Post by EPIC Sir Tinley on Mar 18, 2022 6:20:37 GMT -8
The New York Times Suddenly Discovers Hunter Biden Laptop and Corruption Investigations Are Real
If you are really industrious, you can dig 20 pages into the A section of today’s New York Times and find a 1,700-word news story by three of its top reporters, relating that the Justice Department’s investigation of President Biden’s son, Hunter, is not merely a tax matter. Turns out that prosecutors are probing his penchant for cashing in on his father’s political influence, through payments by overseas entities for which he did not register as a foreign agent.
Well, I’ll be damned!
Even better, if you wade 23 paragraphs into the story, you will learn that prosecutors are examining emails between Biden and his business associates that come from “a cache of files that appears to have come from a laptop abandoned by Mr. [Hunter] Biden in a Delaware repair shop.”
You don’t say.
You may recall that the laptop was reported on extensively by the New York Post because the emails showed that Hunter provided access to his father, then the vice president of the United States, for a corrupt Ukrainian energy firm that was paying Hunter goo-gobs of money to sit on its board — even though Hunter had no relevant experience. (See the Post’s reporting, e.g., here, and my column here; see also my column, here, on a digital recording in which Hunter discusses his lucrative dealings with executives of a regime-connected Chinese firm, one of whom –Patrick Ho — he refers to as “the f***ing spy chief of China,” and another of whom — Ye Jianming — he describes as a billionaire who “is now missing.”)
Yet, in the weeks prior to the 2020 election, the media-Democrat complex and its allies who run the big social-media platforms zealously suppressed coverage of the Hunter computer files, claiming they had not been authenticated and could be Russian disinformation (an absurd lie amplified by the Biden campaign). The Times was right there with them.
It was impossible to stifle a laugh this morning, then, upon noticing that the Times’ deeply interred mention of the laptop includes the claim that the Hunter emails “were obtained by the New York Times.” The paper also helpfully links to another of its reports which, even after being updated in September 2021 (i.e., five months after Hunter himself conceded that the computer “absolutely” might be his), continued to question the authenticity of the computer that “purportedly belonged to Hunter Biden” and to spout the “concerns over Russian disinformation.” (See also Isaac Schorr’s report, noting that the Times was still labeling the Biden laptop story “unsubstantiated” in September 2021.)
There are other laugh-out-loud aspects of the new Times reporting. Take the lede-burying headline, which begins “Hunter Biden Paid Tax Bill” — probably the least relevant detail in the story but one that gets heavy emphasis — before acknowledging that a “Broad Federal Investigation Continues.” We are reminded that, after the election of course, Hunter grudgingly acknowledged being under a tax investigation. As I’ve pointed out, that was no revelation at all — it had long been public knowledge that liens were placed on some of Hunter’s property holdings for non-payment of taxes. The Times now informs us, however, of the supposedly salient fact that Hunter has recently paid his back-taxes . . . though the paper subsequently concedes that this has no legal bearing on the question of whether he committed tax fraud and that such payments are more relevant on the matter of sentencing than guilt.
But that’s a sideshow. It has always been obvious that a federal investigation of Hunter Biden, assuming it was a serious one, had to be far more expansive than his tax problems. And sure enough, the Times is now reporting what was knowable but largely concealed before the 2020 election: The Justice Department probe, which is being run out of Delaware by David C. Weiss, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney (who started in that office under President Bush-43 and was interim U.S. attorney for two years under President Obama), is a serious one.
A grand jury is hearing testimony and scrutinizing documents.
Prosecutors are examining the intriguing streams of payments to Hunter by the Ukrainian energy company (Burisma), the Chinese conglomerate (CEFC — see my column, here), and a “company associated with a Kazakh oligarch.”
Prosecutors are scrutinizing Hunter’s business partnership with Devon Archer, who was recently sentenced on a felony securities fraud violation. (As I’ve recounted, another Biden business associate, Bevan Cooney, was also convicted. The Biden name featured in the evidence, but Hunter was not charged — though he did complain about Archer and the complications the case was causing him in the aforementioned digital recording.)
Prosecutors are looking into Hunter’s dealings with Blue Star Strategies, a super-connected Democratic consulting firm retained by Burisma while Hunter sat on the latter’s board (see our Caroline Downey’s June 2021 report on that DOJ investigation).
