Ramaswamy calls Hunter Biden gun charges a ‘smokescreen’: The ‘real problem’ is the Biden family’s finances

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is declaring the new felony indictment against Hunter Biden a "smokescreen" for the "real problem" plaguing the Biden family.

Special Counsel David Weiss charged President Biden's son with federal gun crimes including making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm; making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federal firearms licensed dealer; and one count of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

But Ramaswamy is urging Americans to not "fall for it."

HUNTER BIDEN INDICTED ON FEDERAL GUN CHARGES

"Today’s indictment of Hunter Biden is a smokescreen. Don’t fall for it," Ramaswamy wrote Thursday. "This is a fig leaf designed to deflect attention away from the real problem: the Biden family is selling out U.S. foreign policy for their own family’s private financial gain. That’s really what’s wrong, and we must hold politicians in both major political parties when they use our foreign policy to enrich their family members."

The GOP hopeful called House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's launch of an impeachment inquiry into President Biden "a step in the right direction," but reiterated "the public shouldn’t fall for the trick of diverting attention away from the true problem."

"It’s also no accident that today’s indictment comes at a moment when President Biden’s own popularity within the Democratic Party is cratering," Ramaswamy said. "I predict this is the first step for the Democrat Party managerial class to pressure Joe Biden out of the race. Biden will become a sacrificial pawn in service to the deep state that wants to keep power at all costs."

COMER TO PURSUE HUNTER, JAMES BIDEN PERSONAL BANK RECORDS AS NEXT STEP IN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

According to the indictment, "on or about October 12, 2018, in the District of Delaware, the defendant, Robert Hunter Biden, in connection with the acquisition of a firearm, that is, a Colt Cobra 38SPL Revolver with serial number RA 551363…knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement, intended and likely to deceive that dealer with respect to a fact material to the lawfulness of the sale of the firearm…in that the defendant, Robert Hunter Biden, provided a written statement on Form 4473 certifying he was not an unlawful user of, and addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug, and any other controlled substance, when in fact, as he knew, that statement was false and fictitious."

The indictment also states that "on or about October 12, 2018, through on or about October 23, 2018, in the District of Delaware, the defendant Robert Hunter Biden, knowing that he was an unlawful user of and addicted to any stimulant, narcotic drug, and any other controlled substance…did knowingly possess a firearm, that is, a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver with serial number RA 551363, said firearm having been shipped and transported in interstate commerce."

COMER SUBPOENAS MAYORKAS, SECRET SERVICE OVER TIP-OFF OF 2020 HUNTER BIDEN TAX PROBE INTERVIEW

Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Weiss as special counsel last month after IRS whistleblowers came forward alleging that Weiss was blocked by the DOJ to bring more serious charges as U.S. Attorney, a claim both Weiss and Garland denied.

The gun crimes were previously involved in what was dubbed by critics as a "sweetheart deal" between Hunter Biden and the DOJ that ultimately fell apart in court upon scrutiny.

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

Biden slams ‘MAGAnomics,’ ignores Hunter’s legal woes in first speech since indictment

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

In his first speech since the indictment of his son, Hunter Biden, on federal firearms charges, President Biden addressed a crowd in Largo, Maryland to make the case for "Bidenomics."

Biden devoted much of the speech to bashing Republicans’ economic agenda, which he pejoratively referred to as "MAGAnomics," after former President Donald Trump’s 2016 slogan: "Make America Great Again."

HUNTER BIDEN INDICTED ON FEDERAL GUN CHARGES

"This is not your father’s Republican Party. This is a different deal," Biden said, before arguing that the Old Guard cared more about Democratic institutions than "MAGA" Republicans.

"Their plan, MAGAnomics, is more extreme than anything America has ever seen before," the president said before bashing Republicans for threatening to default on the debt and doubling down on "trickle-down" economics.

HOUSE DEMS CROSS PARTY LINES, DEMAND BIDEN ADMIN EXPAND OIL DRILLING

"Under their plan, the top 1% … of households that make over $4 million a year are going to get another tax cut worth more than two times what the typical American family makes in a single year," Biden said.

