Category: fox-news/person/hunter-biden

White House blasts House Judiciary for holding ‘circus of a hearing’ grilling Garland

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

The White House blasted the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee for holding an hours-long "circus of a hearing full of lies and disinformation" featuring testimony from Attorney General Merrick Garland, saying it is part of a "not-so-sophisticated distraction campaign."

Garland testified before the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday as part of the panel’s annual oversight work. The hearing was focused on the alleged politicization of the Justice Department under Garland’s leadership.

AG GARLAND TESTIFIES THAT WEISS HAD FULL AUTHORITY IN HUNTER BIDEN PROBE, BUT NEVER DISCUSSED SPECIFICS

Garland fielded questions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, but defended his work at the Justice Department, and maintained he has remained independent and uninvolved in the years-long federal investigation into Hunter Biden.

But the White House slammed Republicans, who are leading an impeachment inquiry against President Biden, and once again cast blame for the potential of a looming government shutdown on House GOP lawmakers.

"Extreme House Republicans are running a not-so-sophisticated distraction campaign to try to cover up their own actions that are hurtling America to a dangerous and costly government shutdown," White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations Ian Sams said Wednesday. "They cannot even pass a military funding bill because extreme House Republicans are demanding devastating cuts like slashing thousands of preschool slots nationwide and thousands of law enforcement jobs including border agents, so they cranked up a circus of a hearing full of lies and disinformation with the sole goal of baselessly attacking President Biden and his family."

WHITE HOUSE HAMMERS UPCOMING BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY HEARING AS 'EVIDENCE-FREE' STUNT

"Don’t be fooled: they want to distract from the reality that their own chaos and inability to govern is going to shut down the government in a matter of days, hurting our economy and national security and jeopardizing everything from troop pay to fighting fentanyl," Sams continued.

He added: "These sideshows won’t spare House Republicans from bearing responsibility for inflicting serious damage on the country."

Sams was referring to a possible government shutdown.

Congress is currently negotiating a continuing resolution to extend the current year’s funding, but without passing a deal by Sept. 30, they risk sending the government into a partial shutdown.

House Republicans are set to hold their first impeachment inquiry hearing to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of power against Biden on Thursday, Sept. 28.

AG Garland testifies that Weiss had full authority in Hunter Biden probe, but never discussed specifics

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Attorney General Merrick Garland testified that he never had any discussions with U.S. attorney David Weiss regarding details of the Hunter Biden investigation, while at the same time affirming to the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday that the prosecutor had total authority over the probe — despite just granting him special counsel authority only month.

Garland testified before the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday as part of the panel’s hearing to examine how the Justice Department has "become politicized and weaponized under the leadership of Attorney General Merrick Garland."

GARLAND DOCUMENT TOUTS DOJ'S WORK AHEAD OF HOUSE TESTIMONY ON DEPARTMENT OVERSIGHT

Garland, during testimony, stressed that he is "not the president’s lawyer," and that the Justice Department’s "job is to follow the facts and the law, and that is what we do."

Republicans pressed Garland on whether he had any discussions about the Hunter Biden investigation with Weiss, the U.S. attorney for Delaware who has been leading the probe since 2018, to which he repeatedly denied.

"I promised the Senate that I would not interfere… I would not influence the investigation," Garland said. "I do not intend to discuss internal Justice Department deliberations, whether or not I had them."

Garland also said he does not know "the specifics of the investigation." 

Meanwhile, Garland explained that Weiss "knows how to conduct investigations," and maintained that he has "not intruded or attempted to evaluate that."

Garland repeatedly said during the first hours of his testimony that he never had discussions with Weiss about the investigation, and said the prosecutor had the necessary tools to continue his years-long probe into President Biden’s son.

HUNTER BIDEN TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY TO FEDERAL GUN CHARGES

But whistleblowers testified to Congress that Weiss had requested special counsel authority from the Justice Department back in 2022, but was denied.

In August, Garland ultimately granted Weiss that authority.

"Mr. Weiss asked to be made special counsel. I had promised that I would give him all the resources he needed and I made him special counsel," Garland testified Wednesday.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, though, pressed Garland on what changed, again noting whistleblower testimony that said Weiss requested special counsel authority much earlier, but was denied. Jordan referred to a letter Weiss sent to Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in July. 

"Mr. Garland, What changed on July 10th, 2023? David Weiss wrote the Senator Graham and said, I have not requested special counsel designation. August 11th, you announced that he's now the special counsel. What happened in that 31 days?" Jordan asked. 

