Below is my column in the New York Post on the second indictment of Hunter Biden. The tax evasion charges were brought in a type of Voldemort indictment, skillfully detailing millions acquired from influence peddling without mentioning “he who must not be named.” Indeed, it says nothing of how or why millions were sent to Hunter.
Here is the column:
The 56-page indictment of Hunter Biden for tax evasion makes for racy reading, with the special counsel describing a four-year criminal pattern directed at maintaining Biden’s “extravagant lifestyle.”
That lifestyle included massive expenses for strippers, sex clubs, fast cars and other distractions.
The steps taken by Hunter to evade taxes are impressive, but not nearly as impressive as the efforts of the Justice Department to evade any direct implications for his father, President Biden.
In that sense, the indictment itself is a marvel of evasion.
There are three glaring omissions in the indictment that tend to shield critical payments and conduct that implicate the president.
The Burisma-Ukrainian money
First, the special counsel only indicts tax evasion that occurred in recent years.
That’s because the long “investigation” into Hunter inexplicably allowed the statute of limitations to expire on the most controversial payments starting around 2014 from Ukraine gas company Burisma.
Recent testimony from IRS whistleblowers suggests that wasn’t an accident. Investigators were stonewalled, they claimed, and the Justice Department was previously moving to reject any charges against Hunter Biden.
Exploring those earlier Ukrainian payments opens up questions about Hunter’s influence peddling and would have highlighted the conflict in his father’s extraordinary move to force the Ukrainians to fire a prosecutor investigating Burisma by holding back a billion dollars in aid for the country.
There is still no explanation why special counsel David Weiss would allow the statute of limitations to run out.
But this recent indictment keeps the focus squarely on taxes not paid, not how the money was “earned” in the first place.
Hunter the foreign agent
Also missing in the indictment is any charge against Hunter Biden as an unregistered foreign agent.
Recently, the Justice Department added a charge to the indictment of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) that he ran afoul of FARA, the Foreign Agents Registration Act. FARA also was used to go after Donald Trump associates such as Paul Manafort.
The problem with charging Hunter with FARA is obvious.
It opens up questions about the millions of dollars going to the Biden family from foreign sources, a topic that Attorney General Merrick Garland has spent years avoiding.
In the second indictment, Weiss spends more time detailing the salacious use of this money rather than how and why it was given to the Bidens.
He just matter-of-factly describes millions flowing through these accounts from China, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and other countries.
The unindicted co-conspirator
By focusing on tax evasion alone, Weiss again avoids any direct reference to the focus of the influence-peddling used to raise these millions of dollars.
Even without mentioning the president, the implications of the indictment are devastating for the narrative and denials of Joe Biden.
The president has continued to maintain that he had no knowledge or interaction with these dealings. Those statements are clearly and knowingly false.
The president also maintained that his son has “never done anything wrong” and never accepted any money from China.
That is also untrue, according to the Justice Department and Hunter himself.
Yet Weiss continues to avoid any need to address the person who was the selling point of the influence peddling.
It was the same person who repeatedly called in to dinners and meetings, repeatedly attended events, and held meetings and photo shots for these clients.
Instead, Weiss indicts the failure to pay taxes on the proceeds of these dealings without addressing that underlying corruption.
It is akin to arresting a bank robber for speeding away from the crime scene without mentioning the reason for his flight.
In a scandal with dozens of references to the president and millions sent for influence and access, it took a steady hand for Weiss to avoid ever touching on President Biden’s role.
This was a truly Homeric feat — unseen since the Greek hero Odysseus won a competition by shooting an arrow through the tiny hole in a dozen ax heads.
It takes perfect aim to avoid any contact. It is itself the very model of evasion.
Jonathan Turley is an attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School.
It’s been said that the indictments protect the president. Hunter may decline testimony using the indictments as an excuse.
But you write “the long “investigation” into Hunter inexplicably allowed the statute of limitations to expire on the most controversial payments starting around 2014 from Ukraine gas company Burisma.”
Could Congress subpoena Hunter for testimony from 2016 and before, for example? May even offer immunity to compel it, since statute of limitations are already expired for those years, he should have no legal recourse to decline testimony. They could then expose the president.