At another point in the speech, Biden touted post-pandemic job recovery and appeared to fumble when pointing to record-low unemployment for African Americans and Hispanics.

"We’ve seen record lows in unemployment, particularly – and I’ve focused on this my whole career – for American Americans and Hispanics, and veterans. You know, workers without high school diplomas," he said.

The president’s speech made no mention of his son’s legal woes.

Just hours earlier, Hunter Biden was indicted on federal gun charges for allegedly lying about his drug use when he bought a firearm in October 2018. The indictment came weeks after the collapse of a plea deal that would have averted a criminal trial.

KEY REPUBLICAN ON IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY SAYS HUNTER BIDEN INDICTMENT A ‘VERY SMALL START’

The younger Biden’s attorneys argued that he didn’t violate the law and remains protected by an immunity provision that was part of the deal.

He’s facing two counts of making false statements by checking a box falsely saying he was not addicted to drugs and giving it to the shop for their federally required records. A third count alleges he possessed the gun for about 11 days despite knowing he was a drug user. The counts are punishable by up to 25 years in prison.

During the time of his purchase, the younger Biden has acknowledged struggling with an addiction to crack cocaine.

Hunter Biden has been under investigation for his business dealings in Ukraine and China, and the special counsel has indicated that tax charges could be filed at some point in the future in Washington or in California, where he lives.

The indictment comes after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday announced a formal impeachment inquiry against the president, seeking to tie the elder Biden to his son’s business dealings.

Hunter Biden could face up to 25 years in prison on federal gun charges

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

President Biden's son, Hunter Biden, was indicted Thursday on federal firearm charges and could face up to 25 years in prison, according to court documents.

Biden is facing three criminal counts, including making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm, which carries a maximum of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, the documents show.

The second count, a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federal firearms licensed dealer, can garner up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

HUNTER BIDEN INDICTED ON FEDERAL GUN CHARGES

The third count, possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance, can land up to a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, according to the documents.

The counts combine to carry a maximum of 25 years in prison and a $750,000 fine. Special counsel David Weiss, a Donald Trump appointee, has overlooked the investigation.

Hunter Biden's charges follow his collapsed plea agreement in July. At the time, he was expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax as part of a plea deal to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge.

The news of the charges come amid a formal impeachment inquiry into President Biden. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday said House Republicans have "uncovered serious and credible allegations into President Biden's conduct" that will serve as the basis of an impeachment inquiry.

"Today, I am directing our House committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe," McCarthy announced in a statement at the Capitol Tuesday. "This logical next step will give our committees the full power to gather all the facts and answers for the American public."

Hunter's lawyer blasted the "MAGA Republicans’ improper and partisan interference in this process" in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.

"As expected, prosecutors filed charges today that they deemed were not warranted just six weeks ago following a five-year investigation into this case," Hunter Biden's lawyer Abbe Lowell said. "The evidence in this matter has not changed in the last six weeks, but the law has and so has MAGA Republicans’ improper and partisan interference in this process."

Hunter Biden possessing an unloaded gun for 11 day was not a threat to public safety, but a prosecutor, with all the power imaginable, bending to political pressure presents a grave threat to our system of justice," he continued. "We believe these charges are barred by the agreement the prosecutors made with Mr. Biden, the recent rulings by several federal courts that this statute is unconstitutional, and the facts that he did not violate that law, and we plan to demonstrate all of that in court."

Key Republican on impeachment inquiry says Hunter Biden indictment a ‘very small start’

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said Thursday indicting Hunter Biden on federal gun charges is a "very small start," while calling on Special Counsel David Weiss to "investigate everyone involved" in the Biden family's alleged "fraud schemes and influence peddling."

Comer's comments come shortly after Hunter Biden was indicted on federal gun charges out of Weiss' investigation.

Biden was charged with making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm; making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federal firearms licensed dealer; and one count of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

HUNTER BIDEN INDICTED ON FEDERAL GUN CHARGES

These are the first charges Weiss has brought against the first son since being granted special counsel status last month.