"As I said publicly, days before my announcement, I think three days, Mr. Weiss had asked to become special counsel," Garland said. "He explained that there were -- he had reached the stage of his investigation where he thought that appropriate… I had promised to give him the resources he needed." 

HUNTER BIDEN INDICTED ON FEDERAL GUN CHARGES

Jordan pressed Garland on "what stage" of the investigation he was referring to after "five years" of investigating. 

"What stage are we in? … the beginning stage, the middle stage, the end stage? They keep hiding the ball stage? What stage? When?" Jordan asked. 

"I'm not permitted to discuss ongoing investigation," Garland said. 

Jordan fired back: "Isn't that convenient?" 

"Something changed in 31 to 32 days from July 10th to August 11th," Jordan continued. "I think it's that two whistleblowers came forward and a judge called B.S. on the plea deal. You guys tried to get past them," Jordan said.

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

Hunter Biden, in July, planned to plead guilty as part of what critics called a "sweetheart" plea deal to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax. That deal would have allowed him to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge. That plea deal collapsed in federal court in July. 

Hunter Biden ultimately pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and one felony gun charge.

Since Weiss has been granted special counsel authority, the president's son was indicted on three federal gun charges. 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 is expected to plead not guilty.

Jim Jordan grills AG Garland over allowing Hunter Biden’s potential Burisma charges to ‘lapse’

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan laid into Attorney General Merrick Garland in a Wednesday hearing, demanding to know why the Justice Department had allowed potential charges against Hunter Biden to lapse.

The Ohio Republican highlighted Biden's business dealings with Burisma, a company in Ukraine, and noted that the DOJ had allowed the statute of limitations to lapse on any potential tax crimes Biden may have committed during that time. Garland refused to answer Jordan's questions directly, instead deflecting to future statements by Special Counsel David Weiss.

Jordan recited the facts leading up to the case, that Biden had taken a lucrative position at Burisma he was not qualified for, and that Burisma executives had told him they were "under pressure." He then asserted that President Biden, then Vice President, moved to get a prosecutor looking into the company fired.

"That all happened. What I'm wondering is why you guys let the statute of limitations lapse for those tax years that dealt with Burisma income?" Jordan asked.

GOP REP. CALLS FOR MERRICK GARLAND'S IMPEACHMENT OVER ROLE IN BIDEN'S ‘COVERUP’: HE'S THE ‘HEAD OF THE SNAKE’

"There's one more fact that's important, and that is that this investigation was being conducted by Mr. Weiss, an appointee of President Trump. You will, at the appropriate time, have the opportunity to ask Mr. Weiss that question and he will no doubt address it in the public report that will be transmitted to the Congress," Garland responded.

"Did they forget? Did the lawyers just, like, oh darn we let it – were they careless?" Jordan pressed.

"I expect that won't be what he says, but because I promised – " Garland said before being cut off.

"You know that's not the case, because as Mr. Bishop pointed out they had a tolling agreement. They talked to Hunter Biden's defense counsel and said let's extend the statute of limitations. And then at some point they made an intentional decision to say we're gonna let the statute of limitations lapse, and I want to know who decided that and why they did it," Jordan said.

BIDEN ADMIN HIRES SCAR TO MONITOR SCHOOL BOOK BAN: ‘THREAT’ TO STUDENTS

"Mr. Weiss was the supervisor of the investigation at that time and at all times," Garland repeated. "He made the appropriate decisions. You'll be able to ask him that question."

"We all know why they did it," Jordan said. "Everyone knows why they did it … those tax years, that involved the president. It's one thing to have a gun charge in Delaware. That doesn't involve the president of the United States. But Burisma? Oh my, that goes right to the White House."

Garland fielded questions from the Judiciary Committee throughout Wednesday. He denied allegations that the Biden family is benefiting from a two-tiered justice system, saying he has not interfered with Hunter's investigation.

Republicans argue Hunter is receiving soft treatment while former President Donald Trump is getting railroaded with more indictments.

The committee has been investigating the alleged politicization of the DOJ throughout the Biden administration. Most recently, IRS whistleblowers came to Congress to testify that prosecutorial decisions made throughout the years-long federal investigation into Hunter have been influenced by politics.

Hunter Biden to plead not guilty to federal gun charges

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Hunter Biden is expected to plead not guilty to federal gun charges, his lawyers said Tuesday in a letter to the judge presiding over the case. The attorneys also requested his initial court appearance take place "by video." 

Biden was charged by Special Counsel David Weiss 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

"We write on behalf of our client, Robert Hunter Biden, in response to the Court’s Order issued on September 18, 2023, related to Mr. Biden’s initial appearance," Biden attorney Abbe Lowell wrote in a letter to U.S. Magistrate Judge from the District of Delaware Christopher Burke. "We respectfully request that the Court hold Mr. Biden’s initial appearance in this matter by video conference." 

