Hunter Biden biz associate Rob Walker to testify on being alleged ‘vehicle’ for Biden family’s foreign funds

Hunter Biden’s business associate Rob Walker is set to appear for a closed-door transcribed interview at the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees on Friday morning to discuss his role in being an alleged "vehicle" for the Biden family to receive foreign funds.

Walker is set to appear at 10 a.m. on Capitol Hill after being subpoenaed by both House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan in November.

His testimony comes as part of the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden.

In notifying his attorney of his subpoena, Comer and Jordan explained that Walker set up his limited liability company, Robinson Walker LLC. The chairmen said it was "used as a vehicle to receive foreign funds and send a percentage of the money to Biden family members."

One example Comer and Jordan provided is when Joe Biden served as vice president, Robinson Walker LLC received millions of dollars from a company owned by Gabriel Popoviciu, a Romanian who was then the subject of a high-profile corruption prosecution in his home country.

BIDEN FAMILY RECEIVED MORE THAN $1M FROM HUNTER ASSOCIATE AFTER 2017 CHINA WIRE: HOUSE OVERSIGHT

"Following the receipt of this money, Robinson Walker sent over one million dollars to Biden family accounts, including those of Hunter Biden and Hallie Biden," Comer and Jordan wrote.

But Comer and Jordan flagged that those payments from Romania to Robinson Walker LLC started "within approximately five weeks of then-Vice President Biden meeting with the President of Romania, where, according to the official readout, the issue of corruption was discussed."

Comer and Jordan also note that Robinson Walker LLC received a payment of $3 million from State Energy HK Limited, a Chinese company, in February 2017, less than two months after Biden left the Obama administration. Comer and Jordan said that in the three months following that payment, Robinson Walker LLC made "incremental payments totaling over one million dollars to Biden family members and their companies, including Hallie Biden and entities associated with Hunter Biden and James Biden."

According to an FBI FD-302 form detailing Walker's 2021 interview with Special Counsel David Weiss' team and obtained by the House Ways and Means Committee, Walker said the "$3 million amount was more of a ‘thank you’ from CEFC." 

Walker said "they talked of putting together a larger group and discussed acquiring office space." 

Fox News Digital in December 2020 reported that Hunter Biden, his CEFC associate, Gongwen Dong, and Joe Biden shared office space in Washington, D.C., in September 2017.

6 ADDITIONAL BIDEN FAMILY MEMBERS 'MAY HAVE BENEFITED' FROM HUNTER BUSINESS DEALINGS

Comer and Jordan have said that evidence collected by congressional investigators reveal that President Biden "was at least aware of some of his family’s business ventures and sought to influence potential business deals that financially benefited his family."

"Indeed, a Biden business associate, Devon Archer, testified how the Biden "brand" was used in retaining business, and that Joe Biden met with some of the foreign nationals who paid his family," Comer and Jordan wrote to Walker’s attorney.

Comer and Jordan said Walker may be able to provide evidence relevant to the impeachment inquiry, saying that Walker "played a key role in the Biden family’s business dealings and the chain of complex financial transactions that was used to hide the foreign sources of the funds received by the Biden family."

HOUSE OVERSIGHT SUBPOENAS HUNTER BIDEN, JAMES BIDEN, ROB WALKER FOR TESTIMONY AMID IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

They said Walker could provide information related to whether, among other things, Joe Biden, as vice president and/or president "took any official action or effected any change in government policy because of money or other things of value provided to himself or his family, including whether concerns that Chinese sources may release additional evidence about their business relationships with the Biden family have had any impact on official acts performed by President Biden or U.S. foreign policy; abused his office of public trust by providing foreign interests with access to him and his office in exchange for payments to his family or him; or abused his office of public trust by knowingly participating in a scheme to enrich himself or his family by giving foreign interests the impression that they would receive access to him and his office in exchange for payments to his family or him."

Meanwhile, a former Hunter Biden business associate told Fox News Digital that Walker is a "good guy" but just got "tied up in the House of Biden dumpster fire."

Walker’s transcribed interview is expected to take place a day after Hunter Biden’s business associate, Mervyn Yan, appeared for testimony and weeks before Hunter Biden appears for his deposition. Yan worked with Hunter in deals related to Chinese energy company CEFC.

Hunter Biden defied his subpoena to appear for a deposition on Dec. 13 and was at risk of being held in contempt of Congress.

His attorneys and the committees came to an agreement last week that the first son will appear for a closed-door deposition on Feb. 28.

Democrats blast impeachment inquiry after GOP witness says he was ‘unaware’ of Joe Biden’s role in family biz

House Democrats blasted the impeachment inquiry on Thursday after a witness testified he was "unaware" of any involvement President Biden may have had in his son’s business dealings.

Hunter Biden’s business associate, Mervyn Yan, testified behind closed-doors before the House Oversight and Judiciary committees Thursday after receiving a subpoena. 

House Republicans, on the other hand, said Yan's testimony raised many questions about the nature of the Biden family's business dealings in China.

A source with direct knowledge of Yan’s testimony told Fox News Digital Yan told congressional investigators he is "unaware of any involvement President Biden may have had with his son’s business pursuits."

HUNTER BIDEN BUSINESS ASSOCIATE TO TESTIFY ON BIDEN'S ALLEGED ROLE IN CHINA DEALS AMID IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

Yan, despite interacting with Hunter Biden and James Biden, "never met, spoke to, did business with or had any personal or professional communication with President Biden," the source said.

The source also said Yan testified he "does not possess any materials or information bearing on President Biden’s alleged involvement in his family’s business dealings."

"Just like every other witness in Chairman Comer’s ‘clueless investigation’ — that even House Republicans are calling a ‘parade of embarrassments’ and ‘a disaster’— Mervyn Yan testified to the committee today that he has no evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden and that, to his knowledge, President Biden was not involved in, did not profit from and took no official actions in relation to his family’s business dealings," the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said Thursday. 

JOE BIDEN RECEIVED $40K IN 'LAUNDERED CHINA MONEY' FROM BROTHER IN 2017, COMER SAYS

"Further undercutting Republicans’ lies about President Biden, Mr. Yan testified that he never once did business with or had any personal or professional communication with President Biden."

But House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said Thursday he plans to release the transcript of Yan’s interview. Comer said Yan’s testimony raised more questions for the committee’s investigation regarding the Biden family’s interactions with China.

"Mervyn Yan admitted on the record the Bidens had no experience in the energy and infrastructure sectors and was not sure what they brought to the table," Comer said Thursday. "His testimony raises many questions about the Bidens’ dealings with the Chinese government-linked energy firm, and we hope to learn more tomorrow from Rob Walker, another Biden family associate."

HUNTER DEMANDED $10M FROM CHINESE ENERGY FIRM BECAUSE 'BIDENS ARE THE BEST,' HAVE 'CONNECTIONS'

The committee is expected to hear testimony from Rob Walker Friday. 

Walker is scheduled to appear at 10 a.m. Friday on Capitol Hill after being subpoenaed by both House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan in November.

In notifying Walker of the subpoena, Comer and Jordan note that his Robinson Walker, LLC received a payment of $3 million from State Energy HK Limited, a Chinese company, less than two months after Biden left the Obama administration. Comer and Jordan said that in the three months following that payment, Robinson Walker, LLC made "incremental payments totaling over $1 million to Biden family members and their companies, including Hallie Biden and entities associated with Hunter Biden and James Biden."