"The Justice Department’s sweetheart plea deal fell apart after a federal judge refused to rubberstamp it," Comer told Fox News Digital. "Mountains of evidence reveals that Hunter Biden likely committed several felonies and Americans expect the Justice Department to apply the law equally."

"Today’s charges are a very small start, but unless U.S. Attorney Weiss investigates everyone involved in the fraud schemes and influence peddling, it will be clear President Biden’s DOJ is protecting Hunter Biden and the big guy," Comer said.

Comer, along with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith are running the House of Representatives' formal impeachment inquiry against President Biden.

House Republicans have been investigating Hunter Biden's business dealings and President Biden's alleged involvement in those business dealings.

Other House Republicans reacted to the charges Thursday afternoon.

Rep. Darrell Issa posted on X: "Biden's DOJ thinks you're stupid."

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green questioned where additional charges against Hunter Biden could be posting on X: "Where are the indictments for tax fraud, FARA abuse, money laundering, and sex trafficking???

Rep. Eric Burlison posted: "Hunter being indicted is a sacrificial lamb Joe and the Deep State are hoping will be enough to distract the American people from all their crimes. Don’t fall for it. We want the ‘Big Guy.'"

"What are the odds that Hunter Biden is indicted on felony gun charges 6 DAYS before AG Garland testifies before Congress? I’m sure it’s just a coincidence," Rep. Troy Nehls posted on X.

Attorney General Garland is set to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Sept. 20 at 10:00 a.m.

As a next step in the impeachment inquiry, a source familiar told Fox News Digital that Comer will now pursue bank records from the personal and business accounts belonging to the president’s son Hunter and his brother, James.

COMER TO PURSUE HUNTER, JAMES BIDEN PERSONAL BANK RECORDS AS NEXT STEP IN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

The source said Comer will also seek additional transcribed interviews with Hunter Biden business associates, including Eric Schwerin and Rob Walker.

The source also told Fox News Digital that the House Oversight Committee could hold a public hearing related to the investigation in the coming weeks, but a witness for that expected hearing has not yet been decided.

Meanwhile, the charges against Hunter Biden come after an original plea agreement collapsed in July. Hunter Biden was expected to plead guilty in July to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax as part of a plea deal to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge.

Hunter Biden was forced to plead not guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and one felony gun charge.

Attorney General Merrick Garland tapped Weiss to serve as special counsel with jurisdiction over the Hunter Biden investigation and any other issues that have come up, or may come up, related to that probe.

The White House declined to comment.

Planned Parenthood announces return of abortion in Wisconsin after key court ruling

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Planned Parenthood will resume offering abortion services to women in Wisconsin following a key court ruling against existing abortion restrictions in the state.

Planned Parenthood's clinics in Milwaukee and Madison had previously been forced to close due to the state government attempting to use an 1849 law to ban abortions. A state judge ruled that the law does not, in fact, apply to abortions, paving the way for providers to resume services.

"With patients and community as our central priority and driving force, we are eager to resume abortion services and provide this essential care to people in our State," Tanya Atkinson, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said in a Thursday statement.

"With the recent confirmation from the Court that there is not an enforceable abortion ban in Wisconsin, our staff can now provide the full scope of sexual and reproductive health care to anyone in Wisconsin who needs it, no matter what," she continued.

WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST CALLS OUT FACT-CHECKERS OVER CLAIM DEMOCRATS DON’T SUPPORT ABORTION UP UNTIL BIRTH

Abortions will resume at the pair of Wisconsin clinics on Monday.

The 1849 law in question bans the killing of fetuses, something that Republican leaders in the state argued applied to abortion. Dane County Circuit Judge Diane Schlipper disagreed, however, ruling this summer that "consensual medical abortions" do not constitute killing a fetus.

PSAKI REPEATS CLAIM THAT DEMS DON’T SUPPORT ABORTION UNTIL BIRTH: ‘ENTIRELY MISLEADING’

Instead, Schlipper interpreted the law to ban an intentional attack on a mother with the goal of killing a fetus.

"There is no such thing as an ‘1849 Abortion Ban’ in Wisconsin," she wrote in her ruling.