"Mr. Biden also will enter a plea of not guilty, and there is no reason why he cannot utter those two words by video conference," Lowell continued. "In short, Mr. Biden is satisfied that his constitutional rights will be met by conducting his initial appearance by video conference." 

Lowell added that Biden "is not seeking any special treatment in making this request." 

"He has attended and will attend any proceedings in which his physical appearance is required," he said. 

Lowell said that since his first court appearance in July, when his initial plea deal collapsed and he was forced to plead "not guilty" to two misdemeanor tax charges, Biden "has scrupulously complied with his conditions since returning home to California (D.E. 15), and it is his expectation that those conditions will remain in place until the Court orders otherwise." 

Lowell also added that Biden is seeking a video appearance "to minimize an unnecessary burden on government resources and the disruption to the courthouse and downtown areas when a person protected by the Secret Service flies across the country and then must be transported to and from a downtown location. 

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

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

"Hunter Biden possessing an unloaded gun for 11 day [sic] 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," Lowell 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." 

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.

White House hammers upcoming Biden impeachment inquiry hearing as ‘evidence-free’ stunt

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

EXCLUSIVE: The White House is blasting House Republicans for planning to hold their first hearing as part of the impeachment inquiry against President Biden just days before the government runs out of funding, while dismissing the "evidence-free" probe as a "political stunt." 

House Republicans are set to hold their first impeachment inquiry hearing to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of power against Biden on Thursday, Sept. 28.

HOUSE WILL HOLD FIRST BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY HEARING NEXT THURSDAY

But the White House is casting the hearing as a distraction. Congress is currently negotiating a continuing resolution to extend the current year’s funding, but without passing a deal by Sept. 30, they risk sending the government into a partial shutdown.

"Extreme House Republicans are already telegraphing their plans to try to distract from their own chaotic inability to govern and the impact of it on the country," White House spokesperson Ian Sams told Fox News Digital.

"Staging a political stunt hearing in the waning days before they shut down the government reveals their true priorities: to them, baseless personal attacks on President Biden are more important than preventing a government shutdown and the pain it would inflict on American families," Sams said.

If the government does run out of funding, the White House signaled to Fox News Digital it would blame Republicans.

"Their shutdown would hurt our economy and national security, furlough thousands of federal workers, and jeopardize everything from troop pay to disaster relief to efforts to fight fentanyl," Sams said.

NO CLEAR SPENDING DEAL AS CONGRESS INCHES CLOSER TO GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

"They are clearly hoping they can use their baseless, evidence-free impeachment stunt to try to divert attention away from the consequences of their extreme agenda, including their current funding proposal to slash tens of thousands of preschool slots nationwide and eliminate thousands of law enforcement jobs," he continued. "The president has been very clear: He is going to remain focused on the issues that matter to the American people, including preventing the devastating and harmful cuts proposed by House Republicans that are hurtling us toward a government shutdown."

Sams added: "House Republicans should drop these silly political Washington games and actually do their job to prevent a government shutdown."

Next week’s hearing will be the first since House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., formalized an impeachment inquiry last week. McCarthy directed Comer and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, along with Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., to lead the investigation. 

However, the hearing won’t necessarily tread any new ground. It is expected to be a review of the existing evidence and explain the status of the inquiry, sources familiar said.

Fox News Digital first reported last week that the next step in the impeachment inquiry would be to pursue bank records from the personal and business accounts belonging to the president’s son Hunter and his brother, James. 

Sources familiar told Fox News that Comer is likely to subpoena Hunter Biden and James Biden's bank records this week.

MCCARTHY 'DANGLING' BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY TO DELAY RECKONING OVER SPENDING, SOME CONSERVATIVES SAY

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

Biden faces accusations that he was involved in foreign business deals set up by his son, Hunter Biden, who allegedly promised his father would use his public office to grant favors in exchange for payments. 

Comer and the other Republican investigators briefed McCarthy last week on House Republicans’ findings since July related to the president’s alleged involvement in his family’s business dealings.

Since July, the committee took a transcribed interview from Hunter Biden’s business associate Devon Archer, who claimed then-Vice President Joe Biden was "the brand" Hunter sold around the world to foreign business partners. Archer also testified that Biden joined conference calls with Hunter’s business partners and attended business dinners with his son’s foreign associates in Washington D.C. 

Also this summer, Comer released the third bank records memo, revealing that the Biden family and their business associates received millions of dollars from oligarchs in Russia, Ukraine and Kazahkstan during the Obama administration. Those records revealed the family received more than $20 million from these business arrangements during that time period. 

