What about Hunter Biden? Well, what about him?
If the president’s son is found to have cheated on his taxes, the most serious accusation so far, then punish him. This is an interesting story but not a very important story until it’s determined that his father, President Joe Biden, helped him or profited from any illegal scheme. So far, there is zero evidence that he has. Hunter appears to have been a screwed-up kid trying to get rich by playing big shot, thanks to his last name.
There’s no question that Joe Biden was remiss in not stopping Hunter from citing his politically powerful parent in efforts to advance business interests. Did professional experience qualify Hunter to sit on the board of Burisma Holdings, the Ukrainian energy company? No, not at all. It’s obvious that only the Biden name got him this and other deals that, when added up, well exceeded $1 million.
Hunter’s drug addiction and other trauma can be an explanation for his alleged failure to pay taxes and breaching gun laws, if that was the case, but it isn’t an excuse. And the tragic death of Joe’s golden son, Beau, was not a good excuse for Joe to take his eye off his other son’s questionable ventures — certainly not when he was holding high office.
But it’s not like Hunter got to serve in the Oval Office as his father’s senior adviser or walk off with $2 billion in investment money from the Saudis. We’re so used to the Trump empire of grift and shamelessness that even questionable billions get lost in a dumpster of sleazy activities. As it happened, the Trumps made money from the same Chinese company that Republicans now accuse Hunter of helping out. Hunter is small change next to son-in-law Jared Kushner.