Hunter Biden can not refuse to testify.
Hunter Biden can take the 5th – ONLY where he would be testifying against himself.
He can not do so for matters where the statute of limitations has expired.
Congress can offer immunity. Frankly they SHOULD – Hunter is NOT the issue.
He is not going to jail no matter what.
Learning the truth about Joe is what matters.
As well as learning the truth about what DOJ./FBI have done to protect Hunter/Joe
Further the courts have often taken being forced to testify to congress as a grant of immunity.
Svelass the MORON that doesnt even remember the hullabaloo over Biden RELEASING 50 million barrels in 2021, just before the MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
Then he RELEASED another 180 million, sold off between March and October, 2022.
TWO SEPARATE RELEASES
LIAR
I’ll wait here for you apology for lying to the group AGAIN.
Dang.
So, polls showed Black, Hispanics and Asians were ditching Biden and the DNC.
Jews were starting to question their voting habits concerning the DNC support of Hamas and the increase in anti-antisemitism on college campuses and in academia in general, see the three university presidents weak testimony before Congress and the response.
But now, even Muslim leaders are against Biden’s re-election! HA! Muslim leaders in swing states launch campaign to ditch Biden in 2024
https://justthenews.com/events/muslim-leaders-swing-states-launch-campaign-ditch-biden-2024
Between the economy, foreign policy, domestic issues, the southern border the Biden admin and the DNC failed policies, they cannot do enough to push many long time Democrats to the Republican party. They are all rejecting woke leftisim. As they should.
How Marvelous!
ANOTHER “HUNTER BIDEN SCANDAL” PIECE? Really, Turley, especially considering that the taxes were paid already? And, Turley is forced to ADMIT that there’s NOTHING in any manner tying JOE Biden to any alleged “tax crimes” of Hunter Biden. So, why keep beating the same dead horse? Because the disciples need their red meat. Sheesh!
You should listen to yourself lmao!
Gigi, you give us more red meat with your lies than Turleys column ever could.
Sometimes i think you just show up to try to take the heat off of Svelass, who has dug himself a hole again with his LIES.
As huge a liar as Svelass is, he will NEVER take your crown!!
By the way, did you want to say something, or did you just swoop in to drop a steaming turd, like Dennis?
Lose the “turd” metaphor. So immature and potty-mouth.
Mah, dont think i will. Its much too descriptive and accurate to be substituted for.
If you dont think these types of posts look like someone choosing to take a proverbial dump here, idk what to tell you.
Also, it passes the automatic sensor, so your vote doesnt really count.
One mans potty is another mans down comforter. Notice the ease and regularity with which they drop their turds, if you dont believe me.
Because the disciples need their red meat. Sheesh!
REGARDING ABOVE
Gigi would have us believe she beats her red meat. Everybody knows Gigi is a he who is Svelaz who is Wally who is Bob who is Dennis who has no meat
Gigi, the Rachel Maddow disciple, who repeatedly uses the flagrantly dishonest term alt-right media to refer to the #1 Cable News network in America, like some chancre infested whore demanding her wages.
Could her opinion on any subject possibly be taken for any less than the steaming pile of dung that it already is?
Inferring things that were not said. Comprehension is not your strong suit. Only the indictments don’t mention this. Everybody that has a clear mind knows about CreepyJoe’s influence peddling and lies. And Hunter never paid the taxes- they were a gift from a wealthy donor- taxes expected on that too. And what about the DOJ letting the stature of limitations run out on at least 5 tax years previous? None so blind as those who will not see.
So, DJT’s loans were all repaid in full with interest but that hasn’t stopped the prosecution of him. Why would you expect different treatment for HB?
Ahh Gigi, Hunter is quite the catch. He smoked cracked 24/7 for a year and managed a business at the same time, even though he was debilitated by his addiction and had no idea how to run a business and paid several girlfriends in insurance coverage, who never worked, thus reducing his taxable income.
I did the same thing. Actually, it’s not that hard. Most crack addicts run successful businesses for years. All the money we make goes into Rhinoplasty expenses.
