by Ben Whedon
The president isn’t the only administration official to have his public statements on the matter challenged by conflicting evidence.
Joe Biden has repeatedly denied any involvement with his son Hunter's business dealings, though recent revelations appear to have undercut that claim. But the president isn’t the only administration official to have his public statements on the matter come under scrutiny in the face of conflicting evidence.
As House Republicans, led by Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, rigorously pursue investigations into the Biden family, their findings appear to have substantiated links of the commander-in-chief's prior involvement in the first son's endeavors, seemingly contradicting the claims of the elder Biden and his subordinates.
Here are some of the most glaring statements from the commander-in-chief and his subordinates on the first son's dealings that have collided with contrary evidence.
Hunter Biden's art work sales
During a July 9, 2021, press briefing, then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki addressed Hunter Biden's sale of artwork and concerns that his works may present conflicts of interest with the administration.
"After careful consideration, a system has been established that allows for Hunter Biden to work in his profession within reasonable safeguards," she said at the time. "Of course, he has the right to pursue an artistic career just like any child of a president has the right to pursue a career. But all interactions regarding the selling of art and the setting of prices will be handled by a professional gallerist adhering to the highest industry standards, and any offer out of the normal, of course, would be rejected out of hand."
"And the gallerist will not share information about buyers or prospective buyers, including their identities, with Hunter Biden or the administration, which provides quite a level of protection and transparency," she continued.
The first son's art has appeared in the Georges Bergès Gallery in SoHo, with some works listing for as much as $85,000. Despite the alleged safeguards, the younger Biden did ultimately learn the identity of at least two buyers, including one who donated to his father's campaign.
Business Insider reported that Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali, whom President Biden tapped to serve on the Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad, purchased some of Hunter's art at an unspecified time. She gave $13,414 to the Biden campaign and $29,700 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Hunter's laptop was Russian disinformation
President Joe Biden himself, as well as numerous former Intelligence Community officials asserted that the Hunter Biden laptop story, which broke in late 2020, bore the hallmarks of a Russian disinformation operation.
The laptop has been authenticated and several signatories of a now-infamous letter contending the story was dubious have since been outed as Biden campaign donors. Documents released by Congress show the FBI authenticated the laptop long before intelligence experts tried to portray it as disinformation.
Former Acting CIA Director Michael Morell, who solicited signatures for the letter, has admitted that his effort to compile the letter was "triggered" by a phone call from now-Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He has further admitted that the letter was an effort to hand then-candidate Biden a talking point for use in the presidential debate against then-President Donald Trump.
Communications from Morell seeking signatures show explicit references to the letter's purpose of bolstering the Biden campaign. Morell told former CIA Director John Brennan, for example, he was "trying to give the campaign, particularly during the debate on Thursday, a talking point to push back on Trump on this issue."
Biden denied meeting with his son's business partners
Joe Biden has repeatedly insisted that he knew nothing about his son's business dealings and never met with Hunter's business partners.
White House visitor logs, however, show that seven of the first son's business associates from Rosemont Seneca Advisors, his now-defunct investment firm, visited the White House over 80 times during his vice presidential tenure.
Moreover, IRS whistleblowers who have come forward with allegations of DOJ improprieties have pointed to an interview they conducted with John Robinson Walker, an associate of Hunter Biden, in which he described an in-person appearance by the former Vice President at the Four Seasons while Hunter and Walker met with representatives from a Chinese energy company.
"Walker said: 'We were at the Four Seasons and we were having lunch and he stopped in, just said hello to everybody. I don't even think he drank water. I think Hunter Biden said, "I may be trying to start a company or try to do something with these guys and could you?" And I think he was like, if I'm around and he'd show up,'" the transcript of Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley's testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee reads.
The New York Post reported this week that another Hunter Biden business partner, Devon Archer, plans to tell Congress next Monday that Joe Biden engaged in numerous conversations with Hunter Biden‘s business associates, including executives from the controversial Ukraine energy company Burisma Holdings.
An email from the Hunter Biden laptop also shows Joe Biden met with several of his son’s business partners at a dinner at the Café Milano restaurant in Washington DC in 2015.
Biden claims his family received no money from China
At the core of this claim is an alleged illicit deal involving now-defunct Chinese energy company CEFC. Former Biden business associate Tony Bobulinski confirmed in October 2020 the legitimacy of a 2017 email that state "10 held by H for the big guy," confirming that Joe Biden was "the big guy."
In March of this year, moreover, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer released a summary of bank records showing the breakup for a $3 million payment form a Chinese company to the United States and the ultimate deposit of $1.3 million to accounts belonging to Biden family members. The president continues to dispute the allegation despite the bank records.
My son did nothing wrong
Earlier this year, President Joe Biden defiantly claimed that "my son has done nothing wrong" amid the myriad allegations surrounding him.
Hunter appears poised to admit the contrary, however, as he has reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in which he will admit to two misdemeanor tax crimes and face a gun felony which could later be dismissed.
"Hunter will take responsibility for two instances of misdemeanor failure to file tax payments when due pursuant to a plea agreement. A firearm charge, which will be subject to a pretrial diversion agreement and will not be the subject of the plea agreement, will also be filed by the Government," his attorney, Christopher Clark stated of the deal. "I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life."
While, the IRS whistleblowers have contended that the Department of Justice improperly interfered in the case to prevent bringing the worst charges against the younger Biden, the president's claim that his son has done "nothing wrong" is clearly undercut by the plea deal.
Hunter Biden is due to appear in federal court on Wednesday to face the charges.
Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.
Source: https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/holdtop-claims-biden-admin-hunter-biden-proved-false
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