‘RICO Is Not a Crime’: AOC Spars With Hunter Biden Associate Tony Bobulinski at Hearing

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) speaks during a press conference with other Democratic members of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and House Judiciary Committee during a break in the closed-door deposition of Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, in the O’Neill House Office Building in Washington, DC, on Feb. 28, 2024. Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) engaged in a fiery exchange with Hunter Biden’s former associate, Tony Bobulinski, during Wednesday’s impeachment hearing.

She asserted that “RICO is not a crime” amidst discussions about alleged wrongdoings involving President Joe Biden.

The intense back-and-forth unfolded as Ms. Ocasio-Cortez pressed Mr. Bobulinski on whether he had personally witnessed President Biden commit any criminal acts.

“Is it your testimony today that you personally witnessed President Joe Biden commit a crime?” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez asked.

Mr. Bobulinski initially responded, “Yes,” prompting Ms. Ocasio-Cortez to demand specifics.

“How much time do I have to go through it?” Mr. Bobulinski asked, pushing back after being interrupted by the congresswoman, who urged him once again to name a specific crime.

“It is simple. You name the crime,” she said.

In his response, Mr. Bobulinski referenced several potential violations, including “corruption statutes, RICO, and conspiracy, FARA,” alluding to statutes such as the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and the Foreign Agents Registration Acts.

According to the Department of Justice, RICO is a federal statute that imposes criminal penalties and civil actions against criminal organizations. It became law on Oct. 15, 1970, and is “sufficiently broad to encompass illegal activities relating to any enterprise affecting interstate or foreign commerce.”

Former President Donald Trump and several co-defendants have been charged in a RICO case in Fulton County, Georgia, related to their efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 elections.

Mr. Bobulinski has accused President Biden of committing a RICO violation, alleging that he was involved in financial corruption related to his business dealings with his son, Hunter.

However, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez pushed back, asserting that “RICO is not a crime.”

“What is the crime, sir, specifically?” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez demanded.

“You asked me to answer the question. I answered the question,” Mr. Bobulinski bit back, adding that she was “obviously not familiar” with RICO.

“Excuse me, sir. Excuse me, sir. Excuse me, sir,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said. “RICO is not a crime. It is a category. What is the crime?”

The exchange escalated as Mr. Bobulinski attempted to explain that RICO encompasses various offenses. “It’s a category of crimes that you are then charged under,” he said.

This led Ms. Ocasio-Cortez to demand a precise statute.

“Well, it’s funny; in this committee room—everyone’s not here—there are over 18 lawyers that went to law school. I’ll leave it up to you guys to define the statute,” he said.

Tony Bobulinski, left, former business partner of Hunter Biden, and Lev Parnas (R), former associate of Rudy Giuliani, during a hearing before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee at Capitol on March 20, 2024. Alex Wong/Getty Images

As tensions mounted, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez interrupted Mr. Bobulinski once again, launching into a critique of the Republican-led impeachment inquiry.

“What we are seeing here today is a continuation of the 15-month saga of the Republican majority lost in the desert,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said, accusing Republicans of pursuing the inquiry without substantiated evidence of presidential wrongdoing.

“This resolution does not outline a high crime or misdemeanor. It’s not here,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez added, referring to the impeachment inquiry resolution.

She further argued that the inquiry should be withdrawn in light of revelations that the FBI informant who testified regarding allegations involving President Biden and his son had been charged with providing false information.

“Why is this committee proceeding based on false charges?” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said.

President Biden has denied allegations of wrongdoing and implored Congress to close the impeachment investigation.

The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability held a hearing on Wednesday focused on President Biden’s role in his family’s business dealings.

During the hearing, Mr. Bobulinski rejected Hunter Biden’s claim that his father was not involved in their business dealings, calling them “all blatant lies.”

Hunter Biden declined to attend, with his attorney, Abbe Lowell, citing a scheduling conflict and denouncing the hearing as a “carnival sideshow.” Hunter Biden sat for a closed-door deposition last month.

In addition to Mr. Bobulinski, two other former business associates of the first son—Devon Archer and Jason Galanis—were also invited to appear before the committee in person, but they also declined.

Mr. Galanis, testifying from prison, where he is serving a sentence for defrauding a Native American tribe, shed light on what he saw as President Biden’s interaction with Hunter’s business dealings.

He said their goal, referring to Mr. Archer and Hunter Biden, “was to make billions, not millions.”

“The entire value out of Hunter Biden for businesses it was a family name as access to his father, Vice President Joe Biden,” he added, saying that businessmen were interested in working with Hunter Biden because of his father, who was vice president at the time.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the ranking Democrat on the committee, dismissed Mr. Galanis as “a serial fraudster and convicted con man.”