HOUSE REPUBLICAN SAYS HE OPPOSES ALL TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT FUNDING BILLS AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS

Comer has also sought information from the National Archives related to the Biden family’s alleged misuse of Air Force Two, and all unredacted documents in which Biden used a pseudonym—Robin Ware—to communicate with his son Hunter Biden. 

More broadly, Comer, Jordan and Smith have interviewed whistleblowers who allege politics influenced all prosecutorial decisions throughout the Justice Department’s years-long federal investigation into Hunter Biden. Those allegations led to Attorney General Merrick Garland granting U.S. Attorney from Delaware David Weiss—who has been leading the probe—special counsel authority. 

Meanwhile, last week, Comer sought information from Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the "sudden foreign policy decisions" during the Obama administration that led to the dismissal of the Ukrainian prosecutor investigating Burisma Holdings while Hunter Biden sat on the board of the company.

The State Department has not yet turned over those records. 

The White House maintains that President Biden was "never in business with his son."

House will hold first Biden impeachment inquiry hearing next Thursday

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

FIRST ON FOX — House Republicans will hold their first impeachment inquiry hearing to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of power against President Biden next Thursday, Fox News has learned. 

The House Oversight Committee led by Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is likely to subpoena bank records of Hunter Biden and James Biden this week. GOP lawmakers hope these records will provide insight into Biden's alleged involvement in his family's business dealings and fuel the next steps in their investigation. 

Next week's hearing will be the first hearing since House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) formalized an impeachment inquiry last week. McCarthy directed Comer and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, along with Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., to lead the investigation. 

However, Fox News is told that hearing won’t necessarily tread any new ground. It will simply be a review of the existing evidence and explain the status of the inquiry, familiar sources said. 

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

Fox News has also learned that the Oversight Committee plans to subpoena the bank records of Hunter Biden and James Biden this week.

As to the timing of the overall inquiry, Fox is told leaders would like to conclude this before the primary season.

Biden faces accusations that he was involved in foreign business deals set up by his son, Hunter Biden, who allegedly promised his father would use his public office to grant favors in exchange for payments. 

Comer and the other Republican investigators briefed McCarthy last week on House Republicans’ findings since July related to the president’s alleged involvement in his family’s business dealings.

COMER DEMANDS STATE DEPT. EXPLAIN 'SUDDEN' DECISIONS LEADING TO FIRING OF UKRAINIAN PROSECUTOR PROBING BURISMA

A source told Fox News digital that Comer will seek additional transcribed interviews with Hunter Biden business associates, including Eric Schwerin and Rob Walker. 

Since July, the committee took a transcribed interview from Hunter Biden’s business associate Devon Archer, who claimed then-Vice President Joe Biden was "the brand" Hunter sold around the world to foreign business partners. Archer also testified that Biden joined conference calls with Hunter’s business partners and attended business dinners with his son’s foreign associates in Washington D.C. 

Also this summer, Comer released the third bank records memo, revealing that the Biden family and their business associates received millions of dollars from oligarchs in Russia, Ukraine and Kazahkstan during the Obama administration. Those records revealed the family received more than $20 million from these business arrangements during that time period. 

Comer has also sought information from the National Archives related to the Biden family’s alleged misuse of Air Force Two, and all unredacted documents in which Biden used a pseudonym—Robin Ware—to communicate with his son Hunter Biden. 

DEVON ARCHER: HUNTER BIDEN, BURISMA EXECS ‘CALLED DC’ TO GET UKRAINIAN PROSECUTOR FIRED

More broadly, Comer, Jordan and Smith have interviewed whistleblowers who allege politics influenced all prosecutorial decisions throughout the Justice Department’s years-long federal investigation into Hunter Biden. Those allegations led to Attorney General Merrick Garland granting U.S. Attorney from Delaware David Weiss—who has been leading the probe—special counsel authority. 

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

The White House has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and maintains that Biden was "never in business with his son." 

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

Newsom justifies Hunter Biden business deals, says using family to ‘get a little influence’ is ‘hardly unique’

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

California Gov. Gavin Newsom brushed off allegations of Hunter Biden's corrupt business dealings on Monday, saying it is "hardly unique" for people to use their family members to get ahead.

Newsom made the comment in an interview with CNN that aired Monday. The California governor defended the Biden family on issues ranging from Hunter's businesses to President Biden's age.

