing at the foot of the Tree of Knowledge we cannot claim to be ignorant ones.
S. Meyer – Let’s try this one:
https://twitter.com/JeremyRedfernFL/status/1683647510013779971
The conspiracy against an outsider gaining, keeping, and regaining the presidency is clear for everyone to see. Admitting it is a whole other issue. Democrats are so brainwashed into fearing a real estate developer from NYC they refuse to make any move that threatens their power.
Even if I believed in Biden’s agenda, his, and his party’s tactics are unworthy of a 1st World, Constitutional Republic, like the USA. If by “fundamentally” changing America means one-party rule, with a two-tiered justice system, and government censorship, then count me out.
I’m not the only American who has had it with the corruption of the government, and the betrayal of the corporate press. The media is unelected, but, they are not immune from being held accountable for crimes, both real and perceived. Mobs, like BLM, Antifa, are difficult to recall once they get started.
The answer a million times is a lie. Not even a hundred times. If it was 500 times Joe would be gone because that means others than Fox have woken up. So for 4 years the MSM was on the wrong side of the biggest story in last few decades. Russian Collusion. Now one 10 times bigger and their on the wrong side again. When do folks stop the hate and wake up and turn off these miserable people and see their shrink. Mr Turley is a limousine Lib and he is kicking and screaming being hauled into the middle. Have the decency JT to leave the Dems and be an independant. JFK Jr is being treated like a parasite for telling the truth. On a scale of truth tellers. Biden a 0% and Trump 50% and JFK Jr 75%. In politics 75% is real good. Trump is at 50% because he tells lies about stuff that doesnt matter and that is why a 1000% better than 0Joe. He lies about everything. Inflation and the economy and names on bills passed and anything he can think of. Then like all Dems is doing what he is accusing the other side of doing. Then the grift of the less fortunate and our brown and black folks. Building gettos for them is all they are good at.
Monty, outstanding!
So much for the most scandal free administration in history.
Below is what our anonymous friends, McIntyre and other leftists have to offer. According to them no crimes occurred at this Walgreens. They say there is no proof.
—
Journalist witnesses 3 thefts in 30 minutes during segment at most-robbed Walgreens in US
CNN Senior National Correspondent Kyung Lah was at the store on Monday night to report on the store’s latest anti-theft tactic — chaining the doors to its freezers shut — when she spotted a shoplifter walking out with merchandise in his hands.
“Did that guy pay? Did that guy pay?” Lah asks a cashier behind the counter.
The employee simply answers, “He didn’t pay.”
Lah said she witnessed two other robberies in 30 minutes while conducting her story, noting that of the nearly 9,000 Walgreens in the US…
In the story, Lah said that the store sees more than a dozen thefts a day,
===
There is no proof. Only an eye witness. And since you didn’t talk to the eyewitness, its only hearsay.
Eyewitness statements are proof in the sense of evidence. You can deny reality all you want it’s still reality
Obviously you missed the sarcasm Anon. Sorry it wasn’t more blatant. A quick peruse of my previous posts would have been a clue.
However, “I reject your reality and substitute my own”—-Gigi
OT Kamala Harris is a liar. This is the best takedown of her lies you will ever see:
https://twitter.com/JeremyRedfernFL/status/1683647510013779971/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1683647510013779971¤tTweetUser=JeremyRedfernFL
Oldman, the site “doesn’t exist”.
https://twitter.com/JeremyRedfernFL/status/1683647510013779971
Thanks.
There is a logical, final answer to the questions surrounding Joe Biden and the influence peddling operation. And it would be truthful, short and sweet:
“No one wants Kamala Harris as President. That was the best damned business decision I’ve made as head of the Biden Crime Family. Prove me wrong.”
Olly
OMG that is the truest statement I have ever seen on a Turley blog!!!!
I am envious!
😉 Thank you Tom. It’s the elephant in the room. The other, less frequently talked about issue and the one far more difficult to prove is this: what policy decisions have been made by this administration as a result of the influence peddling? Was there any point Biden thought to put an end to this scheme? There’s a line from the movie The International that seems to be the path Joe Biden took. When there’s no way out, you find a deeper way in. He’s in so deep now, it wouldn’t surprise if their will be a run on shovels to bury him.
Well, he hasn’t met with a single Hunter associate since he announced his candidacy for President. He watched his brother and son grift for years, and when he neared the end of his Vice Presidency, he saw an opportunity to cash in himself, and took it, believing that his political career was over and there would be no scrutiny of his actions. Obama warned him not to run for this VERY reason.
Olly, quick question (or anyone else who knows the answer)….how do you post a comment that goes to the top? All I can do is respond to other’s posts. Pardon my ignorance.
For me, if I want to make a new comment (not part of thread), I scroll to the bottom where there is a box labeled “Leave a reply”
“No one wants Kamala Harris as President. “
That is true, but is she worse than Biden? Handlers run the Biden administration, will there be a difference if Kamala is in charge?
That is true, but is she worse than Biden? Handlers run the Biden administration, will there be a difference if Kamala is in charge?
That’s a good question, SM. She’s a classic diversity hire that has been defying the Peter Principle since 1990 as a deputy district attorney. At that time she was described as an able prosecutor on the way up. The way up for her was by getting “down” with the current speaker of the CA state assembly, Willie Brown. She was rejected by Democrat voters during the 2020 primary. Biden’s handlers chose her for a reason and it clearly wasn’t because she was qualified and adored by the Democratic party base. She was chosen more likely as a Strzok-Page type insurance policy. Not to be President, but to thwart impeachment.
Olly, I can see that as a reason for some, but more important, I think, is that she is black, a woman, a leftist, open to crazy ideas, can be molded like clay, and will compromise herself (legs open or closed).
I have no disagreements there.
She is more dangerous.
Joe Bribin’ thinks Hunter is the smartest person on earth.
Kamala Harris thinks she is.
Which is more disturbing?
That we have an electorate believing either are right for the job.
As the Biden story continues to evolve and mutate, the Biden story will eventually state the following:
“We did not know why we received money or where the money came from that materialized in our offshore bank accounts.”
Q was asked: How the hell does Garland get away with not appointing a special counsel?
Answer: A special counsel is not a fix at this point, because it is obvious the entire department is corrupt. Bestowing special status on another corrupt Biden attorney will accomplish nothing. Contempt fines and impeachment for DOJ/FBI officials are the only option. ~Sean Davis @seanmdav
I think that even the low amount of credit that Professor Turley gives the legacy media is too much. The NBCBSABCNYTWaPO view their primary mission is to support the Democratic party. A quick review of the Biden stories appearing on legacy media website shows (e.g., NBC news) that such pressing items as biting incidents by Joe Biden’s dog receive more prominent attention than Biden’s involvement in Hunter’s influence peddling.