Thread: Hunter Biden Busted?

Originally Posted by S Landreth

alleging he lied to the FBI.

So without verifying the information it was released to the maga nutters to play with ?

The religious fruitcake FBI supervisor probably got a promotion out of it

It is entertaining

When did Republicans know the truth about Alexander Smirnov?

Republicans need to explain when they learned the truth about Alexander Smirnov

“Russia, Russia, Russia” is Donald Trump’s mocking mantra

Smirnov is an enigma. The DOJ can’t confirm his actual profession. (He says he’s in “security.”) He holds U.S. and Israeli passports. According to a New York Times report, "It is not clear, either in court filings or public records, where Mr. Smirnov was born. He is fluent in Russian, speaks English with a heavy accent and might have roots in Ukraine, according to a person with knowledge of the situation." Prosecutors say he alternately refers to his romantic partner as his girlfriend and his wife. Prosecutors claim Smirnov has access to over $6 million in cash, but say he conveniently omitted that in a court statement. The only thing the government seems to be certain about is that Smirnov is a serial liar with connections to Russian intelligence officials.

There’s also the fact that Smirnov was an FBI source for over a decade.

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• Hunter Biden lawyers say prosecutors confused photo of sawdust for cocaine

Lawyers for Hunter Biden have claimed that a picture government prosecutors are using to support a tax fraud case against him shows neatly arranged lines of sawdust from a carpentry shop – and not cocaine as the government contends.

Joe Biden’s son is facing tax evasion charges for failing to disclose millions in foreign income and a charge for failing to disclose he was a drug addict on gun licensing forms. He claims that use of the picture shows that prosecutors’ evidence against him should not be taken at face value.

The potential mix-up “sounds more like a storyline from one of the 1980’s Police Academy comedies than what should be expected in a high-profile prosecution”, Hunter Biden’s attorney Abbe Lowell wrote in a court filing.

Lowell said that the government was “flat-out wrong” to claim that Biden took the photograph or that it showed cocaine.

Instead, Lowell said, “this is actually a photo of sawdust from an expert carpenter and it was sent to Mr Biden, not vice versa”. The photo was from a master carpenter and “coke addict” that Biden’s psychiatrist had sent to his patient to “convey that Mr Biden, too, could overcome any addiction”.

The apparent sawdust image is one of hundreds of photographs from the same laptop that Biden had left in a repair shop. Its contents were made public shortly before the 2020 election, flooding the public realm with images of Biden taking crack cocaine and playing with guns and in compromising situations with sex workers.

Biden’s defense lawyers argue that the tax charges should be dismissed, months after a plea deal on the tax and weapons charges that gave Biden blanket immunity from future prosecution was thrown out by a judge in Delaware.

• Exclusive: Hunter Biden sees his sobriety as key to keeping Trump from winning

President Biden privately has expressed worry that Republicans' daily attacks and the criminal prosecution of his son Hunter are taking a toll on his family — and could even lead Hunter to relapse, given the family's history of struggling with addiction.

Why it matters: Hunter Biden knows this. He told Axios in a rare interview that he sees his continued sobriety as crucial not only to his life — but also to ensuring Donald Trump doesn't return to the Oval Office.

• "Most importantly, you have to believe that you're worth the work, or you'll never be able to get sober. But I often do think of the profound consequences of failure here," Hunter said.

"Maybe it's the ultimate test for a recovering addict — I don't know," Hunter Biden said. "I have always been in awe of people who have stayed clean and sober through tragedies and obstacles few people ever face. They are my heroes, my inspiration."

• He added that in this case, "I have something much bigger than even myself at stake. We are in the middle of a fight for the future of democracy."

Zoom in: A slip by Hunter would weigh heavily on the president as he seeks re-election. Republicans and conservative tabloids have relished documenting Hunter's alcohol and drug addictions.

• Hunter's actions during his struggles with addiction from 2013 to 2018, along with his foreign business dealings, will be at the center of his testimony behind closed doors Wednesday as he is questioned by the GOP-led House Oversight and Judiciary committees.
• Republicans seeking to impeach Joe Biden have been trying to find hard evidence that he changed U.S. foreign policy to help his family financially, but have yet to find it.

Last July, Hunter swore in federal court that he had been sober from alcohol and drugs since June 1, 2019.

• Starting in August 2023, he repeatedly tested negative for drugs and alcohol, U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher Burke said at a September hearing.
• A representative from Hunter's legal team told Axios he has continued to be tested since that hearing, and has tested negative.

