The House Oversight Committee’s investigation into Hunter Biden is continuing as Devon Archer, a longtime friend and business associate of the first son, testifyed behind closed doors.
Committee Chairman James Comer subpoenaed Archer in June. Archer had to cancel three separate times but did testify yesterday.
The Specifics of Archer’s Testimony on Hunter Biden
“Archer is reportedly preparing to testify that President Biden met with dozens of Hunter’s business associates while he was serving as vice president between 2009 and 2017 – information that, if true, puts into question the White House’s repeated assertions that Biden was “never in business with his son,” never spoke with his son about his business dealings, and never had any knowledge of them,” Fox News reported.
Reportedly, Archer will provide testimony detailing the meetings (in-person and telephone) he witnessed with both President Joe Biden and his son Hunter in attendance. “Archer is also reportedly expected to testify that Hunter would introduce his father to foreign business partners or to prospective investors,” Fox News reported.
Archer spent a long time working alongside the first son, so Republicans are all jazzed up in the hopes that Archer could provide some damning testimony. Archer and Hunter Biden were both on the board of Burisma, the Ukrainian natural gas firm that Republicans have zeroed in on. Archer also co-founded the investment firm Rosemont Seneca with Hunter Biden. And then Archer founded BHR Partners, which was a joint venture between Rosemont Seneca and a Chinese investment firm named Bohai Capital.
Archer Has Checkered Past
Worth noting: Archer had to resign from BHR Partners when he became the subject of a federal investigation. And, more significantly, Archer was sentenced to 366 days in prison “for defrauding a Native American tribal entity and various investment advisory clients of tens of millions of dollars in connection with the issuance of bonds by the tribal entity and the subsequent sale of those bonds through ‘fraudulent and deceptive means,’ according to the Justice Department.”
Obviously, Archer’s criminal history doesn’t necessarily negate his ability to outline the relationship between Joe and Hunter Biden, but Archer isn’t some Mother Teresa-type witness here. He’s a white-collar criminal. But then again, maybe Archer’s past – paired with the close-knit relationship Archer has enjoyed with Hunter – helps to suggest the point Republicans have been trying to make all along, which is that Hunter Biden involved his father in murky business dealings.
I don’t know. Republicans have been investigating the Bidens for months. Comer will jump up on a press podium once in a while and make some big announcement as if he’s found Jimmy Hoffa in Biden’s basement – but it’s always anti-climactic. No smoking guns. Nothing chargeable. So forgive me if I’m not expecting much to come out of Devon Archer’s testimony.
Some information is coming from the testimony, albeit it is very early days. As CNN noted:
“Archer provided no evidence connecting President Joe Biden to any of his son’s foreign business dealings.
After the interview concluded, a second source told CNN that Archer did affirm to the committee that Hunter Biden was selling the “illusion” of access to his father, but later clarified that the president’s son was actually selling the illusion of access to Washington, DC, and knowledge of how it worked.”
Don’t Expect the Hunter Biden Investigation to Conclude Anytime Soon
The Hunter Biden investigation will continue in perpetuity. House Republicans have too much invested to just walk away. Comer has been promising some big reveal for months, (“Joe Biden lied to the American people when he said he knew nothing about his son’s business dealings,” Comer said in a recent statement, “Evidence continues to be revealed that Joe Biden was very much involved in his family’s corrupt influence peddling schemes and he likely benefited financially.”) he can’t close up shop now.
Harrison Kass is the Senior Editor and opinion writer at 19FortyFive. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
From 19FortyFive
The Second American Civil War Has Begun
