Joe Bidenâs claims that he has never involved himself in his son Hunterâs business dealings faced new challenges this week.
First, Hunter Bidenâs former business partner Devon Archer spoke Monday with the House Oversight Committee âabout his work with Hunter Biden to court wealthy figures in China, Russia and Ukraine while Joe Biden was vice president,â according to the New York Post.
That meeting was held behind closed doors.
But then Archer sat down for a lengthy interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that was released in two parts on Carlsonâs social media channel, âTucker on Twitter.â
One major topic of conversation in that meetup was a 2011 letter from the elder Biden to Archer that appeared to indicate Joe Bidenâs intimate familiarity with his sonâs business dealings.
Biden sent a personal note on Vice Presidential letterhead to Archer after he attended a luncheon with dignitaries including Hu Jintao, who was then president of China.
âI apologize for not getting a chance to talk to you at the luncheon yesterday,â the typewritten letter begins.
âI was having trouble getting away from hosting President Hu. I hope I get a chance to see you again soon with Hunter. I hope you enjoyed the lunch. Thanks for coming.â
A handwritten addition at the bottom reads, âHappy you guys are togetherâ â an apparent reference to the business partnership between Archer and the younger Biden.
Carlson expressed amazement at the letter. âWhat was he thanking you for?â he asked Archer.
Archer called the note âa nice gesture.â
âIt was kind of the beginning of our partnership and he was thanking me and thanking Hunter,â he said.
Carlson read more into the incident. âIt was a nice gesture for sure,â he responded. âVery polite. It gets a 10 on the etiquette scale.â
Then the newsman pointedly added, âBut heâs vice president of the United States and heâs talking about foreign business deals with you and thanking you for that.â
Carlson went on, âThese are not business guys. This is the vice president of the United States. Heâs not allowed to be working on businesses with foreign governments while heâs vice president, I donât think.â
Archer couldnât argue with that. âNot that I know of,â he replied.
âBut here he is!â Carlson exclaimed.
âRight,â Archer concurred.
Not everyone is drawing the same conclusions from Archerâs testimony and evidence.
Ian Sams, White House spokesman for oversight and investigations, told The Hill that Carlson was âcherry-pickingâ information.
âThe President was never in business with his son, and even his sonâs associates are testifying to Congress that the President never discussed their business dealings and wasnât involved in them,â Sams told the news outlet.
Hunter Bidenâs lawyer, Abbe Lowell, told The Hill that his client âdid not involve his father in, nor did his father assist him in, his businessâ beyond âsmall talk.â
However, the letter â particularly in the context in which it was written â potentially indicates the contrary.
The father and son face potentially serious consequences if found to have used Joe Bidenâs political position for personal gain.
Archer is also facing legal penalties, having been convicted of trying to defraud a Native American tribe of close to $60 million in bonds, the Post reported. He was sentenced last year to 366 days in prison but has not yet begun serving the sentence.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
