Back in 2008, as Joe Biden eyed the vice presidential slot under Barack Obama, concerns arose over Hunter Biden’s lobbying work. Advisers urged Joe to ensure Hunter stepped away from such roles, a condition he accepted. This early friction hinted at deeper family tensions over career choices, details revealed in a new book, as the Daily Mail reports.
By 2012, with Obama and Joe secured for another term, Hunter felt freer to chase lucrative foreign opportunities. He openly sought clients abroad, raking in millions despite the political optics. The Biden family seemed unbothered by the potential conflicts this could stir.
Ken Vogel, in his revealing book Devils' Advocates, captures this mindset with sharp clarity.
“Hunter told people he resented being told to drop his clients. And Joe Biden didn’t much care for what he interpreted as the holier-than-thou posture of the Obama folks,” Vogel writes.
Fast forward to 2014, Hunter’s entanglement with Ukraine’s Burisma began under questionable circumstances. Courted by oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky at Italy’s Lake Como, he joined the board despite lacking energy expertise and a recent Navy discharge over drug use. This wasn’t just a job; it was a red flag.
Zlochevsky dangled a hefty $1 million annual payout, plus perks like luxury gifts and exotic trips. Hunter’s role required minimal effort, attending just a couple of board meetings yearly in places like Dubai. For conservatives, this reeks of influence peddling, not honest work.
By May 2014, Hunter was officially on Burisma’s board, a position that screamed conflict given Joe’s vice presidential duties. While Hunter downplayed scrutiny, many on the right see this as leveraging family ties. How could this not taint public trust?
When President Donald Trump took office in 2017, Hunter’s Burisma income dipped, pushing him toward shadier deals. He pivoted to CEFC China Energy, China’s largest energy firm, alongside uncle Jim Biden. This shift raised alarms about foreign influence over American politics.
Hunter also meddled in a Romanian deal involving oligarch Gabriel Popoviciu, convicted over a shady land grab near the U.S. embassy in Bucharest. Proposing a $1 billion real estate venture with CEFC, he aimed to dilute Popoviciu’s legal woes. This smells like a geopolitical disaster waiting to happen.
Vogel notes the broader implications with a keen eye.
“Even at the time -- but certainly with the benefit of hindsight—it was easy to detect many of the earmarks of a Chinese government influence operation in the targeting of Hunter and other prominent Americans on both sides of the political aisle,” he writes.
Hunter’s legal troubles piled up, tied to unpaid taxes from foreign clients in Ukraine, Romania, and China, plus a gun charge amid his drug addiction. These issues didn’t just haunt him; they cast a shadow over Joe’s presidency. The right sees this as a pattern of unchecked privilege.
In December 2023, Hunter’s defiant Capitol steps press conference revealed his embattled mindset. Overheard comparing himself to Sandy Hook victims’ families, he framed himself as a target of right-wing conspiracies. While empathy is due, this analogy feels like a stretch to many conservatives.
Joe’s political career suffered from relentless stories about Hunter’s overseas ventures. For MAGA supporters, this underscores a need for accountability, not excuses. Why should family ties shield someone from scrutiny?
On Dec. 1, 2024, President Joe Biden issued a pardon for Hunter, covering potential crimes since Jan. 1, 2014, aligning with his Burisma start date. This move spared Hunter prison time, fueling conservative outrage. Isn’t this just a blatant dodge of justice?
For those aligned with President Donald Trump’s vision, this pardon epitomizes elite favoritism in Washington. The timing, coinciding with Hunter’s foreign dealings, only deepens suspicions of corruption. How can trust in governance survive such apparent double standards?
As Vogel’s book lays bare, Hunter’s saga is a cautionary tale of power and privilege intersecting with policy. Conservatives must keep pushing for transparency, ensuring no family name trumps the rule of law. Let’s hope this sparks real reform, not just headlines.