Hunter told Axios that his first responsibility for himself and his family is to "make it through that fight clean and sober, and I feel a responsibility to everyone struggling through their own recovery to succeed."

• He is resolute that he won't — can't — relapse. But he acknowledges that the temptation is always there for him and anyone else who has gotten sober.
• "I don't care whether you're 10 years sober, two years sober, two months sober or 200 years sober — your brain at some level is always telling you there's still one answer," he said.

Zoom out: Hunter emphasizes that his struggle isn't more difficult than anyone else's. But it's undeniable that his recent path to sobriety has been unique.

• When Joe Biden announced his candidacy for president on April 25, 2019, Hunter was still in a tailspin of addictions to alcohol and crack cocaine after a family intervention in Wilmington, Del., several weeks earlier had been unsuccessful, Hunter recounted in his memoir, "Beautiful Things."
• Hunter quietly fled to California afterward, and "quit responding to the constant calls from Dad and my girls, picking up just often enough to let them know I was alive and seeking help — which in turn gave me cover to burrow back into oblivion," he wrote.
• Still, Joe Biden entered the presidential race. Hunter later wrote that "the confidence my father has in me is evidenced by the fact that he still ran."

In the first weeks after Joe Biden entered the race, Hunter met and soon after married Melissa Cohen, a documentary filmmaker. She helped pull him out of his spiral.

• Hunter's initial sobriety date was the day they married — May 17, 2019, the day before Joe Biden's official campaign kickoff in Philadelphia.
• Hunter acknowledged in court last July that he had a "drink or two" soon after, and said June 1 of that year was his official sobriety date.

What they're saying: Hunter told Axios he hopes he can provide advice for others trying to stay sober.

• "Embrace the state in which you came into recovery — which is that feeling of hopelessness which forces you into a choice," he said.
• "And then understand that what is required is that you basically have to change everything."

• Takeaways from Hunter Biden’s closed-door deposition with House Republicans

Hunter doesn’t mince words attacking GOP

Hunter Biden’s opening statement at Wednesday’s deposition served two purposes: He made clear his father was not involved in his business and he took a swipe at Republicans who have accused him and his father of corruption.

“I am here today to provide the committees with the one uncontestable fact that should end the false premise of this inquiry: I did not involve my father in my business,” Hunter Biden said.

What’s happening inside the room? Depends who you ask

During the first break in the closed-door deposition, lawmakers from both parties took turns at the cameras outside the hearing room to offer their spin on what was occurring inside.

The Democrats went first, taking turns accusing the Republicans of wasting government resources pursuing the impeachment inquiry and embarrassing themselves with their questions of the president’s son.

“What we saw I think was a rather embarrassing spectacle, where the Republicans continue to belabor completely trivial points they seem to be obsessively focused on,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.

Republicans, of course, had a different take. GOP Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina spoke to reporters at the first break, saying that Hunter Biden was being “defiant and dishonest.”

She added that some of his answers were “in direct conflict with other witnesses,” though she would not elaborate on what she was referring to.

Hunter raises questions about Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law

Democrats leaving Hunter Biden’s deposition said the president’s son raised the “double standard” of Republicans investigating his business dealings but turning a blind eye to members of the Trump family like Jared Kushner, whose company received a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia after leaving the Trump White House.

“I think [Hunter Biden] may be a little bit frustrated by some of the double standards relating to Jared Kushner and money that has been just openly pocketed by Donald Trump in office, and Jared Kushner, of course, brought back $2 billion from Saudi Arabia. And all of that has been part of the conversation, and he was assertive about that,” Raskin said.

Comer says public hearing next step

The GOP committees and Hunter Biden’s legal team negotiated for months over the terms of the interview. The Republicans ultimately agreed not to have the interview videotaped – which they have done for other interviews – as a condition for Hunter Biden to appear behind closed doors.

The concession was just one indication that Hunter Biden’s testimony is a key part of the impeachment investigation. “Obviously, this is a big day,” Comer said before entering the hearing room Wednesday morning.

Just before the interview wrapped Wednesday afternoon, Comer emerged to say that the committees’ next step would be to hold a public hearing with Hunter Biden.

“This impeachment inquiry will now go to the next phase which will be a public hearing,” he told reporters Wednesday afternoon.

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• Hunter Biden attorney: Republicans 'have produced no evidence'

Abbe Lowell, Hunter Biden’s attorney, dismissed Wednesday’s deposition, saying republicans “have produced no evidence that would do anything to support the notion that there was any financial transactions that involved Hunter with his father, period.”

