• bauhaus@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Curious how none of these Republican house committee members gave a damn when everyone of Trump‘s children did this for their entire lives. Now they suddenly have a problem with Hunter Biden doing it?

    Give me a fucking break 

    • ShyDrusi@lemmy.caOP
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      1 year ago

      I think you’re missing the point. It’s one thing to use your parents’ influence to get ahead in business, but it’s another thing entirely to use their influence to withhold international aid and pressure a foreign government to kill a corruption investigation into the company that you just so happen to sit on the board of. Granted, these are all just allegations at this point, but that’s why this case is receiving so much attention.

      • bauhaus@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        Well, if you can produce evidence of that, or if anyone else can produce evidence of that, then it should be investigated. Currently, there is no evidence of that. Therefore, an investigation into that does not seem to be warranted. Not legally, anyway.

        You even admit that all there are are “allegations”. That’s not enough to even sustain a search warrant. You can’t just go violating someone’s rights because you have some sort of allegation or suspicion. And the GOP is trying to start some conspiracy circus because they don’t have dirt on Joe Biden, so they’re trying to get to him by making up a bunch of crap about his son instead. and while Hunter Biden may be kind of a scumbag, unless they can actually produce evidence that he did anything illegal with regards to his father, and they haven’t been able to so far, there’s no reason to start a house committee investigation.

      • jubalvoid
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        1 year ago

        I think you’re missing the point. Ousting Shokin wasn’t Biden blocking corruption investigations, it was him literally doing the bidding of the Obama administration, and was supported by the IMF and the entire G-7. That’s why he was proud of it, because it was an example of him doing his job exceptionally well. Also Shokin liked to open investigations then leave them open as blackmail, which is exactly what he did to Burisma, so this isn’t some smoking gun.

      • Alien Nathan Edward@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        I think you’re missing the part of the report where this “bombshell testimony” confirms that that never happened, and all these charges hinge on the implication that it could just because Hunter is Joe’s son. This is about, to quote the testimony, “the illusion of access to the president”.

    • DarkWasp@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Because they don’t care and never cared. They’re entirely disingenuous and trying to call them out on hypocrisy as if it matters is a losing game.

      • kescusay@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        It’s not great, but it’s also not a big deal. Kids flaunt their famous parents.

        The difference here? Trump’s kids actually legit sold access, with their father’s enthusiastic consent* and involvement.


        *The only time he’s ever cared about consent

        • AngrilyEatingMuffins@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Hunter Biden and his uncle literally ran a mutual fund that he sold to investors as giving access to Joe. The FBI shut it down.

          Dems are showing their true colors on this. Ivanka and Jared were rightly called out for years but Hunter does almost the same shit, just worse, and even approaching it with that level of analysis gets shouted down. Could political parties give a fuck about their own team’s corruption, please? Dems are supposed to be different but boy howdy the us vs them mentality is so fucking strong.

          • kescusay@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Amazing. Not one word of that was true. Impressive accomplishment.

            No, Hunter wasn’t doing “almost the same shit.” No, it wasn’t “worse.” And the reason it gets “shouted down” is because it’s lying bullshit, and we’ve got no reason to put up with that.

            This “both sides” garbage - as if Hunter name-dropping his dad is identical to Trump’s kids literally selling access to theirs - with his enthusiastic involvement - is reprehensible. It’s disgusting, it’s sick, and it’s disingenuous.

              • Jeff@lemm.ee
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                1 year ago

                From that article since we are talking Trumplestiltskin the CheetosRaper endorsing his KorruptoKidz:

                There’s no evidence that Joe Biden used his power inappropriately or took action to benefit his relatives with respect to these ventures. These entanglements could pose problems for Democrats as they seek to draw a contrast with President Donald Trump, who they accuse of corruption for mixing politics with his own family’s business ventures.

                I left the rest in there since this is from 2019 and pre-Traitor Sedition. I do not like the Bidens anymore than the Kennedys or Clinton’s but these do not compare.

          • MrSpArkle@lemmy.ca
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            1 year ago

            Dollar per dollar, what the trumps did is literally worse. They literally made billions off of foreign deals, meanwhile hunter funneled how much? Math is math.

      • Ducks@ducks.dev
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        1 year ago

        I would say it’s worse in Trump’s case because Ivanka and Jared had been working for the white house. Jared also had security clearance which he never should have had.

        When Hunter works for the government or runs from office, then I’ll care. Right now he’s just a private citizen and he doesn’t seem to have any influence in his father’s job.

      • joe@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        This isn’t strictly true, but even if it were, do you see anyone on the democratic side opening investigations into the Trump kids doing this?

      • bitsplease@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        It’s bad in the sense that I wouldn’t want to hang out with someone who did it, but there’s nothing illegal in using your famous parent to get a leg up in your own dealings.

        It makes you seem like a spoiled trust fund kiddy, but last time I checked, being obnoxious isn’t actually a crime.

        The point being made isn’t that it’s OK for Hunter but bad for the Trump kids, it’s that its being made out as a conspiracy and crime for Hunter by republicans, whereas those same Republicans had no issue whatsoever with the Trump kids doing it (and continuing to do it today)

      • cassetti@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        I think if either party wants to be taken seriously, they should start by looking within their own party and prove that nobody is above the law.

