Biden tried to turn the tables on Republicans and failed yet again.
In a charged session where Republicans probed Biden’s son Hunter regarding his international business dealings, the tables turned as the president’s son redirected the inquiry toward his interrogators.
During the closed-door deposition, Democrats revealed that Biden confronted GOP lawmakers regarding the foreign investments of Jared Kushner, former President Trump’s son-in-law, shortly after his departure from the White House.
Representative Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) explained that Biden highlighted the disparity between his own business engagements with independent entrepreneurs and Kushner’s dealings with foreign governments, which Biden claimed to have abstained from.
Kushner, who held responsibilities for Middle East policy in the Trump administration, attracted scrutiny when he secured a hefty $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia just six months after leaving public office.
The situation garnered additional attention when The New York Times disclosed that the advisory panel for the Saudi sovereign wealth fund advised against investing in Kushner’s newly established private equity firm, citing concerns over management inexperience. However, this counsel was overridden by a larger board chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a staunch ally of the Trump administration.
Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) noted a shift in tone during the questioning, describing Biden’s demeanor as “assertive,” particularly when referencing Kushner’s dealings. Raskin suggested that Biden might have been frustrated by perceived double standards regarding financial matters involving Kushner and former President Trump.
Despite previous Democratic investigations into Kushner’s Saudi dealings when they controlled the House, the matter was set aside when Republicans gained the majority. Nevertheless, during Biden’s deposition, some Republicans appeared receptive to acknowledging concerns about Kushner’s foreign business transactions, suggesting a departure from the usual partisan stances.
Hunter’s appearance before Capitol Hill held considerable anticipation, occurring amid ongoing House Republican efforts to impeach President Biden. The impeachment inquiry has heavily focused on allegations that Biden exploited his father’s influence to facilitate questionable overseas business ventures.
In his opening statement, Hunter Biden vehemently denied these accusations, emphasizing his independence from his father’s political sphere throughout his professional endeavors. He maintained that he never involved his father in any aspect of his business pursuits, whether as a lawyer, investor, board member, or artist.