Democratic Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers had attempted to overturn the 1849 ban via a repeal bill, but the Republican-held legislature refused to take up the legislation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

In Montana, former firearms executive Ryan Busse seeks to unseat GOP Gov. Greg Gianforte

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Former firearms executive turned gun industry critic Ryan Busse is seeking the 2024 Democratic nomination to challenge first-term Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte in Montana.

Busse told The Associated Press about his intentions in advance of a planned public announcement Thursday. It's his first run for public office.

If the 53-year-old from Kalispell makes it past next June's primary, he faces an uphill battle in trying to unseat Gianforte, who is able to draw from immense personal wealth to bankroll his campaign and whose party has dominated Montana during recent election cycles. Former President Donald Trump won the state in 2020 with a 16-point advantage over Joe Biden.

EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR DETAILS SURFACE IN HISTORIC IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON

But Busse suggested that Republicans are vulnerable in the state after failing to keep housing prices affordable, not taking action to prevent potential property tax increases and threatening women’s health care by passing several abortion restrictions.

"To me this is a narrative about Greg Gianforte making this a playground for the wealthy and ignoring the people of Montana," Busse said Wednesday. "They had time to extend massive tax breaks to industry, to profitable industry. They had time to blow a $2.8 billion surplus. They had time to discuss the impacts of this tax increase to Montana homeowners, and they chose to do nothing about it."

Recent increases in home valuations could lead to an $80 million spike in residential property taxes in each of the next two years, the Revenue Department estimated. The agency suggested a change in the state’s tax rate on residential property to avoid a tax increase, but the Republican-controlled Legislature did not adopt it, instead passing a $675 property tax rebate for resident homeowners in each of the next two years.

During a 25-year career in the firearms industry, Busse said, he directed the sale of almost 3 million guns from the manufacturer Kimber America. But he became disaffected as the increasingly politicized industry began aggressively marketing military-style assault rifles such as those used in numerous mass shootings.

Since leaving the industry in 2020, Busse has served as a policy adviser for Biden’s 2020 campaign and written a book and articles highly critical of the National Rifle Association and gun manufacturers.

His remonstrations against America's gun culture could become a flashpoint in the campaign given the strong support for gun rights in Montana politics. Busse, who favors background checks before purchases but opposes bans on assault rifles, predicted Republicans will portray him as anti-gun.

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS PREDICTS MIGRANT CRISIS 'WILL DESTROY NEW YORK CITY'

"I know there’s a vast, frustrated majority out there that are decent, responsible gun owners, and those are the people I represent," he said.

Busse's two sons were among 16 young plaintiffs in a high-profile climate change lawsuit that resulted in a groundbreaking ruling last month that said Montana agencies were violating their constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment by allowing fossil fuel development without considering greenhouse gas emissions.

"Ryan Busse is straight out of the far left’s central casting – an anti-gun extremist and radical environmentalist," Montana Republican Party Chairman Don K. Kaltschmidt said in a statement.

Gianforte spokesperson Kaitlin Price declined to say if he intends to seek another term. She said his accomplishments in office include increasing funding for schools and teachers, paying off the state’s debt and cutting taxes.

"Governor Gianforte remains focused on building upon what he committed to do and has proudly accomplished so far," Price said in a statement.

Gianforte is a former tech industry entrepreneur who first won public office with a victory in a special U.S. House election in 2017, a day after gaining national attention for assaulting a reporter covering his campaign.

He was reelected to the House in 2018 and two years later rolled to the governorship in a race against Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney. Gianforte spent millions of his own money on that campaign, which broke state spending records.

His victory wrested control of the governor’s seat from Democrats, who had held it 16 years.

Republican State Rep. Tanner Smith of Lakeside plans to challenge Gianforte in the primary. Smith is a business owner and school board trustee who said he would ensure high-quality education, increase teacher pay and support responsible fiscal policies that would allow the state to reduce taxes.

The filing deadline with the Secretary of State's Office for candidates to run in next year's election is March 11.