“It seems to me that the Republican members wanted to spend more time talking about my client’s addiction than they could ask any question that had anything to do with what they call their impeachment inquiry. So as I said before, there is no evidence because there is no evidence, and today only confirmed that,” he added.

Prosecutors detail Hunter Biden’s guilty verdict in gun case

The jury’s decision could lead to a sentence of as long as 10 years for the president’s son, as well as maximum fines of up to $250,000.

Hunter Biden releases statement following guilty verdict .........

I am more grateful today for the love and support I experienced this week from Melissa, my family, my friends, and my community than I am disappointed by the outcome. Recovery is possible by the grace of God, and I am blessed to experience that gift one day at a time.

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Biden rules out commuting Hunter Biden's sentence

President Biden said Thursday that he will not commute Hunter Biden's eventual sentence in his federal gun trial and reaffirmed that he would not pardon his son.

Why it matters: Biden's remarks during a news conference at the G7 conference come after the White House on Wednesday appeared to not rule out a possible commutation for Hunter's sentence.

• A commutation could reduce any sentence that the president's son faces while allowing his conviction to stand.

Driving the news: "I'm extremely proud of my son Hunter. He has overcome an addiction, he's one of the brightest, most decent men I know," Biden said Thursday, his first public remarks since Hunter's conviction earlier this week on three felony charges.

• "I am satisfied that I'm not going to do anything — I said I'd abide by the jury decision. I will do that. And I will not pardon him," he said, per CNN.

The big picture: Biden has repeatedly affirmed his love for his son throughout the trial.

• On the first day of Hunter's trial, Biden said in a statement that he has "boundless love for [his] son, confidence in him, and respect for his strength."

What to watch: Hunter's sentencing in the federal gun trial is expected to be about 120 days after the verdict was issued, so likely in October.

• However, the date has not been set.

I think the President is too soft on his son. This is a grave matter.

^ Did you forget the smile emoji?

Cancelled post.

It's impressive that Biden even remembers who is son is these days

Hunter Biden, the president’s son, on Tuesday asked the judge overseeing his criminal gun case to push back his upcoming sentencing by a few weeks.

Biden asked to move the scheduled Nov. 13 date to late November or early December, citing overlap with his other cases.

Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, noted that he is scheduled to appear in California to represent his client in one of his civil lawsuits just one day prior to the current sentencing, which will take place in Delaware.

“Such a postponement will accommodate both counsel and those working with counsel to prepare the necessary presentencing materials and memoranda, and to allow lead counsel to participate at the hearing,” Lowell wrote in his request.

Prosecutors are opposing the delay attempt, court documents show.

“We oppose. We don’t think a continuance is appropriate,” Senior Assistant Special Counsel Derek Hines wrote in an email to Biden’s attorneys.

A jury convicted Biden in June on all three felonies for possessing a gun while being addicted to drugs and lying about his drug use on a firearm background check form. It marked the first-ever criminal conviction of a sitting president’s child.

He was set to face a second criminal trial this month in California on nine tax charges but pleaded guilty as the trial was kicking off. His sentencing in that case is scheduled for Dec. 16.

Lowell cited overlap in presentencing tasks for the two cases, saying the delay would avoid duplication.

He also signaled that some possible witnesses at the upcoming sentencings are involved in the ongoing campaign, saying they “may not be available until after November 5 and the events that could occur right after that date.”

Ruff day in court: Judge bets her dog that House GOP is barking up the wrong tree on Hunter Biden

A highly unusual ultimatum from a frustrated judge caused House Republican investigators to postpone their demand for testimony from two Justice Department tax attorneys in a probe of Hunter BidenÂ’s finances.

“I’m willing to bet everything I own, plus my dog Scout, that these two line attorneys are going to have zero information to confirm your suspicion,” U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes told a lawyer representing the House GOP on Wednesday.

Reyes threatened to order Attorney General Merrick Garland and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to show up next week in her Washington courtroom for legal arguments on the dispute.

“Don’t test me on this … I’m not bluffing,” said Reyes, an appointee of President Joe Biden who is often seen around the federal courthouse with her golden retriever.

The fight emerged from House RepublicansÂ’ long-running search for evidence that the White House exerted political pressure on officials who investigated the younger BidenÂ’s failure to pay income taxes. As part of that inquiry, the House Judiciary Committee tried to obtain testimony from two Justice Department tax lawyers who worked on the case.

When the Justice Department resisted the House GOPÂ’s subpoenas to the two lawyers, the fight ended up before Reyes, who has been refereeing the dispute for months with increasing exasperation.

During a two-hour hearing on Wednesday, she pressed lawyers for both sides to punt the dispute until next year. If they refused, she said, she would summon their bosses into court.