"One of the things that Republicans are relentless on, of course, is Hunter Biden," CNN host Dana Bash began. "There is no evidence that Joe Biden benefited from anything that Hunter was doing, but Republicans have shown that Hunter Biden – he tried to leverage his father's name, and that the president allegedly before he was president joined phone calls that Hunter Biden's business associates were on. Do you see anything inappropriate there?"

"I don't know enough about the details of that. I mean I've seen a little of that," Newsom responded. "If that's the new criteria, there are a lot of folks in a lot of industries – not just in politics – where people have family members and relationships and they're trying to parlay and get a little influence and benefit in that respect. That's hardly unique."

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

"I don't love that any more than you love it or other people I imagine love that. We want to see a lot less of that, but an impeachment inquiry? Give me a break," he continued.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES SAYS IT HAS 5,000 EMAILS POTENTIALLY LINKED TO ALLEGED BIDEN PSEUDONYM: LAWSUIT

"Threatening a government shutdown again after we went through that process with the debt ceiling. This is student government," he added. "This is a joke. Ready, fire, aim. I mean, this is a perversity that the founding fathers never conceived of and imagined. So, if that’s the best they can do, give me a break. That’s about public opinion."

Meanwhile, Hunter's legal team has filed a lawsuit against the IRS, claiming the agency "targeted and sought to embarrass" him by exposing his tax returns to the public.

Hunter's legal opponents claim the tactic is merely an attempt to shift attention away from his own legal troubles, which involve a felony gun charge.

BIDEN BREAKS SILENCE ON POSSIBLE IMPEACHMENT, BLAMES GOP DESIRE TO 'SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT'

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has also launched an impeachment inquiry into the president relating to his alleged involvement in his son's business deals. Republicans point to statements Hunter has made, phone calls, and dinners Biden attended as evidence that he was aware of what his son was doing.

Biden has brushed off the impeachment inquiry, however, suggesting it was a tactic by Republicans aimed at making a government shutdown more likely.

White House, Hunter Biden’s team keep shifting goalposts in denying Joe’s involvement with businesses

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Hunter Biden’s lawyer declared last Thursday that the first son "did not share" his business or his profits with his father, marking another notable shift in the narrative responding to allegations linking President Biden to his son’s shady business dealings.

Abbe Lowell, who has been aggressively defending Hunter, said he can "categorically" declare that Biden was not involved in Hunter's previous business dealings and did not profit from any of them.

"I can tell you that Hunter did not share his business with his dad," Lowell told CNN on Thursday. "I can tell you that he did not share money from his businesses with his dad. And as the evidence out there, his dad, like all good parents, tried to help Hunter when Hunter needed that help."

TOP HOUSE REPUBLICAN SAYS 2015 BLINKEN SPEECH CONTRADICTS BIDEN WHITE HOUSE NARRATIVE ON SHOKIN: ‘ALARMING’

House Republicans who are investigating the Biden family have accused the White House of shifting its narrative in denying that Biden was involved with his son’s businesses. In 2019, Biden emphatically denied ever discussing business matters with his son, despite Hunter's longtime business partner, Eric Schwerin, handling the elder Biden's finances throughout the entirety of the Obama administration. 

Then- Vice President Biden also met with over a dozen of Hunter’s foreign business partners, as previously reported by Fox News Digital.

"First of all, I have never discussed with my son or my brother or anyone else anything having to do with their business, period," Biden said in August 2019. "There wasn't any hint of scandal at all when we were there. It was the same kind of strict, strict rules. That's why I never talk with my son or my brother or anyone else, even distant family about their business interest, period."

"I have never spoken to my son about his overseas business dealings," a frustrated Biden told Fox News reporter Peter Doocy a month later. "You should be looking at Trump. Trump’s doing this because he knows I’ll beat him like a drum. … Everybody’s looked at it and said there’s nothing there. Ask the right question."

"I don’t discuss business with my son," Biden said again the next month in October 2019.

OVERSIGHT DEMS ADMIT HUNTER'S LONGTIME BUSINESS PARTNER HANDLED BIDEN'S FINANCES THROUGHOUT VP TENURE

The narrative, however, took a drastic turn in June when the White House began saying Biden was not "in business" with his son during his vice presidency. 

"As we have said many times before, the president was not in business with his son," White House counsel’s office spokesman Ian Sams said in a June 29 statement.

"The answer remains the same," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a July 24 briefing. "The president was never in business with his son. I just don’t have anything else to add."

‘MONEY GUY’: THIS HUNTER BIDEN BUSINESS PARTNER COULD BLOW THE LID OFF BIDEN FAMILY'S BUSINESS DEALINGS

House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith wrote a letter to White House Counsel Stuart Delery in July seeking clarity on the shifting message, but their July 27 deadline was ignored.