My Dearly Beloved Gigi,
Special Counsel David C. Weiss
A federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment today charging Robert Hunter Biden (Hunter Biden) with three felony tax offenses and six misdemeanor tax offenses.
According to the indictment, Hunter Biden engaged in a four-year scheme in which he chose not to pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019 and to evade the assessment of taxes for tax year 2018 when he filed false returns. As alleged in the indictment, to further this scheme, Hunter Biden:
subverted the payroll and tax withholding process of his own company by withdrawing millions outside of the payroll and tax withholding process;
spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills;
in 2018, stopped paying his outstanding and overdue taxes for tax year 2015;
willfully failed to pay his 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 taxes on time, despite having access to funds to pay some or all of these taxes;
willfully failed to file his 2017 and 2018 tax returns, on time; and
when he did finally file his 2018 returns, included false business deductions in order to reduce the very substantial tax liability he faced as of February 2020.
The indictment charges Hunter Biden with the following offenses:
COUNT
STATUTE
OFFENSE
TAX YEAR AND FILING
1
26 U.S.C. § 7203
failure to pay
2016 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
2
26 U.S.C. § 7203
failure to pay
2017 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
3
26 U.S.C. § 7203
failure to file
2017 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
4
26 U.S.C. § 7203
failure to pay
2018 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
5
26 U.S.C. § 7203
failure to file
2018 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
6
26 U.S.C. § 7201
tax evasion (felony)
2018 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
7
26 U.S.C. § 7206
filing a false return (felony)
2018 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
8
26 U.S.C. § 7206
filing a false return
(felony)
2018 Form 1120 for Hunter Biden’s company, Owasco, PC
9
26 U.S.C. § 7203
failure to pay
2019 Form 1040 for Hunter Biden
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 17 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation is ongoing.
David C. Weiss, Special Counsel, made the announcement.
Hunter did not pay the taxes. Political benefactors did for him.
If you cheat on your taxes – to the tune of millions of dollars – do you think you will avoid jail ?
There would be nothing Tying Job Biden to Hunter’s tax crimes. Each of us are individually responsible for our taxes.
We should of course find out if Joe also cheated on his taxes.
Regardless as Turley pointed out regarding the new indictment – the clear purpose is to try to protect Joe.
There is only one reason most of us care about Hunter Biden’s taxes.
Because we would not be treated the same.
That is NOT an issue about Hunter – that is an issue about Joe, about the DOJ about democrats.
This new indictment poses more problems than solutions.
Turley does a good job of covering that.
The indictment makes it clear how much of a sweet heart deal Hunter was originally givern.
Even now – he is still getting a deal none of the rest of us would get.
It exposes the corruption in DOJ – Once again – this only happened because DOJ’s feet were held to the fire.
And once again, Hunter remains protected – especially from anything that implicates Joe.
“But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
– Declaration of Independence, 1776
“There is still no explanation why special counsel David Weiss would allow the statute of limitations to run out.” Really Jonathan? How about good ole fashioned government corruption? It is ubiquitous.
Think he was being sarcastic…
Keep your eye on the ball.
The Hunter indictments constitute a fetid red herring.
__________________________________________________________
ALL ROADS LEAD TO OBAMA
THE REAL NEWS IS THAT…
JOE BIDEN WAS NOT INDICTED
___________________________________
DOJ indicts Hunter for tax evasion.
Where did Hunter get all the money he failed to pay taxes on?
Hunter Biden sold influence related to his father, the Vice President under Barack Obama.
If the DOJ had indicted Joe Biden, the DOJ would have convicted Obama.
_______________________________________________________________________________
“[If Comey had indicted Hillary, Comey would have convicted Obama.”
– Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 9/2/17
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/not-comeys-decision-exonerate-hillary-obamas-decision/
Although quite negative in regard to climate change, yet another reason for Turley to fixate on Hunter because Jow has managed to destroy a R talking point with this…
Crude oil production in the States has never been higher (13 million barrels a day) and gas prices down.
Thats a lie.
But just in time for primary season. Lmao. So we should just forget the last 3 years?