Prosecutors are considering whether Hunter violated federal money-laundering laws, as well as FARA, the law that requires foreign agents to register with the Justice Department.
Post by EPIC Sir Tinley on Mar 20, 2022 4:10:30 GMT -8
Joy Reid’s Greatest Hits If there is a story that can even remotely be made about race, Joy Reid is on the case. And if there are people who disagree with her views on race, well, those people probably have a hood and some sheets in their closet.
In February, Reid discussed parents becoming more involved in their local school boards. Reid brushed off parents’ concerns over their childrens’ education, saying that “It’s about selling white grievance and rage.”
In October of 2021, Reid came to the “conclusion” that Republicans did not want “non-white” people voting. Her “proof” of this:
“And that they have divorced themselves from the idea of a multiracial democracy because a multiracial democracy means when people who look like me vote for somebody, that person can be allowed to win.”
And last May, Reid claimed that the teaching of critical race theory is being fought because “the right” to avoid teaching America’s “true” history of race:
“They want Americans to just shut up and feel good about America’s founding and sing from the hymnal, so they don’t even have to think about dealing with the repercussions of our true history and the need for repair.”
Nothing new for Joy Reid.
‘Where’s Your Coverage of Yemen?’: Eric Bolling Rips Joy Reid for Claiming Media Ignores War in Non-White Countries
Biden was the Democrats only hope to beat Trump. The rest of the Dem field was unelectable from Kookie Bernie to Elizabeth Warren to Vaccuuos Harris.
Hunter Biden was a distraction they didn't need. The Democrats put their heads down and pushed forward. Those intel officials that hated Trump covered it up. (IMO, the vast majority of Intel people HATED Trump for many reasons, but mostly because he labeled them as useless and they proved they were useless when it came to Hunter Biden)
I think neutral people should pursue the investigation, but I don't need daily updates. Figure it out and hold people accountable.
This issue, IMO, was not a factor in the election. I can't know this for sure, but I feel that so many people were fed up with Trump, they would have held their noses and voted for Biden anyway, even if Hunter Biden's actions were clearly exposed.
Hunter Biden was a distraction they didn't need. The Democrats put their heads down and pushed forward. Those intel officials that hated Trump covered it up. (IMO, the vast majority of Intel people HATED Trump for many reasons,
That is the true issue.
The issue is- is it acceptable for the gov't to work with the media and tech to influence an election?
If so, then we are no longer a free country.
If not, what do we do to prevent it from happening again?
Hunter Biden was a distraction they didn't need. The Democrats put their heads down and pushed forward. Those intel officials that hated Trump covered it up. (IMO, the vast majority of Intel people HATED Trump for many reasons,
That is the true issue.
The issue is- is it acceptable for the gov't to work with the media and tech to influence an election?
If so, then we are no longer a free country.
If not, what do we do to prevent it from happening again?
Until the perpetrators are convicted and go to jail, nothing prevents it from happening again. It probably is happening right now.
Post by EPIC Sir Tinley on Mar 21, 2022 6:15:48 GMT -8
Under oath, it has to be under oath.
The Post editorial reports the results of the paper’s efforts to obtain comments from the 51 “intelligence” experts. Here are the reported results:
Mike Hayden, former CIA director, now analyst for CNN: Didn’t respond.
Jim Clapper, former director of national intelligence, now CNN pundit: “Yes, I stand by the statement made AT THE TIME, and would call attention to its 5th paragraph. I think sounding such a cautionary note AT THE TIME was appropriate.”
Leon Panetta, former CIA director and defense secretary, now runs a public policy institute at California State University: Declined comment.
John Brennan, former CIA director, now analyst for NBC and MSNBC: Didn’t respond.
Thomas Fingar, former National Intelligence Council chair, now teaches at Stanford University: Didn’t respond.
Rick Ledgett, former National Security Agency deputy director, now a director at M&T Bank: Didn’t respond.
John McLaughlin, former CIA acting director, now teaches at Johns Hopkins University: Didn’t respond.
Michael Morell, former CIA acting director, now at George Mason University: Didn’t respond.
Mike Vickers, former defense undersecretary for intelligence, now on board of BAE Systems: Didn’t respond.
Doug Wise, former Defense Intelligence Agency deputy director, teaches at University of New Mexico: Didn’t respond.
Nick Rasmussen, former National Counterterrorism Center director, now executive director, Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism: Didn’t respond.
