{"id":159757,"date":"2023-05-10T12:26:33","date_gmt":"2023-05-10T19:26:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=159757"},"modified":"2023-05-10T12:26:33","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T19:26:33","slug":"comer-oversight-committee-members-present-evidence-of-influence-peddling-by-biden-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=159757","title":{"rendered":"Comer &#038; Oversight Committee Members Present Evidence of Influence Peddling by Biden Family"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Today, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Committee Republican lawmakers held a press conference detailing evidence uncovered during the committee\u2019s investigation into the Biden family\u2019s influence peddling schemes. During his remarks, Chairman Comer pointed to financial records tracing at least $10 million from foreign nationals and related companies to the Biden family, their associates, and their companies, and outlined how the Bidens took steps to hide payments they received from foreign nationals, including a CCP-linked associate. Chairman Comer revealed that in addition to China, the Biden family received money from Romania in an influence peddling scheme from 2015 to 2017. He concluded by warning that the Biden family\u2019s unethical influence peddling coincided with Joe Biden\u2019s work as Vice President. The Oversight Committee is crafting legislative solutions to prevent this corruption.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ct5_ylpoYwo\" title=\"Press Conference on Biden Family&#39;s Business Schemes\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ct5_ylpoYwo\">Click here<\/a>\u00a0to watch the full press conference.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Below are Chairman Comer\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Thank you all for coming.<\/p>\n<p>Since taking the gavel in January, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability has accelerated its investigation of the Biden family\u2019s domestic and international business practices that we began last Congress.<\/p>\n<p>I want to be clear: this Committee is investigating President Biden and his family\u2019s shady business deals that capitalized on Joe Biden\u2019s public office and risked our country\u2019s national security.<\/p>\n<p>This Committee has a duty to ask questions and pursue the facts no matter where they take us.\u00a0 Through the Committee\u2019s investigation, we intend to provide transparency to the American people and reach legislative solutions.<\/p>\n<p>In only four months since obtaining subpoena authority, we have made astonishing progress.\u00a0 Today we\u2019ll talk about that progress.<\/p>\n<p>First, we want to discuss information the Committee has learned since our last press conference in November: new information investigators have uncovered regarding the transfer of money from foreign entities to the Biden family.<\/p>\n<p>Many of the wire payments occurred while Joe Biden was Vice President and leading the United States\u2019 efforts in those countries.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, while Vice President Biden was lecturing Romania on anti-corruption policies, in reality he was a walking billboard for his son and family to collect money.<\/p>\n<p>Hunter Biden and his associates capitalized on a lucrative financial relationship with a Romanian national who was under investigation for\u2014and later convicted of\u2014corruption in Romania.<\/p>\n<p>The Bidens received over $1 million for the deal, and 16 of the 17 payments to their associate\u2019s account that funneled the Bidens money occurred while Joe Biden was Vice President.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, the money stops flowing from the Romanian national soon after Joe Biden leaves office.<\/p>\n<p>This is a pattern of influence peddling.<\/p>\n<p>This appears separate from any payment Hunter received from his work connecting this individual to a U.S. law firm.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll also provide further information regarding the Bidens\u2019 relationship with China.<\/p>\n<p>This includes two individuals the Committee is particularly concerned about. One of them\u2014 Ye Jianming\u2014had close ties to the highest levels of the Chinese Communist Party and operated a multi-billion-dollar energy company with access to huge sums of money.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll discuss how the Bidens received millions of dollars from this individual through the use of shell companies and money transfers.<\/p>\n<p>In March, the Committee released its First Bank Records Memorandum that showed a Biden associate\u2014Rob Walker\u2014had used his company to funnel money from the Chinese to various Biden family members.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats dismissed the evidence, even though it was based on bank records received directly from the banks.\u00a0 The Democrats on this Committee received the same records as the Republicans, and they were able to verify the information.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats said all the bank records showed were Papa Johns and Starbucks receipts. They deliberately chose to misconstrue and deny what was clearly in front of them.<\/p>\n<p>Hunter Biden\u2019s representatives claimed the money was \u201cgood faith seed funds\u201d but could not explain why those funds had to go through an intermediary in what appears to be an attempt to hide the transfers from the Chinese.<\/p>\n<p>They also couldn\u2019t explain why the Bidens received over $1 million in 16 different wire transfers over a period of three months to at least five different bank accounts.<\/p>\n<p>The President, when confronted with this information, said it wasn\u2019t true.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of being honest with the American people, President Biden has claimed since the 2020 election that his family has not received money from China.<\/p>\n<p>That was a lie in 2020, and he continues to lie to the American people now.<\/p>\n<p>The Bidens have received millions of dollars from China.\u00a0 It is inconceivable the President didn\u2019t know about it.<\/p>\n<p>The White House refuses to correct the President\u2019s statements, showing the President is now using the federal government to run interference for his family\u2019s and his own role in these schemes.<\/p>\n<p>Now, I want to say a few remarks about the developments last week.<\/p>\n<p>A week ago, I sent a subpoena to the FBI for a form that a whistleblower has alleged is in the FBI\u2019s possession.<\/p>\n<p>We hope the FBI will be transparent and forthcoming and provide the Oversight Committee with the 1023 form we have subpoenaed.<\/p>\n<p>If they do, the Committee will assess the form it has subpoenaed from the FBI and\u2014as has been my practice\u2014we will report to you only facts when they are verified and indisputable.