During his testimony before Congress, Hunter Biden claimed he shut down the possibility of his father’s involvement but could not recall specifics.
Hunter Biden has addressed why one of his business partners suggested giving “the big guy” an ownership stake in a joint venture with a Chinese company.
Hunter Biden testified before Congress on Wednesday and faced numerous questions about former business partner James Gilliar’s infamous suggestion that “the big guy” receive a 10 percent stake in a venture with Chinese infrastructure conglomerate CEFC.
He first responded to a question about the “big guy” during his testimony by criticizing former business partner Tony Bobulinski and denying that his father had any involvement in his foreign business dealings. Bobulinski testified earlier this month that Joe Biden was “the big guy” and vividly recalled meeting Joe and Hunter Biden to talk through the CEFC deal.
He described an agreement executed in which 20 percent ownership was given to himself, his uncle James Biden, Bobulinski, Gilliar, and business partner Rob Walker for a holding company that would be part of a joint venture with CEFC, according to a publicly released transcript of his testimony.
The initial response from Hunter Biden prompted follow-up questions to which he gave a more detailed explanation of Gilliar’s suggestion.
“I truly don’t know what the hell that James was talking about. All I know is that (sic) what actually happened,” Hunter Biden said.
“I think that it was pie in the sky. Like Joe Biden’s out of office. Maybe we’ll be able to get him involved. Remember, again, is that Joe Biden, for the first time in 48 years, is not an elected official and is not seeking office. And so James is probably like, wow, wouldn’t be great if a former vice president could be in our business together?”
After Gilliar suggested that Joe Biden get involved, Hunter Biden claims he told Gilliar “you’re out of your mind” and shut down the possibility of making his father part of the CEFC deal. He could not recall specific actions he took to push back against Gilliar’s suggestion.
The joint-venture proposal, known as “SinoHawk,” eventually fell apart, and Hunter Biden opted to create a joint venture with CEFC and James Biden, leaving out the rest of his business associates. The new venture, Hudson West III, began in August 2017, and the Bidens received millions from the company, according to bank records and Hunter Biden’s federal tax-evasion indictment.
Hunter Biden and his business associates began working for CEFC during Joe Biden’s vice presidency but did not receive payments until afterward. In March 2017, CEFC-linked company State Energy HK wired $3 million to Walker, who distributed roughly $1 million to the Bidens, bank records show.
Hunter Biden admitted to receiving the State Energy HK money but could not recall working for the company while his father was in office. He also could not recall a meeting between Joe Biden and CEFC officials around the time of the State Energy HK wire.
Walker testified last month and provided details about the meeting in spring 2017. He described how they explored potential deals for CEFC during Joe Biden’s vice presidency.
Right before the Hudson West III deal, Hunter Biden appeared to invoke his father in a text message sent to a Chinese business associate, IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley testified to the House Ways and Means Committee in May.
“I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight,” Hunter Biden texted Henry Zhao in July 2017.
“I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father.”
Hunter Biden claimed he sent the message to the wrong “Zhao,” a person not connected with CEFC, because he was battling drug addiction and not thinking straight. The next day, he called CEFC associate Raymond Zhao, who did not receive the threatening text.
“I am more embarrassed of this text message, if it actually did come from me, than any text message I’ve ever sent,” he said. He took full responsibility for sending the text and claimed his father was not sitting next to him at the time. Images from his abandoned laptop archive place him and Joe Biden together on the day he sent the text, the Washington Free Beacon has reported.
Hunter Biden’s closed-door testimony was a major development in the House GOP’s impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden over his apparent role in his son’s foreign business dealings. House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer (R., Ky.) said Wednesday that Hunter Biden will testify publicly at some point in the future.