A top House Republican is demanding Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen release records on Hunter Biden’s foreign business activities, alleging that the Biden administration’s reluctance to release such details suggests an effort to shield the Biden family from scrutiny.
Hunter, the second son of President Joe Biden, is currently under federal investigation for potential tax violations. Scrutiny has been growing over his overseas business dealings in countries such as Ukraine, Russia, and China, particularly during the period in which Biden served as vice president in the Obama administration.
Refusing Release
“Despite Treasury’s assertion in the press that it ‘provides SARs to Congress in a manner that enables robust oversight,’ Treasury is refusing to release SARs connected with Hunter Biden or his family and associates—including the President,” Comer wrote.He noted that in a June 13 phone call, five days after the June 8 deadline for Comer’s request, Treasury officials told Republican staff on the House Oversight Committee that “they will not provide SARs to Committee Republicans unless Democrats join the request.”
That marked a contrast with the Treasury Department statement shortly after Comer’s initial request.
Comer wrote: “It is troubling that the Biden Administration is willing to provide a false story to the media to create the appearance of transparency, while continuing to thwart congressional oversight. Treasury’s actions call for investigation and raise new questions about the degree to which the Biden Administration is using the federal government to provide cover for the Biden family and its associates.
“The American people deserve to know whether the President’s connections to his son’s business deals occurred at the expense of the United States’ interests and whether they represent a national security threat.”
Biden’s Voicemail
Hunter received millions of dollars in payments from Chinese state-linked companies in 2017 and 2018, according to recently released bank records. Emails from what’s alleged to be his abandoned laptop also show him trying to broker a $120 million oil agreement between a Chinese state-owned oil company and Kazakhstan’s prime minister at the time.“Hey pal, it’s Dad,” Biden said in the message. “It’s 8:15 on Wednesday night. If you get a chance, just give me a call. Nothing urgent. I just wanted to talk to you.
“I thought the article released online, it’s going to be printed tomorrow in the Times, was good. I think you’re clear. And anyway, if you get a chance, give me a call. I love you.”
White House Evasive
Asked for the first time about the voice message, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre neither confirmed nor denied that it came from Biden.The evasive answer from the White House didn’t surprise Comer.
“It’s no surprise Biden officials refuse to answer basic questions about Joe Biden’s involvement with Hunter Biden’s shady foreign business dealings. Joe Biden claims he never talked to Hunter about these business deals, but evidence continues to mount that Joe Biden is the ‘Big Guy’ and benefited from the Biden family’s transactions,” he told The Epoch Times.
“When Republicans take back the House, the Biden administration won’t be allowed to keep hiding information from the American people. We’ll use the gavel to get answers,” Comer said.
The White House didn’t answer queries from The Epoch Times by press time. The Treasury Department responded to a request for comment, but didn’t address the questions relating to the lawmaker’s concerns.