Russ Travers, former National Counterterrorism Center acting director: “The letter explicitly stated that we didn’t know if the emails were genuine, but that we were concerned about Russian disinformation efforts. I spent 25 years as a Soviet/Russian analyst. Given the context of what the Russians were doing at the time (and continue to do — Ukraine being just the latest example), I considered the cautionary warning to be prudent.”
Andy Liepman, former National Counterterrorism Center deputy director: “As far as I know I do [stand by the statement] but I’m kind of busy right now.”
John Moseman, former CIA chief of staff: Didn’t respond.
Larry Pfeiffer, former CIA chief of staff, now senior advisor to The Chertoff Group: Didn’t respond.
Jeremy Bash, former CIA chief of staff, now analyst for NBC and MSNBC: Didn’t respond.
Rodney Snyder, former CIA chief of staff: Didn’t respond.
Glenn Gerstell, former National Security Agency general counsel: Didn’t respond.
David Priess, former CIA analyst and manager: “Thank you for reaching out. I have no further comment at this time.”
Pam Purcilly, former CIA deputy director of analysis: Didn’t respond.
Marc Polymeropoulos, former CIA senior operations officer: Didn’t respond.
Chris Savos, former CIA senior operations officer: Didn’t respond.
John Tullius, former CIA senior intelligence officer: Didn’t respond.
David A. Vanell, former CIA senior operations officer: Didn’t respond.
Kristin Wood, former CIA senior intelligence officer, now non-resident fellow, Harvard: Didn’t respond.
David Buckley, former CIA inspector general: Didn’t respond.
Nada Bakos, former CIA analyst and targeting officer, now senior fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute: Didn’t respond.
Patty Brandmaier, former CIA senior intelligence officer: Didn’t respond.
James B. Bruce, former CIA senior intelligence office: Didn’t respond.
David Cariens, former CIA intelligence analyst: Didn’t respond.
Janice Cariens, former CIA operational support officer: Didn’t respond.
Paul Kolbe, former CIA senior operations officer: Didn’t respond.
Peter Corsell, former CIA analyst: Didn’t respond.
Brett Davis, former CIA senior intelligence officer: Didn’t respond.
Roger Zane George, former national intelligence officer: Didn’t respond.
Steven L. Hall, former CIA senior intelligence officer: Didn’t respond.
Kent Harrington, former national intelligence officer: Didn’t respond.
Don Hepburn, former national security executive, now president of Boanerges Solutions LLC: “My position has not changed any. I believe the Russians made a huge effort to alter the course of the election . . . The Russians are masters of blending truth and fiction and making something feel incredibly real when it’s not. Nothing I have seen really changes my opinion. I can’t tell you what part is real and what part is fake, but the thesis still stands for me, that it was a media influence hit job.”
Timothy D. Kilbourn, former dean of CIA’s Kent School of Intelligence Analysis: Didn’t respond.
Ron Marks, former CIA officer: Didn’t respond.
Jonna Hiestand Mendez, former CIA technical operations officer, now on board of the International Spy Museum: “I don’t have any comment. I would need a little more information.”
Emile Nakhleh, former director of CIA’s Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program, now at University of New Mexico: “I have not seen any information since then that would alter the decision behind signing the letter. That’s all I can go into. The whole issue was highly politicized and I don’t want to deal with that. I still stand by that letter.”
Gerald A. O’Shea, former CIA senior operations officer: Didn’t respond.
Nick Shapiro, former CIA deputy chief of staff and senior adviser to the director: Didn’t respond.
John Sipher, former CIA senior operations officer: Declined to comment.
Stephen Slick, former National Security Council senior director for intelligence programs: Didn’t respond.
Cynthia Strand, former CIA deputy assistant director for global issues: Didn’t respond.
Greg Tarbell, former CIA deputy executive director: Didn’t respond.
David Terry, former National Intelligence Collection Board chairman: Couldn’t be reached.
Greg Treverton, former National Intelligence Council chair, now senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies: “I’ll pass. I haven’t followed the case recently.”
Winston Wiley, former CIA director of analysis: Couldn’t be reached.
It was both prudent and wise to not comment to the media. They need to be facing a Congressional hearing, Under Oath. They used their badge of US gov't official credentials to lie to the American public in an attempt to influence an election. Now they need to explain how that can possibly be legal.