        Trumps, Bidens I don’t care. But instead of attacking your political opponent’s family, why not show the world what you stand for yourself by persecuting those within your own party.

        “Lead by example”

  • JakenVeina@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Archer was also asked if then-Vice President Biden regularly “checked in on his son, who’s admitted he’s had issues with drugs.”

    “Every day,” Archer replied. But asked whether he had ever heard them discuss the “substance of Hunter Biden’s business,” he responded, “No.”

    He asked Archer, “Is it fair to say that Hunter Biden was selling the illusion of access to his father?”

    Archer replied, “Yes.”

    Glad to have confirmation of the nothingburger, I guess.

    • MarxMadness@lemmygrad.ml
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      1 year ago

      In response to questions from Congressman Goldman about the [Joe Biden] brand’s alleged impact, Archer said that it appeared to shield Burisma “because people would be intimidated to mess with them…”

      Republicans on the committee asked Archer about two dinners, one in 2014 and another in 2015 at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., with Hunter Biden’s foreign business associates, both of which the then-vice president attended…

      Archer, according to the transcript, also testified that the elder Biden was put on speaker phone with business contacts, potential business associates including foreign national “maybe 20 times” during the course of Archer’s and Hunter Biden’s business relationship. Joe Biden was put on the phone to sell “the brand,” Archer said.

      It looks like a conscious effort to imply favoritism without being stupid enough to say it out loud. It’s not normal to invite your dad to dinner with your business associates, especially when your dad is VP. It’s not normal to loop your dad in on a bunch of business calls, especially when your dad is VP.

      Is anyone seriously suggesting Hunter Biden got on the board of a Ukranian energy company on his own merits? There’s one reason you have that guy in a plush job.

  • neptune@dmv.social
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    1 year ago

    When did it become illegal to say “do you know who my father is?”

    Lots of kids in salmon colored shorts are heading to prison!!

    • Pratai@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      Around the same time as when it became only allowable when trump’s spawn does it.

    • ShyDrusi@lemmy.caOP
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      1 year ago

      I’m reposting this comment because it’s relevant:

      “I think you’re missing the point. It’s one thing to use your parents’ influence to get ahead in business, but it’s another thing entirely to use their influence to withhold international aid and pressure a foreign government to kill a corruption investigation into the company that you just so happen to sit on the board of. Granted, these are all just allegations at this point, but that’s why this case is receiving so much attention.”

  • Myro@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    This is so weird to see as a European. You have Trump who directly or indirectly provided millions to his entire family - and the Republicans ignore it entirely -, and then you have Biden where his son made a statement like this.

  • Alien Nathan Edward@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Then, Rep. Dan Goldman, Democrat of New York, asked Archer if he had any knowledge that Joe Biden had any direct involvement with Burisma, and Archer replied, “No.”

    So what they’re saying, it seems, is that merely being Joe Biden’s son while trying to do business is corruption because it implies that you could go talk to your dad on someone’s behalf if you wanted to. Please let them define that as corruption, I would love for every wealthy failson, Hunter included, to be corrupt by definition.

    • rockstarmode@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      From the article:

      Archer, according to the transcript, also testified that the elder Biden was put on speaker phone with business contacts, potential business associates including foreign national “maybe 20 times” during the course of Archer’s and Hunter Biden’s business relationship. Joe Biden was put on the phone to sell “the brand,” Archer said.

      Be honest, that isn’t selling the “illusion” of access. That’s Hunter saying “do what I want, or I get my dad on the phone to fuck up your life. Don’t believe me, here, talk to him yourself”

      • tastysnacks@programming.dev
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        1 year ago

        Point still stands. Please make this illegal. Republicans, please push your legislatures to make this illegal. We’ll back you up.

  • Iwasondigg@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    Fascinating to watch republicans suddenly care about this. Where were they when Trump was president?

    • stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub
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      1 year ago

      For thee and not for me

      Just remember though, keep this same energy for the people you trust too and the people in your in-groups.

      Objectivity is tough to obtain but easy to pursue!

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    In response to questions from Congressman Goldman about the brand’s alleged impact, Archer said that it appeared to shield Burisma “because people would be intimidated to mess with them.”

    In a separate line of questioning by Republican congressman Andy Biggs, of Arizona, Archer was asked whether the brand was about "Dr. Jill or anybody else.

    Republicans on the committee asked Archer about two dinners, one in 2014 and another in 2015 at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., with Hunter Biden’s foreign business associates, both of which the then-vice president attended.

    Archer’s interview was the latest development in the GOP’s investigations into Hunter Biden as Republicans seek to tie his controversial business dealings to the president.

    The Oversight Committee has sought information on any possible involvement from the president in his son’s foreign business deals for months.

    His conviction was overturned later that year, and U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abram wrote in her decision she was “left with an unwavering concern that Archer is innocent of the crimes charged.”


    I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz
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    1 year ago

    Republicans are milking this distraction for all that they can. Their dumb ass constituents don’t even know they’re being played. Or they like being played, it lets them comfortably embrace their ignorance and lack of character.