Below is my column in the New York Post on the recent deposition of Kevin Morris, counsel for Hunter Biden. The transcript only magnifies ethical concerns that I have raised in the past despite a threat of a defamation lawsuit by Morris’s own counsel. Morris often seemed confused about what role he was playing as donor, investor, collector, lawyer, producer, or friend.
Here is the column:
Kevin Morris testified last week in the House.
The question that lingered then, and now, is who is Kevin Morris.
The Hollywood lawyer, producer and Democratic donor has emerged as a major figure in the corruption scandal surrounding Hunter Biden.
For years, some of us have complained that we are not sure what Morris was at any given moment.
What became clear in the deposition is that Morris does not appear certain himself.
He’s Hunter’s confidant, art patron, business partner, and his lawyer.
That could prove his undoing … both for himself and his client.
Morris seems to move effortlessly between roles in his relationship with Hunter Biden.
Hunter met Morris when he attended a political fundraiser as a major donor.
Soon thereafter, he warned Biden associates that Hunter’s unpaid taxes raised political problems during Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential run.
He later proceeded to pay off Hunter’s taxes and to subsidize his lavish lifestyle.
He also took an apparent lead in planning public campaigns against the critics of the Bidens, reportedly pushing a scorched-earth approach to attack potential witnesses and accusers.
Then Morris seemed to take on the role of Hunter’s bank and art patron.
He reportedly gave millions to Hunter while insisting that they are loans, not gifts.
Most recently, it was revealed that, despite accounts of buyers flocking to buy Hunter’s overpriced art, it was Morris all along who bought most of the pieces.
The overpriced art could be used to excuse some of these “debts” — a type of special crafts project for the president’s son to write off millions.
The most striking thing about the deposition from his House interview was the speed at which Morris seemed to put on and remove his various hats.
He invoked attorney-client privilege at least 17 times over questions related to his payments and work for Hunter Biden.
Yet, while refusing to answer those questions, he admitted to an array of other financial ties and transactions with his “client.”
To the extent that Morris was not acting as a lawyer but as a businessman or a friend, these conversations (and related records) may not be protected.
In his deposition, Morris also discusses his ownership of 10% of Bohai Harvest RST LLC (BHR), through his acquisition of interest in Skaneateles LLC.
Those are business interests associated with Hunter Biden.
Morris seemed to be working through his own identity crisis with the help of House investigators.
While insisting that his legal representation of Hunter Biden was “global and complete,” Morris detailed how his relationship floated from loan giver to friend to patron to film producer.
His counsel insists that all loans and roles were clearly laid out for Hunter in writing and reviewed by outside counsel.
House investigator: “How did it come up that you were going to purchase Skaneateles? Or why did you buy Skaneateles of all the companies that Hunter Biden was involved with? Why that one?”
Morris: “That’s privileged. I am not going to answer that because of attorney-client privilege.”
That prompted a quick intervention by his lawyer.
Morris reversed and agreed it was not protected and said that he “evaluated it as a businessman, and I thought it was something that could be a very successful investment.”
Morris’ confusion often left his answers in an unintelligible morass.
When asked about his decision to do a movie on his client, Morris again seemed to merge his roles, saying these are “just materials being collected for representation that may be used in the future after the representation.”
Later, Morris seemed to invoke an open-ended, running privilege.
At one point, Morris claimed he was “like a general counsel” in Hunter Biden’s “virtual corporation.”
He explained, “Counsel, in my job, I represent high-profile individuals. … [H]igh-profile individuals have basically virtual corporations. And in those virtual corporations, they have all kinds of staff and assistants. You know, agents and managers … publicists. You know, whatever. And what I do is I oversee … sort of the squad. Sort of like a general counsel.”
With that, Morris was viewed as asserting a type of floating privilege because “I am involved in everything. And the same is with Hunter. If you check my retainer agreements, you’ll see that it’s not — it says all matters.”
The statement is both factually accurate and ethically dubious.
It seeks sweeping privilege claims despite the layers of different relationships, from loaner to donor to lawyer to producer.
If Morris is called to testify in court, this may not fly.
The problem is that when you are “everything” to a client, you may end up with nothing when it comes to confidentiality.
Jonathan Turley is an attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School.
I’ll tell you his role/relationship. Morris is Hunters ‘fixer’ with the lawyer title used to allow ‘privilege’.
Has anyone else noticed that it appears that Kevin Morris uses Kamala Harris’ speechwriter to write his testimony… his testimony rivals her speeches for being word salads of pure gobbledygook.
News of the day:
There are now so many investigations of Willis going on, it is impossible to keep track.
