Those following the Biden influence-peddling scandal know that Joe Biden was promised an office in China in exchange for his influence.
This revelation has diminished the Democrats’ ability to differentiate themselves from Trump’s administration. Although there are significant distinctions between the two scandals, they may be obscured by the repetition of President Biden’s comments on the improper handling of classified information.
When President Biden saw the photo of the top secret documents on the floor at Mar-a-Lago, CBS’s Scott Pelley on “60 Minutes” last year asked, “What did you think to yourself looking at that image?”
Pundits in Washington are in complete spin control, with some arguing that a misdemeanor conviction of Trump’s should disqualify him from holding federal office in the future.
There are differences, but we still need to have all the information we need to conclude, such as whether or not more classified materials have been returned in the past or whether or not they are located in other offices. However, no claims of dishonesty or obstruction have been made.
One of the most striking aspects of this situation is how much worse it could have been if the Bidens had gotten their way with the alternative office that was discussed after they left the government. Their de facto landlord was the Chinese government rather than the Penn Center.
Hunter Biden listed his father, Joe Biden, mother, Jill Biden, and uncle, Jim Biden, when he requested keys for his new ‘office mates’ in 2017. He described Gongwen Dong, the ’emissary’ for CEFC Chinese Energy Co. Chairman Ye Jianming, as part of the plan to share the space. Keys to Gongwen Dong were requested by Hunter Biden as well, and the manager was even asked to alter the door plaque to include Joe and Jill Biden’s names.
The agreement was dropped along with other parts of the Chinese deals. The Bidens were able to meet their business needs through a different channel at Penn.
It is still being determined whether or not Biden worked with or discussed any classified material while researching, writing his book, or delivering his lectures on diplomacy. Meanwhile, it appears they hid in the dark, making them easy prey for any intelligence agency.
Money given to Hunter Biden totaled in the millions and came from a wide range of international donors, including some with ties to foreign intelligence. This money bought not only influence but also personal access to the Bidens.
Hunter has admitted that he was the victim of a hotel room data theft by foreign intelligence. On tape, Biden is heard saying that the Russians stole one of his laptops to use it as a blackmail weapon.
While the public may have avoided this threat from the Chinese-funded office, it was not for lack of trying by the President and Mrs. Biden. The question now is how the public can have faith that the FBI will investigate the Bidens with the same vigor with which it investigated Trump.
Merrick Garland, the current Attorney General, knows that his position will only increase public mistrust of the government. A new “Church Committee” has been proposed to investigate reforms after several political bias scandals have rocked the FBI in recent years.