And thanks for admitting that joes day one production cuts are what helped drive up gas prices, and it wasnt “putins price hike” since the war in ukraine is ongoing.
You people think everyones has a 10 second memory, like the Tom in 50 first dates.
“Although quite negative in regard to climate change,”
Because where the crude is produced is a factor in climate change.
Idiot
Quite an uninformed opinion there, Tommy. I knew posting these stats would get you chuckin’ a nutty. But sheesh, it’d actually be awesome if you responded with something other than your standard ‘this info sucks and I hate it, plus you’re stupid’ fare.
I explained why, buggy, each time. If you had identified yourself when you posted your drivel, i woulda left it to others to dust off your pathetic attempts at deflection.
Yep, you posted your “facts”, and i gave you my opinion of what they mean to the average american with an IQ above 100.
My prerogative, just like it was yours to post the useless info to begin with.
Ibid.
Typical.
LMS
Gas prices are down as Biden raided the SPR. It is at its lowest capacity since the early 1980s.
The Saudis and Russia are expected to cut production along with other OPEC+ nations, sending oil prices higher.
And the UAE is now open to using other currencies other than the US petrodollar, along with the Saudis.
Only the Biden admin could of made for such a geopolitical environment. The US empire was in decline since the 1970s but accelerated under the Biden admin. The Biden admin was the greatest gift to China, Russia, Iran, and other BRICS.
We are seeing the demise of the US empire within our lifetime.
And it was brought to you by the BCF, the DNC and woke leftists.
That was a one time covid remedy. Since, it’s mostly been tied to increased production. The U S. Exports around 6 million barrels a day now.
Twice.
Covid. Now covid caused the high gas prices?? Covid in 2022??? Lmao
Even biden didnt try that one. It was putin, remember?
Rachel Maddow chiron^^
Fox chiron banner ^^
Exactly what do you think that means?
Obviously not what you think
Gas prices were $2.00 Jan 2021, Now gas prices are $2.99. Meaning gas is 33% higher because of actions taken by Biden.
Crude oil prices were $21 per bbl april of 2020. Trump wanted to buy and stock up reserves, but congress refused. Of course Biden sold off the reserve to lower domestic prices and oil today is $71
As always the lefts raw ignorance of economics, know no low limit.
Crowing about inflation “going down” plays on the voters ignorance of what the numbers mean.
18 months out from an inflationary event, year of year inflation almost MUST decrease. Because it is measured year over year IF inflation was 10% it better be less way less than ANOTHER 10% jump in prices.
The “good news” you are crowing about means we are paying more this year that the inflated price from the previous year.
Democrats bank in the ignorance of the their voters. Your a great example of how that works
$2.00 to $3.00 is a 50% jump, not 33%.
“. . . gas prices down.”
Great. Now they’re only about 40% higher than they were under Trump. And that’s *all* energy prices.
Another reason for Turley’s fixation on Hunter…
https://www.google.com/search?q=current+unemployment+rate+in+the+united+states&oq=current+unemployment+rate&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0i402i512i650j0i273i512i650j0i512l12.17309j0j4&client=ms-android-verizon&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8
Posted by an imbecile who has no clue what that number means.
Everyone who wants a job has had one since 2017, except for the dem lockdowns.
Who gives a rats a$$?
Tom,
What simpletons like him do not address and never do, is the the government was one of the biggest increase in employment and the UAW going back to work after their strikes. The former is more government bloat. Useless eaters who add nothing to the economy other than being a pain in the sides of the taxpayers. The later, is a accounting trick to make the unemployment rate look better than what it really is.
Another part they always ignore is the Home Household survey. It shows not more Americans working but more Americans working second and even third jobs to make ends meet.
Over Thanksgiving there were people who are considered to be “middle-class” forced to use food banks for the first time as they too could not make ends meet.
Food banks are having difficulty as their purchasing power has been greatly reduced due to inflation. Jen Muzia with the Seattle Ballard Foodbank says, “It’s not only our guests that come in to shop, but we’re also seeing it on us as we go to buy food. It’s costing us way more to buy food.”