After a brief recess, the House’s top lawyer, Matthew Berry, and veteran Justice Department lawyer Elizabeth Shapiro told the judge they had agreed to shelve the matter until early next year. By that point, a new Congress and a new president will have been sworn in — developments likely to diminish both sides’ appetite for a fight linked to an all-but-defunct effort to impeach Joe Biden.

Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to tax evasion last month and is scheduled to be sentenced in December. The White House and the Justice Department have staunchly denied any political interference in cases involving the presidentÂ’s son, and Hunter BidenÂ’s lawyers have argued that he was actually treated overly harshly as a result of political pressure from Republicans.

WednesdayÂ’s hearing on the subpoena fight was perhaps most notable for the furious tongue-lashing that Reyes delivered to both sides over their handling of the matter. It was a follow-up to a similarly brutal bench-slapping she dealt out in the same case in April.

The judge took particular umbrage with the HouseÂ’s insistence that the two subpoenaed career attorneys would have any information relevant to the Judiciary CommitteeÂ’s inquiry.

And in one memorable exchange, Reyes appeared to get Berry to acknowledge that JordanÂ’s decision in 2022 to blow off a subpoena from the HouseÂ’s Jan. 6 select committee was based on flimsy premises. Reyes baited Berry by asking whether it would be acceptable for the Justice Department to refuse to comply with a House subpoena over concerns about testimony being politicized or misrepresented.

After Berry roundly rejected those excuses as unacceptable, Reyes said she had quoted them directly from a letter Jordan had written refusing to comply with a subpoena the Jan. 6 committee issued to the Ohio lawmaker for his testimony.

“Both sides here are being beyond hypocritical,” Reyes said. “You all are abusing the court — abusing the court system and abusing my time. This is not acceptable.”

Berry recognized the trap Reyes laid and emphasized that while he was representing Jordan in this particular fight, he also represents the House more broadly and has to stand up for institutional prerogatives.

The Justice Department has argued that its so-called line attorneys shouldnÂ’t be subject to questioning from congressional committees because that would intrude on executive branch deliberations. Shapiro also noted that DOJ made various other people involved in the Hunter Biden case available for questioning, including special counsel David Weiss and other top officials and FBI agents.

But Reyes expressed irritation that the negotiations broke down over whether DOJ attorneys representing the subpoenaed lawyers could be in the room when they were questioned.

“The separation of powers concern is way overblown,” the judge said. “Democracy is not going to come falling down in shambles because two … attorneys are outside of the door instead of inside the door of a deposition. I think that’s insanity and ridiculous and laughable as an argument.”

Reyes also skewered the Justice Department for hypocrisy for instructing the two career lawyers not to show up for their House depositions, while successfully prosecuting two former Donald Trump aides — Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro — on contempt charges for defying subpoenas from the Jan. 6 committee in the last Congress.

Working from a tally she ordered both sides to give her, Reyes complained that the subpoena litigation had cost taxpayers $1.1 million and counting.

“It is an outrageous waste of taxpayer funds,” the judge said.

Hunter Biden pardoned



'Enough is enough': President Joe Biden issues pardon for son Hunter | US News | Sky News

That's a nice little fuck you from Sleepy Joe before he sails off into the sunset.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Hunter Biden pardoned
.

Not a moment too soon.


Trump announces he intends to replace current FBI director with loyalist Kash Patel | CNN Politics

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Hunter Biden pardoned



'Enough is enough': President Joe Biden issues pardon for son Hunter | US News | Sky News

That's a nice little fuck you from Sleepy Joe before he sails off into the sunset.

I’m not so impressed. Dems doing what they accused Trump of.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

I’m not so impressed. Dems doing what they accused Trump of.

Which is what?

Originally Posted by beachbound

Which is what?

Really? Not clear to you?

Pardoning his son is manipulating the presidency for personal benefit.

Fuck me what's he blathering on about now.

Baldy orange cunto says it's a "miscarriage of justice".

This from the bloke who's going to pardon a load of violent thugs who were responsible for several deaths.

Wanker.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Fuck me what's he blathering on about now.

It’s quite clear or does your hated of Trump blind you to that?

This was an appalling and disgraceful decision by Sleepy Joe. His son belongs in the big house.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Really? Not clear to you?

Pardoning his son is manipulating the presidency for personal benefit.

The Cheeto-in-Chief has made it apparent that he plans to go after wood, and everyone who oppose him. The charges against HB are rarely, if ever prosecuted, and would never have been brought, if he weren’t Biden’s son. He was a political pawn, for the last four years.