Additionally, Hunter’s lawyer’s claims last week about Hunter not sharing profits with his father do not appear to hold up when looking at Hunter's text messages and emails from his abandoned laptop, according to previous Fox News Digital reports.

In a January 2019 text message, Hunter expressed frustration with his daughter, Naomi, and revealed that his dad forced him to fork over half his salary.

"I hope you all can do what I did and pay for everything for this entire family Fro (sic) 30 years. It's really hard. But don't worry unlike Pop I won't make you give me half your salary," Hunter wrote. 

In a 2018 WhatsApp message with his uncle, Hunter fumed about now-first lady Jill Biden and called her a "f---ing moron" after she shot down a proposal about him teaching and said he needed to get sober first, or he would not be able to support his family.

"I suooorted [sic] my GM [sic] family including some of the costs you should have used your salary to lay [sic] for- for the last 24 years," Hunter said. 

REPUBLICANS ERUPT OVER 2015 EMAIL EXPOSING ‘ULTIMATE PURPOSE’ OF HUNTER'S INVOLVEMENT WITH BURISMA

In another text message exchange from 2018, Hunter claimed to have paid his father's bills for more than a decade, which received backlash from House Republicans.

"Too many cooks in the kitchen," he wrote on April 12, 2018. "Too many profile changes and such. Happened 10 days ago too. What do you need? I’m going to bank in a few. Need to verify identity in person."

"I need to pay AT&T," Hunter's assistant Katie Dodge responded.

Hunter then instructed Dodge to put the payment on both his debit card and his "Wells Fargo credit line."

"My dad has been using most lines on this account which I’ve through the gracious offerings of Eric [Schwerin] have paid for past 11 years," Hunter wrote.

It is not clear whether Hunter was claiming to have a shared AT&T account or a shared Wells Fargo account with his father. The White House declined to clarify when previously reached by Fox News Digital.

HUNTER BIDEN GUSHED OVER ‘EXTRAVAGANT’ GIFTS FROM BURISMA EXEC WHO WAS FOCUS OF CORRUPTION PROBE

A 2010 email from Schwerin, Hunter's longtime business partner, said he was transferring funds from Biden’s tax refund check into Hunter’s account because "he owes it to you."

House Democrats acknowledged Wednesday that Schwerin, the former president of Hunter’s Rosemont Seneca Advisors, handled Biden’s finances for the duration of his vice presidency.

A 2016 email from Schwerin to Hunter indicated that Hunter was expected to pay an AT&T bill in the amount of $190 for "JRB."

One of the most infamous emails from Hunter's abandoned laptop was the email that refers to the elder Biden as the "big guy" and says, "10 held by H for the big guy?" which is shorthand for 10% held by Hunter Biden for his father. Hunter's former business partner Tony Bobulinski previously confirmed "big guy" was a reference to now-President Biden.

The 2017 email about the equity split proposition for the joint venture with CEFC, a CCP-linked energy company, was sent by business associate James Gilliar, who also infamously told Bobulinski on WhatsApp, in May 2017 not to "mention Joe being involved, it’s only when u [sic] are face to face, I know u [sic] know that but they are paranoid."

"OK they should be paranoid about things," Bobulinski said.

"For real," Gilliar said.

OBAMA-ERA EMAILS REVEAL HUNTER’S EXTENSIVE TIES TO NEARLY A DOZEN SENIOR-LEVEL BIDEN ADMIN AIDES

The House Oversight Committee recently included a few of these examples as their "evidence" that Biden was involved with Hunter's business dealings and that he profited, including testimony from a pair of whistleblowers. 

One of the whistleblowers, who claimed Justice Department, FBI and IRS officials interfered with the investigation into Hunter Biden, said earlier in the summer that Hunter invoked his father to pressure a Chinese business partner while discussing deals. IRS Criminal Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley oversaw the IRS probe into the president's son and said the agency obtained a July 2017 WhatsApp message from Hunter to Harvest Fund Management CEO Henry Zhao showing Hunter alleging he was with his father to pressure Zhao to pay him $10M.

"I am sitting here with my father, and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled," Hunter wrote in the WhatsApp message to Zhao, according to the documents. "Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight," Hunter wrote.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy's, R-Calif., announced an impeachment inquiry last week for Biden, prompting the White House to release a 14-page memo pushing back on Republican claims and calling on media outlets to increase scrutiny.

"After nearly 9 months of investigating, House Republicans haven’t been able to turn up any evidence of the President doing anything wrong. But House Republicans led by Marjorie Taylor Greene are nonetheless opening a baseless impeachment inquiry of President Biden — despite many House Republicans openly admitting there is no evidence on which to support it," White House spokesperson Ian Sams wrote last week. 