That is Bidenomics at work, or should we say, not at work. A publication has noted the Biden admin as reduced the word “Bidenomics” to the point it is no longer mentioned in Biden speeches, or used by other Democrats.
It is a failed policy.
And we are all feeling the effects of that failed policy.
Reason for Turley and the R’s to be so focused on taking down Joe Biden through Hunter…
https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/current-inflation-rates/
Lmao this fool thinks he’s got something to crow about with a 3.2% inflation rate, month over month from last octobers high rate.
Trust me dum dum, the last thing you want voters focused on is the economy.
Jonathan: Let’s get this straight. You were not happy about the original Hunter Biden plea. Then you were happy when the judge rejected the deal. Then, you were overjoyed when David Weiss charged Hunter with gun registration violations. I would think you would be happy that Weiss has now charged Hunter with failure to pay taxes. Nope, you are unhappy because Weiss could not bring himself to charge “he who must be named”, i.e., Joe Biden.
I read the indictment. It alleges Hunter failed to pay taxes his taxes from 2016 to 2020. I don’t think there is any real dispute about that. On page 13 of the charges there is a summary of “Expenses made from Owasco, PC and the Defendant’s Bank Accounts (2016-2019”. Among the payments are things like $683,212 for “Various Women” and $188,960 for “Adult Entertainment”. Whey, Hunter was sure living in the fast lane during those years! But of all the items listed not one bore the name “Joe Biden”. Nothing to indicate papa was receiving “bribes”.
So now you are mad that Weiss allowed the statute of limitation to expire on earlier years, that he failed to charge Hunter as a “foreign agent” and finally, that Weiss didn’t charge Hunter as an “unindicted co-conspirator” as part of a vast “influence peddling” operation.
Charging decisions by prosecutors, as you well know, are based on FACTS and EVIDENCE. Despite 4 years of investigation Weiss could only come up with tax and gun registration violations. He could find nothing to indicate Hiunter violated FARA. And “influence peddling”? Try as he might Weiss could find nothing in federal statutes that makes that a crime.
So where does that leave your allegation against the Biden family? In shreds. Now you will have to rely on Jim Comer to come up with “high crimes and misdemeanors” to bring impeachment charges against Joe Biden. So far Comer has come up empty handed. It’s just a fishing expedition in search of illusive crimes. Perhaps, you and Comer think Hunter Biden’s testimony will supply the smoking gun. Good luck with that one!
Another steaming turd from Dennis the LIAR.
Last month the liar said the only reason there would be no house vote for an impeachment inquiry was that there wasnt enough evidence to achieve the necessary votes.
Looks like there will be a vote soon, but Lying Dennis still claims Comer has nothing.
Just another lie from the resident chief liar, who knows it all but still cant say who was called from dubai.
Dennis actually says:
“Charging decisions by prosecutors, as you well know, are based on FACTS and EVIDENCE”
Haha yeah riiiight.
“Despite 4 years of investigation Weiss could only come up with tax and gun registration violations. He could find nothing to indicate Hiunter violated FARA”
Ha! As if Weiss even looked. Weiss is there to rig it for Biden, Inc. Period.
Hey Dennis, as a lawyer, do you understand political corruption when it’s in your face?
Do you understand anything about RICO? Racketeering? Wire fraud? Money laundering? Or bribery?
Hunter’s only business has been selling political favors by his father to our adversaries.
Just the appearance of it should be enough for you to say it’s not okay.
But nope, you go out of your way to attack Turley and defend both Hunter and Joe. Amazing.
There is no way you can be anything but a troll…certainly not a lawyer or a real person with a functioning brain.
Those who know the law better than I do can speak to this. Once Hunter gets his pardon, does that take the 5th off the table when he’s questioned about the money laundering? Either he answers honestly or gets a fresh perjury charge.
“…skillfully detailing millions acquired from influence peddling.”
Equals….”skillfully detailing millions acquired from corruption, extortion and bribery.”
Fancy lawyering cannot mask the truth.
This brings us closer to an answer to the question: what is the remedy to the disease of totalitarianism? Can we do something about totalitarianism? My answer is simple and straight: yes. The powerless do have power.