Comer and Jordan have stressed that evidence collected by congressional investigators reveals that President Biden "was at least aware of some of his family’s business ventures and sought to influence potential business deals that financially benefited his family."

FLASHBACK: HUNTER BIDEN IN 2017 SENT 'BEST WISHES' FROM 'ENTIRE BIDEN FAMILY' TO CHINA FIRM CHAIRMAN, REQUESTED $10M WIRE

Comer and Jordan believe Walker can provide information related to whether Joe Biden, as vice president and/or president "took any official action or effected any change in government policy because of money or other things of value provided to himself or his family, including whether concerns that Chinese sources may release additional evidence about their business relationships with the Biden family have had any impact on official acts performed by President Biden or U.S. foreign policy; abused his office of public trust by providing foreign interests with access to him and his office in exchange for payments to his family or him; or abused his office of public trust by knowingly participating in a scheme to enrich himself or his family by giving foreign interests the impression that they would receive access to him and his office in exchange for payments to his family or him."

Yan's testimony and Walker's expected testimony come before Hunter Biden is scheduled to appear for a deposition as part of the impeachment inquiry against his father. 

Hunter Biden defied his subpoena to appear for a deposition Dec. 13 and was at risk of being held in contempt of Congress.

His attorneys and the committees came to an agreement last week that the first son will appear for a closed-door deposition Feb. 28.

Hunter Biden business associate to testify on Biden’s alleged role in China deals amid impeachment inquiry

Hunter Biden’s business associate involved in his dealings with Chinese energy company CEFC is expected to appear for a closed-door transcribed interview Thursday morning before the House Oversight and Judiciary committees.

Mervyn Yan, who worked with the first son on deals with Chinese energy company CEFC, was subpoenaed last November to appear as part of the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden.

He is expected to appear at 10 a.m. on Capitol Hill.

JOE BIDEN RECEIVED $40K IN 'LAUNDERED CHINA MONEY' FROM BROTHER IN 2017, COMER SAYS

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan notified Yan of his subpoena and explained the reason for compelling his appearance.

"President Biden has received money originating from China via James and Hunter Biden, individuals with whom your client has previously engaged in business," Comer and Jordan wrote to Yan's attorney. "James Biden maintained a business relationship with Hunter Biden, and the two engaged in several business deals, including a deal with Chinese energy company CEFC China Energy (CEFC), which is closely ties to the Chinese Communist Party through its founder, Chairman Ye Jianming."

Fox News Digital first reported on the funds transferred to Joe Biden in November.

Comer said the "money trail" began in July 2017 when Hunter Biden demanded a $10 million payment from a CEFC associate. In a WhatsApp message, Hunter Biden "was sitting with his father and that the Biden network would turn on his associate if he didn’t pony up the money," Comer said.

Hunter Biden in the WhatsApp message allegedly told a Chinese business associate from Chinese energy company CEFC that he and his father would ensure "you will regret not following my direction."

Hunter requested the $10 million wire for his joint-venture with CEFC called SinoHawk Holdings. 

"I am sitting here with my father, and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled," Hunter Biden told Henry Zhao, the director of Chinese asset management firm Harvest Fund Management. "And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang or the chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction."

Zhao responded, in part, "CEFC is willing to cooperate with the family."

HUNTER BIDEN REQUESTED KEYS FOR NEW 'OFFICE MATES' JOE BIDEN, CHINESE 'EMISSARY' TO CEFC CHAIRMAN, EMAILS SHOW

The Oversight Committee then obtained bank records that showed on Aug. 8, 2017, the $5 million in funds were sent to Hudson West III, a joint venture established by Hunter Biden and CEFC associate Gongwen Dong. The same day, Hudson West III sent $400,000 to Owasco PC — a separate entity controlled and owned by Hunter Biden, Comer said.

Days later, on Aug. 14, 2017, the records show Hunter Biden wired $150,000 to Lion Hall Group, a company owned by James Biden and his wife, Sara Biden. By Aug. 28, 2017, Comer said Sara Biden withdrew $50,000 in cash from Lion Hall Group and later deposited it into her and James Biden’s personal checking account.

Sara Biden wrote a check to Joe Biden a few days later for $40,000, with a memo line of the check reading "loan repayment."

While President Biden has maintained he was never in business with his son, text messages obtained by Fox News Digital in 2020 revealed that in May 2017 he met with Hunter's business associates for the Sinohawk venture, specifically Tony Bobulinski. The meeting on May 2, 2017, would have taken place just 11 days before a May 13, 2017, email obtained by Fox News in 2020 that included a discussion of "remuneration packages" for six people in the business deal with CEFC.

HUNTER DEMANDED $10M FROM CHINESE ENERGY FIRM BECAUSE 'BIDENS ARE THE BEST,' HAVE 'CONNECTIONS'

The email includes a note that "Hunter has some office expectations he will elaborate." A proposed equity split references "20" for "H" and "10 held by H for the big guy?" with no further details.

The "big guy" has been said to be a reference to President Biden. 

Also, Fox News Digital in December 2020 reported that Hunter Biden, his CEFC associate, Gongwen Dong, and Joe Biden shared office space in Washington, D.C., in September 2017.

Meanwhile, Comer and Jordan, in demanding Yan’s testimony, said they expect he will "provide evidence that is relevant to the impeachment inquiry," specifically related to his "knowledge of how James Biden and Hunter Biden operated their businesses and structured their financial transactions, and your client may also know whether and how President Biden has been involved in his family’s business dealings."

FLASHBACK: HUNTER BIDEN IN 2017 SENT 'BEST WISHES' FROM 'ENTIRE BIDEN FAMILY' TO CHINA FIRM CHAIRMAN, REQUESTED $10M WIRE

Comer and Jordan also said Yan could be in a position to provide information on whether Joe Biden, as vice president or as president, "took any official action or effected any change in government policy because of money or other things of value provided to himself or his family, including whether concerns that Chinese sources may release additional evidence about their business relationships with the Biden family have had any impact on official acts performed by President Biden or U.S. foreign policy."

They also said he may provide evidence of whether Joe Biden "abused his office of public trust by providing foreign interests with access to him and his office in exchange for payments to his family or him" or "abused his office of public trust by knowingly participating in a scheme to enrich himself or his family by giving foreign interests the impression that they would receive access to him and his office in exchange for payments to his family or him."

Yan’s transcribed interview is expected to take place a day before Hunter Biden business associate Rob Walker appears for testimony and weeks before Hunter Biden appears for his deposition.

Biden defied his subpoena to appear for a deposition on Dec. 13 and was at risk of being held in contempt of Congress.

His attorneys and the committees came to an agreement last week that the first son will appear for a closed-door deposition on Feb. 28.

Hunter Biden’s ‘sugar brother’ lawyer confirms he still holds stake in Chinese state-backed equity fund

Kevin Morris, a lawyer and close friend of Hunter Biden, confirmed to lawmakers that he still holds a stake in a Chinese private equity firm that he took over from the president's son. 

