Hunter Biden defends himself in op-ed: The president’s son went on the offensive this week, in USA Today, to defend himself against Republican attacks.
Hunter Biden Fires Back
In recent weeks, the House Republicans have taken a bit of a pause on their all-Hunter Biden, all-the-time political strategy, with the GOP in that chamber focusing instead on their weeks-long speaker fight.
Republicans have continued to talk about their “Biden Crime Family,” narrative, while the House GOP continues to make insinuations, not always substantiated, about money the president received that was “laundered.”
As for Hunter Biden, he has been indicted on a weapons charge, after a previously announced plea bargain fell apart, and he is awaiting trial.
The president’s son, on the other hand, has fought back, first with a series of lawsuits against various parties, including Rudy Giuliani, for his role in the dissemination of his laptop. Hunter Biden also sued former Trump White House aide Garrett Ziegler for similar reasons, with subpoenas also issued to the likes of Steve Bannon and Roger Stone.
And now, the president’s son has authored an op-ed, that was published this week in USA Today.
“I fought to get sober. Political weaponization of my addiction hurts more than me,” the headline of the piece says. In it, the younger Biden takes aim at everyone from Republican politicians to the New York Post and accuses them of making things difficult not only for himself but for others who are struggling with addiction issues.
In the op-ed, Hunter states that he has been in recovery from addiction for four years. This dates back to 2019, which was around the time his father began running for president.
“My struggles and my mistakes have been fodder for a vile and sustained disinformation campaign against him, and an all-out annihilation of my reputation through high-pitched but fruitless congressional investigations and, more recently, criminal charges for possessing an unloaded gun for 11 days five years ago – charges that appear to be the first-ever of their kind brought in the history of Delaware,” the president’s son writes.
Hunter, in the piece, acknowledges that he has made mistakes, and writes “I’m not a victim.”
But he then goes on to rip the media coverage of his troubles, and the effect it may have on others dealing with addiction.
“What troubles me is the demonization of addiction, of human frailty, using me as its avatar and the devastating consequences it has for the millions struggling with addiction, desperate for a way out and being bombarded by the denigrating and near-constant coverage of me and my addiction on Fox News (more airtime than GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis) and in The New York Post (an average of two stories a day over the past year).”
The Post, indeed, writes about Hunter Biden constantly, and even often posts photos, sometimes naked, that were obtained from the laptop of the president’s son. One such photo was once even displayed in Congress by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).
“It is already a near-impossible decision for addicts to get sober, and the avalanche of negativity and assault of my personal privacy may only make it harder for those considering it,” he writes in the op-ed.
The op-ed does not mention the incident, earlier this year, when cocaine was found in the White House, and the assumption was made by much of the conservative media that it belonged to Hunter. The Secret Service concluded that they could not ascertain who the cocaine belonged to.
“The effort of recovery is something that should be celebrated, and I hope that despite my role as the punchline and punching bag for some, others will also make the effort I have made, one day at a time, and get honest with themselves and the people who love and rely upon them.
The effort is worth it. You are worth it. I am living proof of that.
Author Expertise and Experience:
Stephen Silver is a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive. He is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Stephen has authored thousands of articles over the years that focus on politics, technology, and the economy for over a decade. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