<\/p>\n<p>This Committee will not pursue witch hunts or string the American people along for years with false promises of evidence that is \u201cbeyond circumstantial evidence,\u201d as Representative Schiff and the Democrats did for years.<\/p>\n<p>I trust the whistleblower.\u00a0 A subpoena from this Committee is a powerful tool that I do not take lightly. The level of detail provided to Senator Grassley led me to conclude a subpoena was warranted, and I stand by that assessment.<\/p>\n<p>I will say this: When Senator Grassley approached me with the information the whistleblower provided, it was because of the information we\u2019ve learned through the Committee\u2019s own investigation that indicated to me the whistleblower\u2019s allegations are consistent with our independent findings.<\/p>\n<p>Those findings are what I called you here to discuss today.<\/p>\n<p>The Committee has reviewed thousands of bank records from individuals and companies affiliated with the Bidens and their associates.<\/p>\n<p>It has received these bank records pursuant to four subpoenas I have issued to different banks.\u00a0 These were targeted and specific subpoenas, and each was different based on the information we believed the banks possessed.<\/p>\n<p>Every one of those subpoenas returned valuable information that had been unreported and that contributed to the Committee\u2019s understanding of how the Bidens conducted their business.<\/p>\n<p>The Committee is concerned by the complicated, suspicious network of over 20 companies we have identified the Bidens and their associates used to enrich themselves.<\/p>\n<p>Most of these companies were limited liability companies formed during Joe Biden\u2019s vice presidency.<\/p>\n<p>The bank records show the Biden family, their associates, and their companies received over $10 million from foreign nationals and their companies.<\/p>\n<p>Some of that money came from a Chinese company and went to Hunter Biden\u2019s company.<\/p>\n<p>Other transfers occurred with the help of Rob Walker, who then sent it on to different Biden family members.<\/p>\n<p>This is not how lawful businesses usually operate.<\/p>\n<p>Chinese nationals affiliated with the Bidens created limited liability companies in the United States and then in a short period of time transferred their interests to a Chinese company that then sent money to the Bidens.<\/p>\n<p>This is not normal.<\/p>\n<p>Hunter Biden and his associates courted business in countries that correlated directly with Joe Biden\u2019s work as Vice President.<\/p>\n<p>This is also not normal.<\/p>\n<p>It is not ethical.<\/p>\n<p>And this is why we need legislative solutions.<\/p>\n<p>Our purpose here is to provide legislative solutions to prevent this unethical behavior from happening again.<\/p>\n<p>This investigation is about investigating allegations of corruption and fraud at the highest levels of the federal government.<\/p>\n<p>This should be a bipartisan issue.<\/p>\n<p>This Committee is considering legislation that would ensure these sorts of business practices do not continue for Democrats or Republicans.<\/p>\n<p>Specifically, the Committee is crafting legislative solutions aimed at deficiencies it has identified in ethics laws and disclosure laws for immediate family members of Vice Presidents and President.<\/p>\n<p>These deficiencies potentially place American national security and American interests at risk.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the Committee is considering legislation that would strengthen reporting requirements related to certain foreign transactions involving senior elected officials\u2019 family members.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the Committee is evaluating the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering laws to determine whether financial institutions have the available tools and support from federal agencies to thwart illegal money laundering and foreign corruption activity.<\/p>\n<p>As I said, I am very pleased with the progress the Committee is making in this investigation.<\/p>\n<p>However, due to the information we are releasing today and further developments the Committee is aware of, the investigation will enter a new phase now that it is armed with information obtained in the bank records.<\/p>\n<p>Today, I am issuing a new round of subpoenas to banks for specific, targeted information.<\/p>\n<p>I am issuing letters to provide one more opportunity for certain Biden associates\u2014including his art gallerist and Rob Walker\u2014to cooperate willingly with this investigation.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, I am publicly releasing this Second Bank Accounts Memorandum to the American people so they can see for themselves the activities the Biden family has engaged in, despite the President\u2019s statements to the contrary.<\/p>\n<p>I want to thank the people and financial institutions that have cooperated with this investigation so far.<\/p>\n<p>I also want to encourage more people to come forward and let them know that their information will be kept private and confidential.<\/p>\n<p>To my Democrat colleagues, I want to say that this investigation will continue to move forward.<\/p>\n<p>Do you want to continue covering up the Bidens\u2019 influence peddling schemes when the evidence is being placed right in front of you?<\/p>\n<p>With or without Democrats\u2019 support, we will continue working to deliver the answers, transparency, and accountability that the American people deserve.<\/p>\n<p>I now turn it over to Byron Donalds who will provide some background on the Bidens and their associates\u2019 web of LLCs.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Today, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Committee Republican lawmakers held a press conference detailing evidence uncovered during the committee\u2019s investigation into the Biden family\u2019s influence peddling schemes. During his remarks, Chairman Comer pointed to financial records tracing at least $10 million from foreign nationals and related companies to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":159758,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,16,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-159757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-law-enforcement","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Fullscreen-capture-5102023-121857-PM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159757","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=159757"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159757\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":159759,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159757\/revisions\/159759"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/159758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=159757"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=159757"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=159757"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}