Hunter Biden indicted on federal gun charges

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Hunter Biden was indicted Thursday on federal gun charges out of Special Counsel David Weiss' investigation.

According to the indictment, "on or about October 12, 2018, in the District of Delaware, the defedant, Robert Hunter Biden, in connection wiht the acquisition of a firearm, that is, a Colt Cobra 38SPL Revolver with serial number RA 551363…knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement, intended and likely to deceive that dealer with respect to a fact material to the lawfulness of the sale of the firearm…in that the defendant, Robert Hunter Biden, provided a written statement on Form 4473 certifying he was not an unlawful user of, and addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug, and any other controlled substance, when in fact, as he knew, that statement was false and fictitious."

The indictment also states that "on or about October 12, 2018 through on or about October 23, 2018, in the District of Delaware, the defendant Robert Hunter Biden, knowing that he was an unlawful user of and addicted to any stimulant, narcotic drug, and any other controlled substance…did knowingly possess a firearm, that is, a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver with serial number RA 551363, said firearm having been shipped and transported in interstate commerce."

COMER TO PURSUE HUNTER, JAMES BIDEN PERSONAL BANK RECORDS AS NEXT STEP IN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

These are the first charges Weiss has brought against the first son since being granted special counsel status.

Fox News first reported in 2021 that police had responded to an incident in 2018, when a gun owned by Hunter Biden was thrown into a trash can outside a market in Delaware.

COMER SUBPOENAS MAYORKAS, SECRET SERVICE OVER TIP-OFF OF 2020 HUNTER BIDEN TAX PROBE INTERVIEW

A source with knowledge of the Oct. 23, 2018, police report told Fox News that it indicated that Hallie Biden, who is the widow of President Biden's late son, Beau, and who was in a relationship with Hunter at the time, threw a gun owned by Hunter in a dumpster behind a market near a school.

A firearm transaction report reviewed by Fox News indicated that Hunter Biden purchased a gun earlier that month.

On the firearm transaction report, Hunter Biden answered in the negative when asked if he was "an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance."

Hunter Biden was discharged from the Navy in 2014 after testing positive for cocaine.

The charges come after an original plea agreement collapsed in July. Hunter Biden was expected to plead guilty in July to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax as part of a plea deal to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge.

Hunter Biden was forced to plead not guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and one felony gun charge.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Trump weighs in on Texas AG Ken Paxton impeachment trial, argues ‘establishment RINOs’ want to ‘undo’ election

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Former President Trump weighed in on the historic impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton brought by the Republican-controlled state legislature.

The message from Trump, the only federal official to ever be impeached twice, came as Paxton's attorneys were set to begin presenting their defense Thursday as the trial that will determine whether the Republican is removed from office winds down.

"Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was easily re-elected last November, but now establishment RINOS are trying to undo that Election with a shameful impeachment of him," Trump wrote on TRUTH Social early Thursday. "Who would replace Paxton, one of the TOUGHEST & BEST Attorney Generals in the Country? Could it be a Democrat, or even worse, a RINO? The voters have decided who they want! Democrats are feeling very good right now as they watch, as usual, the Republicans fight & eat away at each other. It’s a SAD day in the Great State of Texas!"

Attorneys for the bipartisan group of lawmakers prosecuting Paxton’s impeachment rested their case Wednesday after a woman who was expected to testify about an extramarital affair with Paxton made a sudden appearance at the trial, but she never took the stand.

EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR DETAILS SURFACE IN HISTORIC IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON

The affair is central to the proceedings and accusations that Paxton misused his power to help Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, who was under FBI investigation and employed the woman, Laura Olson. One of the articles of impeachment against Paxton alleges that Paul's hiring of Olson amounted to a bribe.

Olson was called to the stand Wednesday morning in the Texas Senate and waited outside the chamber. However, her testimony was delayed for hours before Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is acting as the trial’s judge, said toward the end of the day that Olson would not testify after all. He provided no further explanation but said both sides had agreed to it.

"She is present but has been deemed unavailable to testify," Patrick said.

Olson had been set to take the stand across from Paxton’s wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, who is required to attend the trial but is not allowed to vote on whether her husband should be removed from office.