Morris, who has been dubbed Hunter's "sugar brother" for loaning him millions of dollars to pay off back taxes and other bills, told lawmakers on the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees last week that he still holds a 10% stake in the Chinese private equity firm Bohai Harvest RST LLC (BHR). Morris initially acquired the shares after purchasing Skaneateles LLC, a company that Hunter had previously owned, in the fall of 2021 as pressure mounted for Hunter to divest.

In a transcript reviewed by Fox News Digital, Morris invoked attorney-client privilege when asked how "it came up that he would purchase Skaneateles," but said he eyed BHR because he thought it would be a promising investment. However, during the interview, he claimed he couldn't recall "exactly what [the investments] were," but said he remembers "going through them" and thought they were "infrastructure" related.

"I did the transaction because, you know, I evaluated it as a businessman, and I thought it was something that could be a very successful investment," Morris said. "I — you know, but I did diligence on the assets. I knew what — I knew what Hunter paid for it in the beginning, and I saw, and I still see upside."

HUNTER BIDEN LAWYER TESTIFIES THAT 1ST TRUMP IMPEACHMENT CREATED 'EMERGENCY' TO FILE UNPAID TAXES

Morris, who stated he purchased Skaneateles for $157,000, was then pressed on only paying that amount for the 10% stake in the Chinese equity firm. 

"Look, I am going to do the best I can, okay? Morris responded. "I thought it ended up being 157 in cash. There was also a payment in there for — there was a $250,000 payment for a loan. I can't remember if that's part of that transaction, but if it is — that's what it does — and whatever the — I believe those two were combined for the purchase price."

Morris said he has not received any payout from BHR since he purchased Skaneateles in 2021.

Before Morris took over the BHR shares, Hunter Biden continued owning a stake in the firm after his father pledged in October 2019 to keep his family free of foreign entanglements if he was elected president.

"No one in my family will have an office in the White House, will sit in on meetings as if they are a cabinet member, will, in fact, have any business relationship with anyone that relates to a foreign corporation or a foreign country," now-President Biden said at the time, despite Hunter reportedly living at the White House for an unknown amount of time and participating in official White House events, including state dinners and an official trip to Ireland. Other Biden family members have also visited the White House throughout his administration.

KEVIN MORRIS GAVE 'MASSIVE' FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO HUNTER BIDEN, RAISING CAMPAIGN FINANCE CONCERNS: COMER

During the 2020 campaign, now-White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates, who was a spokesperson for the Biden campaign at the time, took a shot at the Trump campaign in April 2020, calling the campaign's communications director Tim Murtaugh a "liar." 

"When it was announced that Hunter Biden would be quitting the board of a Chinese equity firm, lots of news outlets credulously reported it," Murtaugh tweeted, quote-tweeting a report about Hunter still being listed as a director and owning a 10% equity stake in BHR. "Six months later, records indicate that Hunter has not, in fact, quit. Will the mainstream media be following up?"

Bates, who would later be implicated in the "Russian disinformation" narrative to discredit Hunter Biden's laptop, then responded to Murtaugh while quote-tweeting a Washington Post "fact checker" sharing a screenshot of a letter dated the same day as the tweet, which appeared to show BHR CEO Jonathan Li confirming to Hunter's lawyer that Hunter was no longer an "unpaid director" as of October 2019.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House to inquire whether Bates was aware that Hunter still held his stake in BHR when he attacked the Trump campaign regarding Hunter's involvement with BHR, but he did not respond. 

In late December 2020, Hunter still owned the shares in BHR less than a month before his father took office. In November 2021, Chris Clark, who was a lawyer for Hunter at the time, told The New York Times that Hunter "no longer holds any interest, directly or indirectly, in either BHR or Skaneateles."

The Washington Free Beacon reported in 2023 that Hunter's stake in the Chinese private equity firm had moved to Morris after he had purchased Skaneateles.

Hunter previously sat on the Chinese firm's board — whose financial backers include the Bank of China — before announcing in October 2019 that he would be stepping down over mounting scrutiny of his father's presidential bid.

In December 2013, Hunter traveled with his dad on an Asia trip, which included China as a stop, and introduced him to Li in the lobby of the hotel where the U.S. delegation was staying. A recent closed-door interview with Hunter's former business partner, Devon Archer, revealed that the elder Biden would have coffee with him too during the visit. Less than two weeks later, Hunter would enter into a joint-venture called BHR Partners, a Beijing-backed private equity firm controlled by Bank of China Limited.

Hunter initially invested $420,000 in BHR in October 2017 through Skaneateles. His interest in the company spiked to an estimated $894,000, according to a March 2019 email from his former business partner, Eric Schwerin.

Morris told lawmakers he did not know whether Hunter could buy back BHR in the future.

Following Morris' interview with lawmakers, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer released a statement expressing concern about the lawyer's financial support for his own client. Comer claimed that Morris' actions raised ethical concerns, noting the millions of dollars the lawyer had previously loaned to Hunter.

"Shortly after meeting Hunter Biden at a Joe Biden campaign event in 2019, Kevin Morris began paying Hunter Biden’s tax liability to insulate then-presidential candidate Joe Biden from political liability. Kevin Morris admitted he has ‘loaned’ the president’s son at least $5 million," Comer said. "These ‘loans’ don’t have to be repaid until after the next presidential election and the ‘loans’ may ultimately be forgiven."

"Since Kevin Morris has kept President Biden’s son financially afloat, he’s had access to the Biden White House and has spoken to President Biden," he added. "This follows a familiar pattern where Hunter Biden’s associates have access to Joe Biden himself. As we continue more interviews this month and the next, we will continue to follow the facts to understand the full scope of President Biden and his family’s corruption."

Morris said that while he did loan Hunter money, the two consulted counsel on the transactions and that he is "confident" Hunter will repay him. In addition, Morris denied ever believing the president or his administration would give him anything in return for the loans, saying his "only goal" was to help a friend and that there is no prohibition against that.

Hunter Biden lawyer testifies that 1st Trump impeachment created ’emergency’ to file unpaid taxes

Hunter Biden’s lawyer Kevin Morris told congressional investigators that it was the first impeachment of then-President Trump in February 2020 that made it an "emergency" for the president’s son to file his tax returns, according to a transcript of his testimony reviewed by Fox News Digital.

Morris testified behind closed doors at the House Oversight Committee last week as part of the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden.

Congressional investigators had discovered an email from Morris in February 2020 citing "political risk" amid the election cycle, when then-former Vice President Joe Biden was a candidate in the Democratic primary.

KEVIN MORRIS GAVE 'MASSIVE' FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO HUNTER BIDEN, RAISING CAMPAIGN FINANCE CONCERNS: COMER

The email, which was shown to Morris during his interview, was dated Feb. 7, 2020, and said, "emergency is off for today. Still need to file Monday — we are under considerable risk personally and politically to get the [tax] returns in."

When asked what the emergency was, Morris pointed to the Trump impeachment, in which Republicans had threatened to call Hunter Biden to testify.

"You know, I believe that, you know, remember that the Trump impeachment process was going on at this time," Morris said. "And they were waiving around the possibility of calling Hunter…right until the very end. I believe that it wrapped up. I believe that was the…thing prompting us— you know, this is about preparing his tax returns."

Morris explained that he had just started working with Hunter Biden, a client who was coming in "from addiction stuff." Morris said "taxes are the most important thing," adding that it is his "custom and practice to get the taxes straight."