Propaganda induced mass formation is a fake, symptomatic solution for loneliness. And the real solution lies in the Art of Sincere Speech. My next book, which I am writing now, is all about the psychology of Truth. Truth, by definition, from a psychological point of view, is resonating speech, it is speech which connects people, from core to core, from soul to soul, speech that penetrates through the veil of appearances, through the ideal images we hide behind, the imaginary shells we seek refuge in, and reconnects the shivering and disconnected soul of one human being to that of another human being.
https://mattiasdesmet.substack.com/p/my-speech-in-the-parliament-of-romania#media-c15dc331-33e7-4526-a9e3-713fda48419b
This speech by Mattias Desmet is truly fascinating. This blog is a case study of those speaking the truth and those trying desperately to hide it. The truth, as Desmet describes, resonates into our core, while lies barely scratch the surface. Lies don’t need to be confronted, they need to be exposed. We can do that here without engaging directly with the liars.
OLLY,
Well said!
Thank you UpstateFarmer. Desmet’s new book he is writing, Art of Sincere Speech, would be a great companion book to JT’s book coming out in June titled, The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage. Combined, we will have the prescription to preserve the inalienable right to speak the truth.
we need a Nuremberg trial to jail all the Democrat Fascists from across Government, by the thousands!
The Rule of Law is DEAD in America
One thing that no one has mentioned is that Hunter had access at his father’s houses and offices — for years — to classified documents. Was he selling the information that they contained to his foreign friends?
my question is why do Republicans continue to FUND the completely CORRUPT Democrat Government!
time to
cut 50% of federal spending
end all federal aid to cities, states and colleges
make taxable all non-profits where ANYONE gets $100k
Jail everyone involved in the Russian Hoax, protecting the Bidens and MANY MANY RINOS and Democrats SELLING OUR COUNTRY!
“There is still no explanation why special counsel David Weiss would allow the statute of limitations to run out.”
+++
At what point can a prosecutor be charged with obstruction of justice?
Even prosecutorial discretion must have some boundaries.
Prosecuting Weiss might be a good way to find and define those boundaries.
If he wins, Trump should put that on his wish list for the next attorney general.
Democrat/Fascists should not have ‘normalized’ prosecutions for political advantage rather than actual crimes. There are precedents. Robespierre never expected personally to meet the guillotine. But he did.
At what point can a prosecutor be charged with obstruction of justice?
That’s a great question, Young.
Young,
Great comment!
“At what point can a prosecutor be charged with obstruction of justice?”
At the point of deliberate, willful, and felonious obstruction of justice, abuse of power, negligence, dereliction of duty, abject corruption, and subversion of fundamental law under color of law.
“At what point can a prosecutor be charged with obstruction of justice?”
Someone needs to pay for the crime. I am not particular, so it can be Hunter or David Weiss. I’ll let David choose.
Maybe Joe.
Biden is a combination of Woodrow Wilson and his Espionage Act that arrested people for speech, Harding for his corruptness, Agnew for being a crook while VP, Carter for being the worst president ever while nominating anti-Americans to be UN Ambassadors, wreck our energy, ruin our foreign policy, sit still while Iran held us hostage for over a year and also to kill our economy and the Clintons for egregious money grubbing and control of the levers of government.
Oh yeah, and Obama for giving Iran and Hamas and the Palestinians billions of dollars with which to attack us and our allies.
Everyone knows deep down that Biden is a crook, a stupid lying back slapping pol and an incompetent administrator, but he is a Dem so they will pretend he is fine. He was always a crook and stupid and now he is stupid with dementia.
“Biden is a combination of . . .”
Excellent rogues’ gallery coalesced into a single, destructive “president.”
Great last sentence.
It seems to me we are a long way from hearing from either Biden. Maybe that is the Republican plan and also the Biden’s plan. https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/fifth.pdf
In either case this next presidential election will be one of the saddest episodes in this great country’s history.
The republicans are practicing politics and the Biden’s are practicing criminal survival. This will forever dirty the office of the presidency of these United States.