"Impeachment is grave, rare, and historic. The Constitution requires ‘treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors,’" Sams continued. "But House Republicans are publicly stating they have uncovered none of these things."

The White House and Hunter's attorney did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman and Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.

Hunter Biden’s texts, emails contradict lawyer’s claim that he ‘did not share’ money from businesses with dad

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Hunter Biden's attorney recently claimed his client "did not share money" from his business dealings with his dad, President Biden, but a 2019 text message and multiple emails appear to contradict this claim.

Abbe Lowell, who has been aggressively defending Hunter, said in a recent interview that he can "categorically" declare that President Biden was not involved in Hunter's previous business dealings and did not profit from any of them.

"I can tell you that Hunter did not share his business with his dad," Lowell said during a recent CNN interview. "I can tell you that he did not share money from his businesses with his dad. And as the evidence out there, his dad, like all good parents, tried to help Hunter when Hunter needed that help."

HUNTER'S TEXT ABOUT BIDEN MAKING HIM FORK OVER HALF HIS SALARY RESURFACES AMID NEW DEMOCRAT TALKING POINT

These claims by Lowell, however, do not appear to hold up when looking at Hunter's text messages and emails from his abandoned laptop, which Fox News Digital previously reported on.

In a January 2019 text message, Hunter expressed frustration with his daughter, Naomi, and revealed that his dad forced him to fork over half his salary.

"I hope you all can do what I did and pay for everything for this entire family Fro (sic) 30 years. It's really hard. But don't worry unlike Pop I won't make you give me half your salary," Hunter wrote. 

In a 2018 WhatsApp message with his uncle, Hunter fumed about now-first lady Jill Biden and called her a "f---ing moron" after she shot down a proposal about him teaching and said he needed to get sober first, or he would not be able to support his family.

"I suooorted [sic] my GM [sic] family including some of the costs you should have used your salary to lay [sic] for- for the last 24 years," Hunter said. 

In another text message exchange from 2018, Hunter claimed to have paid his father's bills for more than a decade, which received backlash from House Republicans.

"Too many cooks in the kitchen," he wrote on April 12, 2018. "Too many profile changes and such. Happened 10 days ago too. What do you need? I’m going to bank in a few. Need to verify identity in person."

"I need to pay AT&T," Hunter's assistant Katie Dodge responded.

GOP ERUPTS OVER 2018 TEXT FROM HUNTER BIDEN CLAIMING HE'D PAID DAD'S BILLS FOR 'PAST 11 YEARS'

Hunter then instructed Dodge to put the payment on both his debit card and his "Wells Fargo credit line."

"My dad has been using most lines on this account which I’ve through the gracious offerings of Eric [Schwerin] have paid for past 11 years," Hunter wrote.

It is not clear whether Hunter was claiming to have a shared AT&T account or a shared Wells Fargo account with his father. The White House declined to clarify when previously reached by Fox News Digital.

A 2010 email from Schwerin, Hunter's longtime business partner, said he was transferring funds from Biden’s tax refund check into Hunter’s account because "he owes it to you."

A 2016 email from Schwerin to Hunter indicated that Hunter was expected to pay an AT&T bill in the amount of $190 for "JRB."

One of the most infamous emails from Hunter's abandoned laptop was the email that refers to the elder Biden as the "big guy" and says, "10 held by H for the big guy?" which is shorthand for 10% held by Hunter Biden for his father. Hunter's former business partner Tony Bobulinski previously confirmed "big guy" was a reference to now-President Biden.

The 2017 email about the equity split proposition for the joint venture with CEFC, a CCP-linked energy company, was sent by business associate James Gilliar, who also infamously told Bobulinski on WhatsApp, in May 2017 not to "mention Joe being involved, it’s only when u [sic] are face to face, I know u [sic] know that but they are paranoid."

"OK they should be paranoid about things," Bobulinski said.

"For real," Gilliar said.

The House Oversight Committee recently included a few of these examples as their "evidence" that Biden was involved with Hunter's business dealings and that he profited, including testimony from a pair of whistleblowers. 

One of the whistleblowers, who claimed Justice Department, FBI and IRS officials interfered with the investigation into Hunter Biden, said earlier in the summer that Hunter invoked his father to pressure a Chinese business partner while discussing deals. IRS Criminal Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley oversaw the IRS probe into the president's son and said the agency obtained a July 2017 WhatsApp message from Hunter to Harvest Fund Management CEO Henry Zhao showing Hunter alleging he was with his father to pressure Zhao to pay him $10M.