"It’s a part of— that’s part of recovery, making amends," he said. "It's critical."

FLASHBACK: DEMOCRATS CLASH WITH REPUBLICANS OVER PROSPECT OF CALLING HUNTER BIDEN IN IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

When pressed on whether the "political" concerns were due to Biden’s candidacy for office, Morris pushed back, saying "there’s no cardinality between these two things."

"Personally, he hadn’t filed his taxes. Okay? That’s his personal problem," Morris said of Hunter Biden. "And then, politically…look, there was an impeachment proceeding going on. His name was and face was everywhere in the world."

Morris, though, said the "political risk" had nothing to do with Joe Biden’s candidacy for the White House.

Morris testified that he loaned Hunter Biden at least $5 million and began paying his tax liability.

However, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer says that was a move to "insulate then-presidential candidate Joe Biden from political liability."

Morris also admitted to the committee that the "loans" he provided to Hunter Biden do not have to be repaid until 2025, after the next presidential election, and could be forgiven, the committee said.

Trump was acquitted on Feb. 5, 2020 on both articles of impeachment against him — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — after being impeached by the House of Representatives in December 2019.

BIDENS ALLEGEDLY 'COERCED' BURISMA CEO TO PAY THEM MILLIONS TO HELP GET UKRAINE PROSECUTOR FIRED: FBI FORM

Trump was impeached after a July 2019 phone call in which he pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to launch investigations into the Biden family’s actions and business dealings in Ukraine — specifically Hunter Biden’s ventures with Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings and Joe Biden’s successful effort to have former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin ousted.

Hunter Biden was quietly under federal investigation, beginning in 2018, at the time of the call — a probe prompted by suspicious foreign transactions. 

Trump's request was regarded by Democrats as a quid pro quo because millions in U.S. military aid to Ukraine had been frozen. Democrats also claimed Trump was meddling in the 2020 presidential election by asking a foreign leader to look into a Democratic political opponent.

Republicans had been investigating Hunter Biden’s business dealings, specifically with regard to Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings. House Republicans, who were in the minority at the time, made several requests to subpoena Hunter Biden for testimony and documents related to the impeachment of Trump and his business dealings that fell at the center of the proceedings. 

Biden has acknowledged that when he was vice president, he successfully pressured Ukraine to fire prosecutor Viktor Shokin. At the time, Shokin was investigating Burisma Holdings, and at the time, Hunter had a highly-lucrative role on the board, receiving thousands of dollars per month. The then-vice president threatened to withhold $1 billion of critical U.S. aid if Shokin was not fired.

"I said, ‘You’re not getting the billion. I’m going to be leaving here in,' I think it was about six hours. I looked at them and said, ‘I’m leaving in six hours. If the prosecutor is not fired, you’re not getting the money,’" Biden recalled telling then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Biden recollected the conversation during an event for the Council on Foreign Relations in 2018. 

"Well, son of a b----, he got fired," Biden said during the event. "And they put in place someone who was solid at the time."

Biden allies maintain the then-vice president pushed for Shokin's firing due to concerns the Ukrainian prosecutor went easy on corruption, and say that his firing, at the time, was the policy position of the U.S. and international community.

Now, as part of the impeachment inquiry, Republicans are investigating any involvement Biden had in his son’s business dealings.

Republicans obtained an FBI FD-1023 form with a confidential human source detailing allegations made by Burisma CEO Mykola Zlochevsky. Zlochevsky alleged that he was "coerced" into paying Joe Biden and Hunter Biden millions of dollars to get Shokin fired, amid the investigation into his firm. 

Meanwhile, Hunter Biden has been under federal investigation since 2018. 

Special Counsel Weiss charged Biden with nine federal tax charges, which break down to three felonies and six misdemeanors concerning $1.4 million in owed taxes that have since been paid. 

Weiss charged Hunter in December, alleging a "four-year scheme" when the president's son did not pay his federal income taxes from January 2017 to October 2020 while also filing false tax reports.

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to all charges. 

Weiss also indicted the first son on federal gun charges in Delaware last year. Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to those charges as well. His attorneys are attempting to have that case dismissed altogether. 

Hunter Biden’s business associates to appear for closed-door testimonies with lawmakers this week

Hunter Biden’s business associates are gearing up to testify behind closed doors at the House Oversight and Judiciary committees later this week as part of the House impeachment inquiry against his father, President Biden.

First up is Mervyn Yan, who was subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee last year for financial records related to his business dealings with Hunter Biden.

Yan worked with Hunter Biden through Chinese energy company CEFC and Hudson West III.

HUNTER BIDEN DEPOSITION SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONTH AFTER RISK OF BEING HELD IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS

Yan is set to appear before both committees on Thursday for closed-door transcribed interviews.

Next is Rob Walker, who was also subpoenaed last year. He is expected to appear for his closed-door transcribed interviews before both committees on Friday.

Financial records subpoenaed by the committee revealed that members of the Biden family, including Hallie Biden and Sara Biden, received more than $1 million in payments from accounts related to Walker and his Chinese business ventures with Hunter.

FLASHBACK: COMER SUBPOENAS HUNTER BIDEN ART DEALER, BUSINESS ASSOCIATES FOR TESTIMONY AS PART OF ONGOING PROBE

Walker worked on a joint venture called Sinohawk Holdings, which was meant to be a partnership with Chinese energy firm CEFC.

Multiple Biden family accounts, including those belonging to Hunter, Hallie Biden and an unnamed Biden, also received approximately $1.038 million from the same Walker LLC account after Bladon Enterprises, which reportedly belonged to Gabriel "Puiu" Popoviciu, a Romanian tycoon, deposited more than $3 million between November 2015 to May 2017. According to a 2017 email from Walker, which was obtained by the Senate Finance Committee, Walker viewed himself as a "surrogate" for Hunter and his uncle, Jim Biden, when "gauging [business] opportunities."

The transcribed interviews with Yan and Walker this week come after the committees announced last week that they had confirmed a new date for Hunter Biden's closed-door deposition.

FLASHBACK: HOUSE OVERSIGHT SUBPOENAS HUNTER BIDEN, JAMES BIDEN, ROB WALKER FOR TESTIMONY AMID IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

Hunter Biden had initially defied a subpoena to appear for a deposition and was at risk of being held in contempt of Congress.

The committees said Hunter Biden’s attorneys confirmed that he would appear for a deposition on Feb. 28, thus pausing all contempt of Congress proceedings.

Hunter Biden's deposition will come after his business associates share testimony with the committees.

The House Oversight and Judiciary committees plan to hear testimony from other Hunter Biden business associates like Eric Schwerin on Jan. 30, Tony Bobulinski on Feb. 5, and more.

House Republicans negotiate with president’s brother on deposition terms

President Biden’s younger brother, James Biden, is in active negotiations to appear for a deposition before House Republicans, Fox News has learned. 

The younger Biden was subpoenaed as part of the investigation into Hunter Biden and President Biden in November. 

House Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry into President Biden believe that James has knowledge of Hunter’s business deals and whether the president was involved. 

The president’s brother was scheduled to appear for a closed-door deposition in early December, but that date came and went. Conversations continue between the House Oversight Committee and Biden’s legal team. 