While the RICO case judge has not thrown Willis off the case, and does not appear to be inclined to,
He is increasing skeptical of pretty much everything the Fulton County DA presents.
We learned that in addition to the WH counsel meetings with Wade, there was also direct exchanges with the Fulton County DA’s office.
Gist that was “one” letter of a logistical nature, then it turned into Two and the Fulton county DA had those letters sealed – so we can not find out if they are logistical. The judge asked – “what were you thinking” and it is certain that discovery into such contacts will be granted.
There are now two different open investigation by the Fulton County Commissioners – specifically into missuse of Fulton county funds.
Need we be reminded that Fulton county and the Fulton county commissioners are Democrats.
Regardless, Fulton county is pissed over the money Willis is spending. They are pissed that it is being wasted, They are pissed that she is not addressing real problems in Fulton County.
The GA Senate has launched an investigation – with full subpeona power.
The GA House is begining impeachment proceedings.
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We find that atleast 10 UNWRA staff participated in the Oct 7 massacre and terrorist acts in Israel.
The US has suspended UNWRA funding and Israel is blocking their access
This only bolsters israels claims that the UN has been complicit in allowing terrorist weapons into Gaza.
We also learned that the UN has been funding illegal immigration into the US with billions of dollars of UN funds being used to transport illegal immigrants from South america to Mexico. Aside from the other problems this means the UN is actually funding human trafficking operations.
The Cartels are charging a tax on these immigrants, and requiring them to pay it off – in slave labor or prostitution.
We have the Republican head of the party in AZ resigning after two separate audio’s of him trying to bribe Lake to get out of the Senate Race – because powerful Republicans back east – allegedly the Bushes, want her out of the race.
The RNC attempted to crown Trump as the RNC candidate and Trump said no, that the primaries must continue
Some details of the alleged amnesty deal that Trump allegedly tanked leak out
approval for 5000 illegal immigrants a day – that is nearly 2m a year which is barely down from current numbers double Obama’s numbers and atleast 3 times Trump’s numbers.
And another large scale amnesty
This is what those of you here on the left think is a “compromise” that the american people will buy ?
Do you people live in the real world ?
“Counsel, in my job, I represent high-profile individuals.
Who are these high-profile OTB’s? (other than Biden’s)
Someone needs to ask.
…”He later proceeded to pay off Hunter’s taxes and to subsidize his lavish lifestyle.” …
You can expand that missive around Hunter’s Malibu Love Pad.
There should be a Secret Service report log of Who and When Visitors came and went to H.B.’s Love Pad,
It will look kinda like the flight logbook of the Lolita Express. (Hey We paid for that Log *)
Hunter Barbie’s Malibu Love Pad Sponsored by the California Cabal et.al.: Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Dan Goldman, Morris, etc….
and paid by U.S. Tax Payer – In fact this Schmucks entire life has been paid at the expense of the U.S. Tax Payer in one way or another.
* 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 $𝟑𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎-𝐚-𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥: 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭
By: Kelsey Carolan – 04/04/22
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3258603-secret-service-renting-30000-a-month-malibu-mansion-as-part-of-hunter-biden-detail-report/
What Attorney makes multiple ‘House Calls’ to a Client,
When the Client is perfectly capable of meeting the Attorney at the Office?
Check the Secret Service’s HB Malibu Logbook for the answer.
Cross-Check Morris’s Billable Hours against the Log.
“Morris also discusses his ownership of 10% of Bohai Harvest” — a communist Chinese operation.
HB to the Protean man (Morris): You bail me out. My kleptocratic family will allow you to invest in a communist Chinese company — a company with interests in cobalt mines (think EV’s) and U.S. investments. And remember — my father (the “Big Guy”) controls both China and domestic policies.
Can you say quid pro quo?
Agreed but for one thing. The big guy does not control China; they control him.
Two observations from someone who remembers the Watergate trials —-fast forward to 2024:
1. Texas has always had the legal, written, constitutional right, that no other state has had — to either split into 5 individual entitities / states and remain part of the ‘Union,’ or secede and return to becoming the Lone Star REPUBLIC.
2. E. Jean Carroll – she’s 80 years old, lives in a cabin in the mountains, has of her own admission be a ‘free lover’ having relationships with multiple men/persons over the years, had a ‘career’ based upon societal’s shifting standards through the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s; and now, nearly 3 decades, 30 years after a 5 minute ‘event’ took place, allegedly, in a dressing room in a fashionable NYC store, NOW — she claims her ‘character’ has been somehow diminished? As Jon McEnroe is famous for saying to a Judge on a tennis court: ‘YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.’