"I am sitting here with my father, and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled," Hunter wrote in the WhatsApp message to Zhao, according to the documents. "Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight," Hunter wrote.

The White House has repeatedly dismissed the House Oversight Committee's allegations about President Biden's involvement with Hunter's business dealings in previous statements and have maintained that Biden was not in business with his son, despite moving the goalposts multiple times. Following Speaker McCarthy's, R-Calif., announcement of an impeachment inquiry last week for Biden, the White House released a 14-page memo pushing back on Republican claims and calling on media outlets to increase scrutiny.

"After nearly 9 months of investigating, House Republicans haven’t been able to turn up any evidence of the President doing anything wrong. But House Republicans led by Marjorie Taylor Greene are nonetheless opening a baseless impeachment inquiry of President Biden — despite many House Republicans openly admitting there is no evidence on which to support it," White House spokesperson Ian Sams wrote last week. 

"Impeachment is grave, rare, and historic. The Constitution requires ‘treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors,’" Sams continued. "But House Republicans are publicly stating they have uncovered none of these things."

The White House and Hunter's attorney did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

Fox News Digital's Jessica Chasmar, Brooke Singman and Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report

Nancy Mace defends Biden impeachment inquiry: ‘Facts are everywhere’

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., defended the impeachment inquiry into President Biden during an interview Sunday, arguing that the "facts are everywhere." 

During an appearance on ABC's "This Week," host Jonathan Karl asked Mace if she believed it was premature for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to launch an impeachment inquiry without a vote. Karl cited an op-ed published in the Washington Post by Mace's Republican colleague, Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo, who wrote, "Trump's impeachment in 2019 was a disgrace to the Constitution and is a disservice to Americans. The GOP’s reprise in 2023 is no better."

"I don't believe so," said Mace, a member of the House Oversight Committee. "The facts are everywhere. There are text messages, there are emails, there are witnesses, there are whistleblowers, there are meetings, there are phone calls, there are dinners. And you can’t say, ‘Hey, there’s a little bit of smoke, we’re not going to follow the fire.’ And the inquiry, my understanding is, as you said earlier, gives us expanded subpoena powers. I want the bank records of Joe Biden. All of that should be on the table to prove out the allegations in the SARS reports. We're talking about a significant sum of money. We are talking about bribery. And in the Constitution, Article 2, Section 4, that is the basis for impeachment."

Karl interjected, saying there is no evidence connected to Biden, but Mace rejected the notion. 

HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY ANNOUNCES FORMAL IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY AGAINST PRESIDENT BIDEN

"There is evidence. You can’t say that there’s no evidence there when there is evidence," Mace said.

"It was the fourth estate. It was the media and journalists when Nixon was going down that helped do that investigation, helped bring down the president when they – when he broke the law," she said. "And, you know, you guys want to deny that there's evidence. It's everywhere."

In announcing the impeachment inquiry, McCarthy listed allegations of "abuse of power, obstruction and corruption," which have made against Biden by several Republican-led committees that have been investigating the president, and said the investigations found that Biden "did lie to the American people about his own knowledge of his family's foreign business dealings."

"Eyewitnesses have testified that the president joined on multiple phone calls and had multiple interactions, dinners resulted in cars and millions of dollars into his [son] and his son's business partners," McCarthy told reporters.

BIDEN BREAKS SILENCE ON POSSIBLE IMPEACHMENT, BLAMES GOP DESIRE TO 'SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT'

Earlier in the interview, Mace also refused to say whether or not she'd support a motion to remove McCarthy as speaker.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., threatened to bring a motion to oust McCarthy if he does not follow through on a series of demands from the House Freedom Caucus on spending and legislation. McCarthy told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on "Sunday Morning Futures" that a motion to vacate his speakership would only give Biden what he wants and shut down the House, and effectively, the impeachment inquiry into the president.

"It hasn't happened yet, and I'm not going to … comment on conjecture here. Either he’s going to file it or he’s not. If he’s going to do it, put his money where his mouth is. I do hear that some votes might be up for grabs because people were made promises that have not been kept," Mace said Sunday of the possible motion.

"Quite frankly, a lot of promises were made. It’s not just to the Freedom Caucus but to other members of the House. And those promises ought to be fulfilled," she said. "Everything's on the table at this point for me because I want to do the right thing for the American people, I want to do the right thing for women. I'm trying to show: Here’s a path forward for women post-Roe for birth control, for women who are rape survivors, etc. My district is no stranger to gun violence, to mass shootings."

"We ought to be able to work hard for the American people and show them that. And here we are facing a government shutdown and … really, what have we accomplished this year?"