HUNTER BIDEN'S HOLLYWOOD LAWYER ‘SUGAR BRO’ ALLEGEDLY VIOLATED PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT RULES: BAR COMPLAINT

"I'm going to hold off criticism of the president's brother. He obviously has due process and we have heard from his attorney. We're trying to make that work and I feel like that'll happen soon," House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said last month.

The Washington Post reported in December that James Biden’s conversations were swept up in an FBI investigation, though he was not the target. 

HUNTER HAS TIES TO NEARLY 2 DOZEN CURRENT, FORMER BIDEN OFFICIALS AS FEDERAL CHARGES, HOUSE PROBES LOOM

According to the Post, Biden’s conversations were recorded as part of an FBI investigation into a Mississippi attorney named Richard "Dickie" Scruggs. 

The outlet reported that the FBI secretly recorded conversations involving Biden because of his relationship with Scruggs, who went to federal prison for a bribery conviction involving a judge. 

James Biden was not the subject of the FBI probe and was never charged or accused of wrongdoing by the bureau.

James Biden’s nephew, Hunter Biden, is scheduled for a closed-door deposition on Feb. 28 after a public back and forth with the committee that almost led to a contempt of Congress vote.

Hunter has ties to nearly 2 dozen current, former Biden officials as federal charges, House probes loom

Nearly two dozen current and former officials serving in the White House and Biden administration, including the president's national security adviser and the secretary of state, have extensive ties to Hunter Biden, who is accused by Republicans of selling access to his father dating back over a decade.

A Fox News Digital analysis reveals the extent of Hunter's potential reach in the White House as the embattled first son faces federal tax charges in California, as well as a congressional investigation into his alleged influence peddling and foreign business deals.

Hunter pleaded not guilty during his initial court appearance this month after being charged with nine tax crimes stemming from an investigation by Justice Department Special Counsel David Weiss. A day earlier, he made a shocking appearance at a House Oversight Committee meeting where members were considering whether to hold him in contempt for defying a subpoena as part of the impeachment inquiry into his father, President Biden.

The most notable individuals from Fox's analysis include two members of Biden's Cabinet, one former Cabinet member, a top aide to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a national security adviser, four top Biden White House aides, the communications director for first lady Jill Biden, and multiple other former staffers.

All emails were reviewed and verified by Fox News Digital.

Former White House communications director Kate Bedingfield, who departed the role last year but is still a staunch defender of the Biden administration and serves as an outside surrogate, previously communicated with Hunter in 2016 about a column written by Joel Goldstein, a law professor, praising his father's presidency.

"It is excellent. We will move it around to the WH press corps," she wrote to Hunter and a number of others. Bedingfield was serving as then-Vice President Biden's communications director at the time.

Other emails from 2015 showed Bedingfield later tried to quash a Bloomberg story about Hunter at the request of his firm, Rosemont Seneca. The emails showed a close relationship between Biden's office, Hunter's longtime business partner Eric Schwerin, and the media.

Schwerin, who was the then-president of Hunter's now-defunct Rosemont Seneca Partners investment firm, asked Bedingfield whether there was any "follow up" by other news outlets on a New York Times story that said the "credibility of the vice president’s anti-corruption message may have been undermined" by Hunter’s serving on the board of Burisma Holdings.

VP BIDEN'S OFFICE TRIED TO QUASH BLOOMBERG STORY ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN AT HIS FIRM'S REQUEST, EMAILS SHOW

Bedingfield, who is now a CNN political commentator, responded that a Bloomberg reporter had asked about it but was "doing everything she can to not use it."

"…VP just finished an interview with the Bloomberg reporter traveling with us and she asked about it, though she assures me she's doing everything she can to not use it," she wrote. "I will have a transcript soon but my quick notes on his answer are: No one has any doubt about my record on corruption, I don't talk to my son about his business and my children don't talk to me about mine, I have complete faith in my son."

Schwerin responded, "I would just urge her (as I know you are doing) that there is no new news there. And even if she uses it — she should avoid getting into past stories (Navy, etc.) that have nothing to do with this."

The story was ultimately published.

John Nevergole, a business executive who was tapped in 2022 to serve another term on President Biden's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), previously worked as a senior adviser to Rosemont Seneca and strategized with Hunter on brokering business deals in western Africa years prior to his appointment in the current administration.

Emails show Nevergole’s relationship with Hunter dating back to at least 2011. In an Aug. 5, 2011, email chain, Schwerin, then-president of Rosemont Seneca Advisors, informed Hunter that Nevergole had requested to split a retainer fee 70/30 for helping broker a deal between Rosemont and Brazilian construction giant OAS.

BIDEN ADMIN'S COMMERCE APPOINTEE WAS LONGTIME BUSINESS PARTNER OF HUNTER BIDEN, EMAILS REVEAL

After Hunter pushed back on the price, Schwerin, who was also a member of ABD’s board of advisers for several years, said, "So, I am OK with 70/30 … Mainly because I think the relationship can bear fruit in other areas down the line, e.g. in Africa if we choose to focus there."

A few years later, Schwerin emailed Hunter on May 29, 2014, saying he "talked to John Nevergole yesterday, and he said you had mentioned to him you wanted to discuss natural gas at some point."

At the time, Hunter had just been appointed to serve as a board member for Ukrainian oil and gas company Burisma Holdings, for which he had received intense scrutiny over several years that prompted him to later admit he used "poor judgment" and that he would not join the board again if he could do things over.

The two communicated frequently from 2010 to 2017.

Michael Hochman, a White House aide who has held multiple positions in the Biden administration, including White House deputy staff secretary, previously spent nearly two decades at a Delaware law firm that was heavily involved with corporate entities tied to Hunter, his business associates and other Biden family members.

Between January 2021 and June 2022, Hochman served as the White House deputy staff secretary before joining the White House’s recently created Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD), which advises Biden on cybersecurity policy and strategy. Hochman started out as the deputy general counsel and deputy chief of staff before being promoted to chief of staff last November.

Fox's analysis found several emails between Hochman and Hunter sent during the Obama-Biden administration, in addition to nearly a dozen Biden-linked corporate entities that were registered through the law firm where Hochman spent most of his career.

TOP WHITE HOUSE AIDE WORKED AT LAW FIRM HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH CORPORATE ENTITIES TIED TO HUNTER, BIDEN FAMILY

The review found that Monzack Mersky McLaughlin and Browder had served as the registered agents for Owasco LLC, Rosemont Seneca Advisors, and Robinson Walker LLC, which is owned by Hunter's former business partner, Rob Walker. Fox News Digital previously reported that members of the Biden family received more than $1 million in payments from accounts related to Walker's LLC and their Chinese business ventures involving CEFC affiliate State Energy HK in 2017.

Multiple Biden family accounts, including those belonging to Hunter, Hallie Biden and an unnamed Biden, also received approximately $1.038 million from the same Walker LLC account after Bladon Enterprises, which reportedly belonged to Gabriel "Puiu" Popoviciu, a Romanian tycoon, deposited over $3 million between November 2015 to May 2017. According to a 2017 email from Walker, which was obtained by the Senate Finance Committee, Walker viewed himself as a "surrogate" for Hunter and his uncle, Jim Biden, when "gauging [business] opportunities."

