Finally, there’s some clarification of what Hunter Biden’s laptop is all about. After months, even years, there is a little news being reported about the investigation and why a grand jury is looking into Hunter’s activities.
We may recall when Hunter made a public announcement more than a year ago that he was under investigation and would cooperate fully with the Department of Justice. It was around the time he published his memoir describing the real mess he had made of his life up to that point.
Since then, there’s been hardly a word about the case in the mainstream media. Fox and the far-right media, however, have been quite preoccupied with “Hunter’s laptop.” So much so, people began to write it off as the same kind of obsession they had with Benghazi and Hillary’s e-mails.
Over-the-top nonsense like the “Biden crime family,” and “child porn on the laptop,” resulted in the mainstream media discounting the story as more far-right propaganda. It’s now evident, however, there’s an active ongoing investigation into Hunter’s relationships with foreign companies.
Reports indicate Hunter may have had connections with companies in Ukraine and China that earned him quite a bit of money. It also appears he made all that money by taking advantage of the Biden name while his father was vice president. It’s being investigated as to whether he declared the income to IRS and paid taxes accordingly.
Other than the fact Hunter is his son, there’s no indication the President was involved with any of this activity. In fact, as vice president, he was helping Ukraine crack down on corporate corruption, including the company Hunter was involved with. As president, he has maintained a complete hands-off approach, even going so far as to leave the Trump-appointed district attorney in place in Delaware where the case is being investigated.
The story of the laptop is so weird, it’s no surprise it was ignored by the mainstream media. Apparently, Hunter really did take his laptop into a shop for repairs, really did neglect to retrieve it, and a flash drive of its contents really was given to Rudy Giuliani. The laptop is in possession of the FBI, and it may have damning information on it about Hunter’s deals with foreign countries. It is a complicated investigation.
Although the whole matter was ignored too long by the mainstream media, the Justice Department, famous for its long, drawn-out inquires, was not ignoring it. It was begun under the Trump administration and has continued under the Biden administration without interruption.
I heard someone on CNN speculate about what the president would do if Hunter is indicted for tax evasion and other charges, and the consensus opinion was “nothing.” No one expects President Biden to interfere in any way if his son is charged, or even convicted. Biden won’t try to get charges dropped. He won’t put any pressure on government officials to give favored treatment to his son, and it’s doubtful he would pardon Hunter if he is convicted.
President Biden clearly loves his son, but he respects the presidency and the Justice Department and, as he says often, no one is above the law.
The irony, of course, is that Hunter’s troubles taint the administration of an honest president, while the corruption of the previous administration remains unchecked. The Trump family never tried to hide the many ways they profited from linking his presidency to the Trump enterprises.
Ivanka Trump made millions of dollars from her patent deals with China while serving as advisor to the president. Her husband, Jared Kushner, foreign policy advisor no less, enjoyed a close relationship with the Saudi Crown Prince all during the Trump administration. He has been rewarded with a personal $2 billion investment from the Saudis just six months after leaving the White House.
The hypocrisy of Republicans accusing Hunter of profiting from his father’s presidency is stunning. They had no such problem with Trump’s kids.
The Trumps face so many investigations into their entanglements, it will be years before the dust settles. Hunter Biden may face serious charges fairly soon.
President Biden and the First Lady will have to suffer silently through this latest crisis in Hunter’s troubled life - as they have many times before.
They have no choice in the matter.