Your point number one is not true. Texas has no such right. It has exactly the same rights as all 49 other states and not one more. No state has the legal right to split or to secede; Congress can split a state, with that state’s legislature’s consent, but the state itself can’t do it.
“Who is Kevin Morris? … Morris often seemed confused about what role he was playing as donor, investor, collector, lawyer, producer, or friend.”
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Oh the answer’s easy. Like most of the high rollers in Sodomwood, Morris is everything to everybody which, to those of us trained in logic, means that he’s nothing. Just nothing at all.
Fort Sumter 2.0
God Bless Texas!
Only sort of. Abbott has done an excellent job of setting this up and Biden has flown into a box canyon – there is no way out.
I think there is about zero chance of actual violent conflict between CBP and TX.
First, TX NG backing away and CBP coming in cutting the razor wire followed by video on the news of tens of thousands of people crossing the border at eagle park is the best outcome that Biden can hope for and that is a political disaster.
Republicans are already seeking to impeach Mayorkas this coming week. I do not know if they can succeed, but Biden “winning” this issue would change that from likely to certain. Further democrats are defecting over this – Even a few democratic governors have called on Biden to declare a state of emergency at the border. Doing so is actually problematic for Biden because once a state of emergency is declared – there is no question constitutionally that TX can do what they are doing if CBP does not.
A mayorkas impeachment may be followed by a snap impaechment of Biden solely on the border issue.
If Biden Nationalizes the TX NG that raises several problems.
Will the NG decide Biden’s nationalizing them is an illegal order and refuse to obey it ?
Abbott has made a constitutional claim that he has the authority to do this – a surprising number of legal experts think Abbott has a shot in the supreme court. I do not personally think that he does, but that does not matter – the issue is likely a long way away from the supreme court which with near certainty is NOT going to expedite this. Until SCOTUS rules, there is sufficient legal wiggle room for the TX NG to say – this is an unconstitutional and illegal order and we will not obey.
I would note there are already rumours that one of the reasons that DBP has NOT gone in is that CBP officers do not think any order to take on the TX NG is constitutional and legal.
I have refered to this previously as a possible Berlin wall or Tianamn square moment.
As the declaration of independence says – the legitimacy of the government rests on the trust of the people.
Supr majorities of republicans an independents support TX, even a plurality fo Democrats support TX.
Further how is this different from Democrat sanctuary cities or NYC Mayor Adams trying to stop busses with illegal immigrants from coming to NYC. The Biden admin has not been in court trying to force NYC into taking illegal immigrants from TX.
Democrats can not have this both ways. They can not have cities refusing to take illegal immigrants at the same time border states are required to.
There is alot of talk of Trump wanting this to be a campaign issue. First – it is. But that is irrelevant.
Biden can fix the problem – and split his base and lose in november, or he can not fix the problem and split his base and lose in november.
Inarguably Biden has the power to secure the border as things stand. Of course republicans are playing politics. But they are pushing politics that supermajorities of american support.
I do not see a route out of this for Biden.
Further this may be the issue that democrats use to leverage Biden Harris out of the 2024 race.
There have been efforts at that for several months.
Politically Republcans need to keep up the pressure but give Biden just enough rope to beleive he can survive and delay Democrats from forcing Biden out for as long as possible.
If a country’s leader allowed a foreign army to cross its borders and occupy its territory, while having the ability to stop that invasion, would he not be guilty of treason? Let’s assume the foreign army is not soldiers but a mixed group consisting of people from many different places, some of them being drug dealers, gang members, convicted criminals, carriers of unfamiliar diseases, or people seeking to game the welfare system. Would it still not be treason? If so, what action should be taken against that leader?
In recent centuries, the penalty for treason in England was Drawing and Quartering.
But then, the English, such as the American Founders, were serious; their words rife with meaning and resolve.
We should not be bandying about Treason in the way democrats use insurrection.
Treason is defined in the constitution specifically to avoid this nonsense.
In the US treason requires aiding an enemy in time of war.
There is no declared war on the southern border.
Abbott has a fingernails worth of constitutional legitimacy arguing there is an invasion, and that the constitution guarantees states a secure border. That is enough to get past the federal supremecy clause – IF scotus accepts the
invasion” argument. which I think is a reach.
But the most important thing is that it is not so much of a reach that prior to SCOTUS saying this is not an invasion it is a close enough issue for TX NG or CBP agents or the military if they are drug in to refuse an unconstitutional order.
And that is a problem Biden can not recover from.
As I have said before – Biden flew into a box canyon – there is no way out.
Why don’t one of you fine counselors enumerate and quantify Carroll’s damages.