Less than six months before Hunter and his longtime business partner, Devon Archer, became board members at the Burisma energy company in Ukraine in 2014, email correspondence shows that a top aide to then-Secretary of State John Kerry, who announced this month that he was leaving the Biden administration to serve as an adviser for the Biden campaign, was telling some of his fellow State Department officials that Kerry and Hunter had a close friendship and that Hunter asked Kerry to speak to his Georgetown University grad students on March 18, 2014.

"Just spoke with Hunter Biden, good friend of S, who teaches a class at Georgetown on advocacy," David Wade wrote. "He'd like S to speak to his class on 3/18. If S is here, he'll for sure want to do this. Class would come here to HST."

EMAIL REVEALS HUNTER'S COZY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIGHEST LEVELS OF OBAMA'S STATE DEPT. AS FARA ACCUSATIONS SWIRL

On the day of the class, Archer told Hunter he would send a briefing he put together on Burisma ahead of Hunter's trip the following day to New York City to meet with him. It is unclear whether Kerry had knowledge of the conversations between Hunter and Archer about Burisma in March 2014 or in the weeks following the class. 

Kerry's stepson, Chris Heinz, was a business partner of Hunter and Archer at the time, but he reportedly severed ties with the firm later that year. And a spokesperson attributed their Burisma board memberships as a "major catalyst for Mr. Heinz ending his business relationships with Mr. Archer and Mr. Biden."

However, he still remained friendly with them in emails more than a year after they joined the Burisma board.

Hunter Biden and President Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, served together on the board of the Truman National Security Project, a liberal foreign policy think tank, for roughly two years before Sullivan joined the president’s campaign in 2020.

Hunter, who started serving on the board in 2012, and Sullivan both served on the Washington-based nonprofit’s board between 2017 and early 2019, according to internet archives captured by Wayback Machine.

During that time, Hunter was also serving on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings and the Chinese private equity fund BHR Partners. The federal investigation into Hunter's foreign business dealings, which is still ongoing, also launched during the same time frame in 2018.

JAKE SULLIVAN SERVED ON A NATIONAL SECURITY BOARD WITH HUNTER BIDEN FOR 2 YEARS, RAISING QUESTIONS FROM GOP

Sullivan has been accused by former White House official Mike McCormick of being a "conspirator" in the Biden family's "kickback scheme" in Ukraine when Biden was vice president.

Sullivan denied the allegations, telling reporters that he had nothing to do with such an operation.

White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, who led the federal COVID-19 pandemic response between early 2021 and April 2022, met Hunter multiple times in 2016, according to emails and White House visitor logs.

Zients met with Hunter Biden twice in February 2016 and on another occasion in May 2016, just months before Biden, the vice president at the time, was set to leave the White House.

Biden attended the first two meetings, both of which took place at the U.S. Naval Observatory, where the vice presidential residence is located.

Additionally, Anne Marie Muldoon, who was an assistant for then-Vice President Biden between 2014 and 2017, sent Hunter Biden an invitation to attend a potential fourth meeting with his father, Zients, David Bradley, a Washington, D.C.-based political consultant and chair of media group Atlantic Media, and Eric Lander at the Naval Observatory on July 12, 2016. While it is unclear whether Hunter Biden joined the meeting, Muldoon sent him a copy of the meeting agenda after it took place.

Biden’s former White House chief of staff, Ron Klain, who stepped down last year, previously served as the chief of staff for Vice President Biden until the end of January 2011. In September 2012, Klain reached out to Hunter for help in raising $20,000 for the Vice President's Residence Foundation (VPRF), telling him to "keep this low low key" to prevent "bad PR," according to emails Fox News Digital previously reported on.

"The tax lawyers for the VP Residence Foundation have concluded that since the Cheney folks last raised money in 2007 and not 2008, we actually have to have some incoming funds before the end of this fiscal year (i.e., before 9/30/12 – next week) to remain eligible to be a 'public charity,'" Klain, who had left his chief of staff position in Vice President Biden's office a year earlier but was the foundation's chair at the time, said in an email to Hunter.

RON KLAIN SOLICITED MONEY FROM HUNTER BIDEN FOR VP RESIDENCE IN 2012, EMAILS SHOW: 'KEEP THIS LOW LOW KEY'

"It's not much – we need to raise a total of $20,000 – so I'm hitting up a few very close friends on a very confidential basis to write checks of $2,000 each," Klain continued. "We need to keep this low low key, because raising money for the Residence now is bad PR – but it has to be done, so I'm trying to just collect the 10 checks of $2,000, get it done in a week, and then, we can do an event for the Residence Foundation after the election."

Hunter then forwarded the email to Schwerin, who helped manage a majority of Hunter's finances, and the two discussed donating to the foundation, though it's not clear what was ultimately decided.

Klain's career with Biden dates back to his failed presidential campaign in 1988 and serving as counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Annie Tomasini, an assistant to the president and the current director of Oval Office operations, was in frequent communication with Hunter, referred to him as her "brother" and often ended her emails with "LY" for "love you," according to emails dating from 2010 to 2016.

Biden publicly announced on Dec. 20, 2010, that Tomasini was stepping down to take a position with Harvard University, and Tomasini kept Hunter clued in on the details of that position before she took it, according to emails. The month prior, on Nov. 19, 2010, she forwarded information to Hunter about Harvard’s employee benefits and added, "Thanks."

"Hey – I looked at benefits[.] And they look pretty amazing. Any word on comp?" Hunter responded on Nov. 23, 2010.

"I'll keep you posted. Thanks for looking at all the background Hunt," Tomasini replied.

Tomasini was offered the job on Nov. 30, 2010, writing to Hunter, "Director of intergovernmental relations. > 120k ish – may be a little higher."

She later thanked him and said she was going to tell his father the news. Months later, Hunter gave a speech at Harvard but not before running the draft by Tomasini first.

Tomasini has accompanied Biden and Hunter to Camp David on multiple occasions.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a meeting with Hunter Biden at the State Department in July 2015 when he was serving as the deputy secretary of state in the Obama-Biden administration and Hunter was on Burisma's board, according to emails previously reviewed and verified by Fox News Digital.

The meeting was two months in the making after Hunter emailed Blinken in late May 2015, asking, "Have a few minutes next week to grab a cup of coffee? I know you are impossibly busy, but would like to get your advice on a couple of things."

Blinken said "absolutely" and Hunter forwarded Blinken's full email response to Devon Archer, who was also serving on the Burisma board with him. However, the initial meeting appeared to have been canceled due to the admission of Hunter’s older brother, Beau Biden, to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland because of a recurrence of brain cancer. Beau died on May 30, 2015.

Less than two months later, Blinken and Hunter met, prompting Blinken to send a follow-up email saying it was "great to see" Hunter and "catch up."

In April 2023, former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell testified before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees that Blinken, as President Biden’s then-campaign senior adviser, "played a role in the inception" of the public statement signed by intelligence officials to assert that Hunter’s abandoned laptop was part of a Russian disinformation campaign just weeks before the 2020 presidential election.

Blinken denied having any role in getting the letter signed by members of the intelligence community and said, "One of the great benefits of this job is that I don't do politics and don't engage in it. But with regard to that letter, I didn't – it wasn't my idea, didn't ask for it, didn't solicit it."