ALLEGED MISTRESS OF TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON DEEMED 'UNAVAILABLE' TO TAKE STAND AT HIS IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

Shortly after the announcement, prosecuting attorney Rusty Hardin said he was resting their side of the case. Paxton attorney Tony Buzbee then moved to end the trial on the grounds of insufficient evidence but later withdrew the request without a vote shorty before the trial adjourned for the day.

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Paxton, who was suspended from office pending the trial's outcome, is not required to attend the proceedings and has not appeared in the Senate since testimony began last week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

GOP rep calls for impeachment inquiry into Biden energy secretary Granholm: ‘she lied, under oath’

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

FIRST ON FOX: Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney of New York called for Congress to launch an impeachment inquiry into Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Thursday for giving false testimony to Congress about her family's stock ownership.

Tenney called for the investigation during remarks, shared in advance to Fox News Digital, at a House Science and Technology Committee hearing where Granholm testified about her agency's science and technology priorities. Tenney, who is the first lawmaker to demand an impeachment inquiry into Granholm, cited a series of violations she said Granholm has made since taking office in 2021.

"Since taking office in January of 2021, Secretary Granholm has violated the Hatch Act multiple times," Tenney remarked during the hearing. "She owned Proterra stock while her boss, President Biden, repeatedly promoted the company. Her husband owned Ford stock while she personally promoted the companies’ work with official resources."

"And most critically, she lied, under oath, to Congress, claiming that you did not own any individual stocks when in fact she did. If anyone would like to dispute these charges, all the evidence you need is in the articles I submitted into the record," the New York Republican continued.

BIDEN ENERGY SECRETARY REVEALS STOCK OWNERSHIP OF EV LOBBY GROUP FOUNDING COMPANY

Tenney added that Granholm "chose to ignore the rules and lied to Congress under oath." She cited the Department of Energy's ethics guidelines which state that "public service is a public trust; employees must place loyalty to the Constitution, the laws, and ethical principles above private gain."

"That's perjury, period," Tenney continued. Why should you not resign or why should we not consider some kind of impeachment inquiry into you for your perjury charges?" Tenney said.

JOSH HAWLEY DEMANDS HEARING AFTER TOP BIDEN OFFICIAL ADMITS FALSE TESTIMONY ABOUT STOCK PURCHASES

In June, Granholm admitted in a letter to lawmakers that she falsely testified under oath during a Senate hearing in April that she didn't own any individual stocks.

While Granholm divested from a variety of stocks in 2021, she acknowledged in the letter — which was sent to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee leadership — that she maintained shares of six companies worth up to $120,000. On April 20, however, Granholm testified in response to a question from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., that she had sold all of her shares of individual companies.

In addition, Granholm said she discovered on May 13 that her husband Daniel Mulhern owned $2,457.89 worth of shares in Ford Motor Company. Those shares were then sold on May 15, a Monday, when the stock market opened.

"As a public servant, I take very seriously the commitment to hold myself to the highest ethical standards, and I regret the accidental omission of my spouse’s interest in Ford," Granholm wrote in the letter. "This is a commitment I made to you, the President, and most importantly the American people."

And in response to Tenney's questions Thursday, Granholm said she had made an honest mistake during the April hearing.

"Of course I do not believe it's okay to violate ethics laws. Nor does anyone else in the Department of Energy," Granholm told Tenney. "I made a mistake when I testified saying that I had sold all stock. I honestly thought we had."

Granholm has also sparked criticism for maintaining shares of electric vehicle maker Proterra after being confirmed to lead the Energy Department and while the White House promoted the company. She also violated the STOCK Act nine times by failing to disclose $240,000 worth of stock sales within the legally-mandated time frame.

And last year, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel found Granholm guilty of violating the Hatch Act during a 2021 interview where she explicitly endorsed Democratic Party candidates in her official capacity as energy secretary.

