Hollywood lawyer Kevin Morris said President Joe Biden’s son does not have to pay him back until after the 2024 election, years after loans were made, according to testimony made public on Jan. 23.
“We have a date in 2025” when “it all comes due,” Mr. Morris testified to the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee.
Mr. Morris said that the loans to Hunter Biden are interest-bearing promissory notes that come due in 2025 or after the 2024 presidential election.
Why didn’t he just give Mr. Biden money?
“Hunter wouldn’t accept it as a gift, and I want the money back,” Mr. Morris said. He added that he “100 percent” expects the money to be repaid.
If it is not repaid in 2025, “we‘ll deal with that,” Mr. Morris said. “I’m the note holder. I’ll decide how to enforce my rights if it doesn’t.”
The agreement allows Mr. Morris to bring a lawsuit if he is not repaid.
The repayment scheme was created after the loans were made.
“I’m not required to ask for it sooner,” Mr. Morris said, when members asked why he did not require being repaid sooner.
Met in 2019
Mr. Morris said he attended a campaign event for President Biden, who was a former vice president at the time, in the winter of 2019. Mr. Morris contributed to President Biden’s campaign. He also met Mr. Biden on the way out of the event.About a week later, Mr. Morris was asked to help Mr. Biden “with some potential legal issues in the entertainment industry.”
Mr. Biden “was emerging from the lowest point in his life. He’s 1 had a lot of low points. At this time he had no income and his wife Melissa was 5 months pregnant,” Mr. Morris said. “Although he was being harassed by paparazzi, as well as people coming onto his property and threatening him, he had no security protection. In general, I was concerned that Hunter did not have the level of support he needed. I stepped in to assist.”
Mr. Biden has been charged in California with tax fraud. Authorities say he spent money on a wide range of items while intentionally not paying taxes.
Some of the spending listed in the indictment came from money loaned by Mr. Morris, including $17,500 in rent for a house in Venice Beach, according to the newly disclosed testimony.
“I got him security. And he needed to move. And we had to find a place quickly. We had to find a place that had privacy. And we ended up with that house,” Mr. Morris said.
“Hunter doesn’t come to me. He’s never asked me for anything. I’ve done these things voluntarily,” he added later. “I have an idea of what they were, and I keep a record. And the ones that are absolutely necessary I take care of with a loan.”
No Expectation of Benefits
There was no expectation of benefits from President Biden or his administration in return for the loans, Mr. Morris said. “Nor have I asked for anything from President Biden or his administration. My only goal was and is to help my friend and client,” he said. “A final word. This is America, and in this country there is no prohibition against helping a friend in need, despite the incapacity of some to imagine such a thing.”Mr. Morris did acknowledge going to the White House three times since President Biden was sworn in on Jan. 20, 2021.
Mr. Biden took him on a tour of the White House in 2021. “The president waved. And I think he said hi. He always makes jokes about my hair. I think he made a crack about my hair. That was it,” Mr. Morris said.
The second time was for the wedding of Naomi Biden, Mr. Biden’s daughter. Mr. Morris said he spoke to President Biden briefly, “just a quick hello.”
Mr. Morris also traveled to the White House for a picnic on July 4, 2023.
Mr. Morris said he paid Mr. Berges his commission but has not paid Mr. Biden because his team is trying to figure out how to treat the purchase.
No Risk to President
During the testimony, Mr. Morris was asked about a message that he sent on Feb. 7, 2020.“Emergency is offered today. Still need to file Monday -- we are under considerable risk personally and politically to get the returns in. Sorry for the pressure earlier. Please send the issues list ASAP. Thanks for all,'” Mr. Morris wrote.
The email had the subject, “return.”
The email was about preparing Mr. Biden’s tax returns, Mr. Morris said.
What was the emergency?
“Remember that the Trump impeachment process was going on at this time. And they were waiving around the possibility of calling Hunter right until the very end,” Mr. Morris said.
Former President Donald Trump was acquitted on Feb. 5, 2020.
Mr. Morris said later he was speculating about what the emergency was, considering the email was sent about four years ago.
As for the risk that was referenced, that was not connected to President Biden, the lawyer said.
“It’s a quick email from an attorney, asking his accountants to hustle up. And personally, he hadn’t filed his taxes. Okay? That’s his personal problem,” Mr. Morris said. “And then, politically, could, look, there was an impeachment proceeding going on. His name was and face was everywhere in the world.”
The House Oversight Committee said in a statement: “Kevin Morris’s massive financial support to Hunter Biden raises ethical and campaign finance concerns for President Joe Biden. We will continue to follow the facts to understand the full scope of President Biden and his family’s corruption.”