Emails from Hunter's laptop that Blinken allegedly sought to discredit show that Hunter had ties to Blinken and his wife, Evan Ryan, dating back more than a decade. Those emails also show that Hunter scheduled meetings with Blinken while he was on the board of Burisma and Blinken was the deputy secretary of state.

Multiple profile pieces over the years said Blinken has advised Biden on more than just foreign policy in his decades-long friendship with the president and serving as a confidant. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., President Biden's reelection campaign co-chair, told CNN in 2021, "President Biden is personally close to both Tony Blinken and Evan Ryan, and Tony has been an incredibly loyal, capable and effective adviser, staffer and personal friend of the sort that is rare in Washington."

Elizabeth Alexander, the communications director for first lady Jill Biden, also has ties to Hunter. 

In 2014, Alexander, who served as Biden’s spokesperson when he was a senator and the vice president, reached out to praise Hunter for his statement after he was kicked out of the Navy Reserve for testing positive for cocaine.

"Hey Hunter – just wanted to write you a quick note to say David and I are thinking of you," she wrote in an email. "Your statement was perfect and gracious. Sending you a virtual hug from both of us and hoping you can get some peace this weekend."

Alexander is married to David Wade, a former State Department staffer who helped advise Hunter with rapid response as he was receiving increased public scrutiny about his lucrative position with Burisma.

Emails uncovered by Fox News Digital last year showed Hunter's firm, Rosemont Seneca Partners, was paying Wade for communications consulting, and he strategized with Hunter and his partners on how to respond to inquiries by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times.

Wade has visited the White House at least five times during Biden's presidency, according to visitor logs. 

Evan Ryan, Blinken's wife who is currently serving as White House cabinet secretary, communicated frequently with Hunter and his longtime business partner, Eric Schwerin, when she was working at the White House during the Obama-Biden administration.

Hunter tried to connect with Blinken on June 16, 2010, when he asked Ryan for his non-government email address, according to emails. Ryan, who also worked on Biden's unsuccessful 2008 presidential campaign, then provided Blinken's personal email address to Hunter.

White House visitor logs also show that Schwerin, who was the president of Hunter Biden’s investment firm Rosemont Seneca Partners for several years, met with Ryan at the White House's Old Executive Office Building (OEOB) in October 2010.

She was also in communication with Hunter and Schwerin about a couple of White House events that year, including the Mexico state dinner and the annual Easter Egg Roll.

"OVP has 250 tix to the Easter Egg Roll and your Mom has an additional 200. Family, etc is coming out of your Mom's allotment," Schwerin said in the email to Hunter, referring to Blinken's wife. "Evan is handling your Dad's and we can pass on names to her for outreach purposes. Let's discuss. I don't think we have 50 spots, but if we had 20 or so names we'd probably be fine."

"More importantly, OVP has 12 spots to fill for the Mexico State Dinner in May and needs to send in their names by Monday," he continued. "Evan is looking for any suggestions. Hispanic Americans or just any outreach related suggestions. Obviously they won't have trouble filling this number but is still looking for suggestions."

A couple of months later, Hunter and Ryan exchanged emails about the Mexico State dinner guest list, and she sent him the seating chart for his table.

Fox News Digital previously reported several other ties between Hunter and Ryan.

Kathy Chung, who is currently serving as the Pentagon's deputy director of protocol, communicated frequently with Hunter when she was serving as Biden's executive assistant during the Obama administration.

Throughout much of her five-year tenure working for Biden, Chung regularly shared information with Hunter about his father's schedule and passed messages directly from the then-vice president, according to emails.

Chung's relationship with Hunter also appears to date back to before she worked for his father. The emails showed that Hunter recommended Chung for the executive assistant role when the previous holder of the job, Michele Smith, departed the White House in the spring of 2012.

A month after Chung thanked Hunter for "thinking" of her and getting her to apply for a job in the vice president's office, Chung emailed Hunter Biden to inform him that she had been offered the job.

"I cannot thank you enough for thinking about me and walking me thru this," she said. "What an incredible opportunity! Thanks, Hunter!!"

In another email exchange shortly after the Obama-Biden administration concluded, Hunter suggested that Chung come work at his company. It does not appear that she ever joined Hunter's company.

Chung made headlines last year after she was reportedly questioned by federal investigators as part of the probe into the president's handling of classified documents.

Michael Donilon, a current senior adviser to Biden who served as his chief campaign strategist in 2020, was on dozens of emails with Hunter and other members of Biden's inner circle coordinating strategy meetings throughout the 2012 campaign, mulling over a 2016 presidential bid, and later plotting Biden's endeavors post-vice presidency.

In August 2015, Schwerin shared a Politico article with Hunter that said Donilon and a few other advisers from Biden's inner circle, including Hunter, are the only ones "involved in the real decision-making."

An email from February 2016 showed that Hunter, Donilon and a few others were also involved in the planning stages for the Biden Foundation. And shortly after Biden left office in 2017, Hunter, Donilon and others in his inner circle were invited to a meeting at Biden's residence in McLean, Virginia, according to emails. 

Days later, Hunter, Donilon and several others were invited to a meeting at Biden's Wilmington, Delaware, home where classified documents were recently discovered. The meeting took place on Feb. 7, 2017, the same day it was announced that the former vice president would be leading the Penn Biden Center at the University of Pennsylvania, where classified documents were also found, and the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware.

Donilon accompanied Biden a few months ago on the trip to Ireland, which included Hunter and Biden's sister, Valerie Biden Owens.

Steve Ricchetti, who currently serves as Biden's White House counselor, was also on dozens of emails with Hunter dealing with strategy meetings and helping Biden with post-VP life.

Fox News Digital reported last year that Schwerin visited the White House at least eight times in 2016, meeting with Ricchetti at least twice when he was serving as Biden’s chief of staff. 

Morell, the former CIA deputy director who testified in April, said he received a call in October 2020 from Ricchetti, who was serving as the chair of Biden's campaign at the time, following the Joe Biden's final debate against then-President Trump, when Biden said the Hunter laptop was a "Russian plant" and a "bunch of garbage." 

Morell said the call from Ricchetti was to thank him for spearheading the letter signed by intelligence officials that tried to debunk the laptop. 

In addition to the aforementioned top current and former Biden officials that Hunter was in frequent contact with during the Obama administration and years following, Hunter also had frequent contact with these other Biden administration officials and aides: first lady Jill Biden's senior adviser, Anthony Bernal; Louisa Terrell, an assistant to the president and the director of the Office of Legislative Affairs; State Department protocol officer Nancy Orloff; U.S. Representative to the European Union Mark Gitenstein; former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl, among others.

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

Fox News’ Thomas Catenacci contributed to this report.

Hunter Biden’s Hollywood lawyer ‘sugar bro’ allegedly violated professional conduct rules: Bar complaint

Hollywood attorney and Hunter Biden confidant Patrick Kevin Morris may have violated California’s bar rules with his lavish spending on the president’s son, says a complaint by America First Legal. 

The AFL, a conservative legal group founded by former Trump White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, filed the complaint Tuesday with the State Bar of California alleging Morris violated California’s rule that prohibits a lawyer from funding the lifestyle of a client or potential client.

The complaint came ahead of Morris' closed-door testimony to the House Oversight Committee Thursday.