Hunter Biden sues former WH aid for altering, publishing ‘pornographic’ photos from ‘laptop’ he still denies

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Hunter Biden filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump aide Garrett Ziegler on Wednesday, alleging that Ziegler had violated federal computer laws by hacking into the now-infamous laptop that was left in a Delaware repair shop in 2019.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, accuses Ziegler and his company — Marco Polo USA — and 10 unidentified associates of spreading "tens of thousands of emails, thousands of photos, and dozens of videos and recordings" that were considered "pornographic" on the laptop.

Ziegler’s company website claims to be a nonprofit research group "exposing corruption & blackmail." The website has several sections pertaining to Biden’s laptop, including his emails, text messages, phone calls and financial data that culminates into a massive "online searchable database."

In the 14-page civil complaint, Biden’s attorneys allege that Ziegler is a "zealot" who has unleashed a "sustained, unhinged and obsessed campaign" against the entire Biden family for over two years and "spent countless hours accessing, tampering with, manipulating, altering, copying and damaging computer data" with his associates.

FBI AGENT INVOLVED IN HUNTER BIDEN PROBE DOES NOT BELIEVE POLITICS WERE INVOLVED

"While Defendant Ziegler is entitled to his extremist and counterfactual opinions, he has no right to engage in illegal activities to advance his right-wing agenda," attorneys Abbe Lowell, Bryan Sullivan, Zachary Hansen and Paul Salvaty wrote.

"Defendants not only admit to accessing, tampering with, manipulating and copying Plaintiff’s data from their claimed Plaintiff’s ‘laptop’ computer without Plaintiff’s authorization or consent, they regularly brag about their illegal activities in interviews with members of the media, on social media, and on right-wing podcasts," they wrote.

Attorneys argue data on the laptop — which included bank and credit card records — was backed up on Biden’s iCloud.

Thus, the lawsuit alleges Ziegler and his associates hacked into the storage "by circumventing technical or code-based barriers that were specifically designed and intended to prevent such access" and significantly "tampered with, manipulated, damaged and copied" the data without Biden’s permission.

BIDEN'S NIECE UPDATED HUNTER'S COMPANY ON CHINESE SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND DURING STINT AT TREASURY: EMAILS

Ziegler "required more time and effort than uploading photos from Plaintiff’s data because Defendants needed ‘to use AI tools’ on the data as part of their purported efforts to 'censor' portions of videos that Defendants consider to be ‘pornographic,’" the lawsuit states.

Ziegler said in a statement to Politico that either he nor his company "have been served with any lawsuit."

"But the one I read this morning out of the Central District of California should embarrass Winston & Strawn LLP," he wrote.

"Apart from the numerous state and federal laws and regulations which protect authors like me and the publishing that Marco Polo does, it’s not lost on us that Joe’s son filed this SLAPP one day after an Impeachment inquiry into his father was announced."

According to the court filings, Biden’s team is requesting a jury trial based on the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and California's Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act.

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE LEAVES DURING A QUESTION ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN

The federal law prohibits various forms of computer-related activities such as hacking, unauthorized access, and the distribution of malicious software, while the state law provides legal protections against unauthorized access, use, or manipulation of computer data within California. Both carry lengthy sentences if convicted.

Prior to this suit, Biden had already taken steps to punch back in the courtroom over the contested laptop, which some of his attorneys argue may not belong to him.

In March, he initiated a countersuit, asserting that the Wilmington repair shop owner, John Pul Mac Isaac, had unlawfully disseminated Biden's personal information, and leveled six invasion of privacy charges against him. Mac Isaac first filed a lawsuit against the president’s son — as well as CNN, Politico, and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.— in October 2022 for defamation.

According to Mac Isaac, Biden did not return for the laptop within three months days after dropping it off, and he could not be reached. He then alerted the FBI after seeing emails on the laptop illustrating information about then-Vice President Joe Biden’s purported foreign business dealings and videos of Biden taking drugs and performing sex acts with prostitutes.

Before federal agents picked up the laptop, Mac Isaac made a copy of its hard drive and gave it to Trump’s campaign lawyer Rudy Giuliani the following year.

Biden was expected to plead guilty in July to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax as part of a plea deal to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge. Instead, he pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and one felony gun charge last month.