Morris reportedly spent $4.9 million financially supporting the president’s son. Included in the sum was a $2 million loan for Hunter to pay off his back taxes, and $875,000 was a purchase Hunter Biden’s art. 

A Los Angeles Times story characterized Morris’s relationship with Hunter Biden as, "foremost as his lawyer, but also his friend, confidant and bankroller." And, when Hunter Biden made a surprise visit to Capitol Hill, last week, he was flanked by Morris and his attorney Abbe Lowell. 

ART DEALER REVEALS HUNTER BIDEN KNEW ‘SUGAR BROTHER; WAS TOP BUYER, MAKING WH ETHICS PLEDGE A ’SHAM': COMER

"However, if Mr. Morris has provided personal funds to an individual who has now been confirmed to be a client – or who would reasonably believe himself to be Mr. Morris’s client – Mr. Morris would have violated both the text of the Rules of Professional Conduct and the well-established norms of the legal profession," the America First Legal complaint says. 

Morris was reportedly scheduled to do a transcribed interview with the House Oversight and Accountability Committee and the House Judiciary Committee this week, as part of the formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden for potential actions or benefitting from alleged influence peddling by family members, including his son. 

HOLLYWOOD PRODUCER WHO INTRODUCED. HUNTER BIDEN TO ART DEALER RAISED AT LEAST $25K FOR JOE BIDEN'S CAMPAIGN

Specifically, State Bar of California Rule 1.8.5(a), states that "[a] lawyer shall not directly or indirectly pay or agree to pay, guarantee, or represent that the lawyer or lawyer’s law firm will pay the personal or business expenses of a prospective or existing client."

"If Hunter Biden or a similarly situated person would reasonably anticipate that Mr. Morris was obligated to provide legal services, the alleged funding of the lifestyle of a client or potential client justifies the immediate opening of a misconduct investigation under Rule 1.8.5," the complaint says. 

On Capitol Hill, and on other occasions, Lowell has been the lawyer who spoke as Hunter Biden’s representative. However, the same Times story said, "Morris strode shoulder to shoulder with the president’s son as they made a surprise appearance at a congressional contempt hearing on Capitol Hill. On Thursday, he is expected to be seated behind him in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom as Hunter Biden is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday on criminal tax charges, much as he did in a Delaware courtroom."

Morris did not respond Wednesday to Fox News Digital for this story after phone calls were made to his firm, PKM Law.

The State Bar of California would not confirm or deny if an investigation was underway. 

"By law, disciplinary investigations are confidential, unless confidentiality is waived pursuant to the provisions of Business and Professions Code section 6086.1(b) or (c)," a state bar spokesman said in an email to Fox News Digital. 

Kevin Morris gave ‘massive’ financial support to Hunter Biden, raising campaign finance concerns: Comer

The House Oversight Committee said Hunter Biden’s friend and lawyer Kevin Morris’ "massive financial support" raises "ethical and campaign finance concerns" for President Biden, after the Democrat donor appeared for a transcribed interview before the panel Thursday.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., shared details of Morris’ closed-door interview Thursday evening.

"Kevin Morris’s massive financial support to Hunter Biden raises ethical and campaign finance concerns for President Joe Biden," Comer said.

Comer explained that "shortly after meeting Hunter Biden at a Joe Biden campaign event in 2019, Kevin Morris began paying Hunter Biden’s tax liability to insulate then-presidential candidate Joe Biden from political liability."

"Kevin Morris admitted he has ‘loaned’ the president’s son at least $5 million," Comer revealed Thursday. "These ‘loans’ don’t have to be repaid until after the next presidential election and the ‘loans’ may ultimately be forgiven."

Comer said that since Morris "has kept President Biden’s son financially afloat, he’s had access to the Biden White House and has spoken to President Biden."

"This follows a familiar pattern where Hunter Biden’s associates have access to Joe Biden himself," Comer said. "As we continue more interviews this month and the next, we will continue to follow the facts to understand the full scope of President Biden and his family’s corruption."

Morris told the committee Thursday that he was introduced to Hunter Biden by Hollywood producer Lanette Philips at a Biden campaign event in the winter of 2019 in Los Angeles, California.

Morris testified that he donated money to the Biden campaign, after then-candidate Joe Biden spoke at the event.

A week following the event, the committee said Phillips called Morris,and they "discussed Hunter Biden’s ‘entertainment’ issue."

Morris said he then went to Hunter Biden’s residence in Los Angeles.

The committee said that when Morris began giving money to Hunter Biden in January 2020, there was "no written agreement," but that they prepared an agreement after Morris gave Hunter Biden money.

The committee said that on Feb. 7, 2020, months before the presidential election and during the Democratic presidential primary, Morris emailed tax accountants and Hunter Biden’s advisors saying: "[w]e are under considerable risk personally and politically to get the returns in."

Morris told the committee that he paid Hunter Biden’s taxes, giving the president’s son at least $5 million.

The committee said that Hunter Biden sold "roughly $1.5 million dollars of art, and half of it was purchased by Kevin Morris to reduce the money Hunter owed him."

The committee said Morris also bought two art pieces from Hunter Biden before he had a gallerist.

Morris’s financial support to Hunter Biden includes payments to his ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, and the mother of his child, Lunden Roberts.

Morris admitted to the committee that the "loans" he provided to Hunter Biden do not have to be repaid until 2025, after the next presidential election, and could be forgiven, the committee said.

The committee said that because of his "lending" to Hunter Biden, Morris had access to the White House. Morris told the committee that he went to the White House several times during the Biden administration. The committee said Morris was given a tour of the White House by Hunter Biden, attended a wedding at the White House, and attended the White House’s Fourth of July picnic.

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to all nine federal tax charges stemming from Special Counsel David Weiss' investigation. Hunter's trial is scheduled to begin on June 20. 

Weiss charged Hunter in December, alleging a "four-year scheme" when the president's son did not pay his federal income taxes from January 2017 to October 2020 while also filing false tax reports.

Weiss filed the charges in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. 

The charges break down to three felonies and six misdemeanors concerning $1.4 million in owed taxes that have since been paid.

In the indictment, Weiss alleged that Hunter "engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019, from in or about January 2017 through in or about October 15, 2020, and to evade the assessment of taxes for tax year 2018 when he filed false returns in or about February 2020."

Weiss said that, in "furtherance of that scheme," the younger Biden "subverted the payroll and tax withholding process of his own company, Owasco, PC by withdrawing millions" from the company "outside of the payroll and tax withholding process that it was designed to perform."

The special counsel alleged that Hunter "spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills," and that in 2018, he "stopped paying his outstanding and overdue taxes for tax year 2015."

Weiss alleged that Hunter "willfully failed to pay his 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 taxes on time, despite having access to funds to pay some or all of these taxes," and that he "willfully failed to file his 2017 and 2018 tax returns on time."

Meanwhile, the top Democrat on the committee, Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., on Thursday slammed the House GOP impeachment inquiry. 

"Just like every other witness in this colossal embarrassment of an ‘investigation,’ Kevin Morris affirmed today that he has no evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden and that Joe Biden was not involved in, did not profit from, and took no official actions in relation to Morris and Hunter Biden’s relationship," Raskin said. "It is hard to articulate how far removed this interview is from an impeachment inquiry for presidential high crimes and misdemeanors."