In a contentious deposition that has captured the attention of both the political sphere and the public, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, has brought to light allegations by Republicans of witness intimidation and aggressive behavior by Democratic members of Congress against Tony Bobulinski, a former business associate of Hunter Biden.
The session, which was held behind closed doors on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, has intensified the ongoing impeachment inquiry led by House Republicans into alleged influence peddling and other criminal activities involving the Biden family.
Bobulinski’s testimony is central to the impeachment inquiry, with Republicans, including Comer, accusing the Biden family of leveraging their political influence for personal gain, particularly in business dealings with CEFC China Energy, a company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party. According to Comer, the alleged actions aimed to facilitate CEFC’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, a global development strategy adopted by the Chinese government to influence global trade and the economy.
The deposition was described by Comer in an interview with a DC news outlet as an unprecedented display of intimidation and disrespect aimed at Bobulinski by several Democratic Congress members.
Numerous previous acquaintances of Hunter Biden have informed Republicans that they haven’t witnessed Joe Biden being involved in his son’s financial ventures, which weakens the impeachment inquiry against the President.
Republicans managed to interview Tony Bobulinski last week. Bobulinski, an ex-partner of Hunter Biden, is known for his appearance as Trump’s guest during a 2020 presidential debate.
In his preliminary statement, Bobulinski portrayed Joe Biden as an active participant and benefactor of his family’s business, facilitated by a complex system to uphold plausible deniability. Bobulinski claimed to have met Joe Biden multiple times in Los Angeles in 2017 to confer about their business transactions, asserting that Joe Biden was cognizant of his son’s monetary ties with a Chinese energy conglomerate.
However, Democrats contested Bobulinski’s allegations, stating he couldn’t substantiate his assertions during the hour-long questioning. Rep. Dan Goldman expressed that despite the elaborate claims, Bobulinski admitted to having only two non-business related conversations with President Biden.
Bobulinski emerged in the 2020 political scene after alleging Joe Biden’s involvement in his son’s job in a press conference organized by the Trump campaign. Although he claimed an email suggested a stake for Joe Biden, The Wall Street Journal’s reporting indicated no role for the elder Biden, and the deal eventually fell apart.
Rob Walker, another participant in the failed deal, considered Bobulinski’s claims as hypothetical and discredited his credibility. Walker spoke negatively about Bobulinski in a secret recording with FBI agents in 2020.
Rep. Goldman asserted Bobulinski’s bitter feelings and political ambition stemming from being excluded from a deal benefiting Hunter Biden financially. Bobulinski confirmed this, accusing the Bidens of fraud.
Bobulinski criticized the federal law enforcement’s reluctance to acknowledge his claims and speak to him. He alluded to Republican allegations about the Justice Department’s favorable treatment of Hunter Biden, who faces charges of illegal gun possession and late tax payments.
According to the FBI’s summary, Bobulinski gave the agents three mobile phones containing relevant information in 2020 but hesitated to share private data, which became evident when the agents proposed replicating the full content of the phones.
Democrats questioning Bobulinski led to him labeling certain FBI agents, The Wall Street Journal, and ex-White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson as liars. Hutchinson had earlier claimed to have seen Bobulinski meet with ex-Trump White House chief Mark Meadows.
Bobulinski presented a milder corruption allegation against Joe Biden, pointing out the impropriety of family members using their surname for business benefits, a concern also raised by impartial ethics experts.
“The only reason for these global business transactions involving tens of millions of dollars straight to the Biden family was Joe Biden’s high-ranking position,” Bobulisnki stated. He added, “Joe Biden was the family business.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett suggested her Democrat colleagues have been excessively courteous in their portrayal of Bobulinski, critiquing him as being entirely offbeat.
Comer named Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Dan Goldman of New York, Robert Garcia of California, and Jasmine Crockett of Texas as the main instigators of what he perceived as an attempt to undermine Bobulinski’s credibility through aggressive questioning and behavior, including yelling and finger-pointing.
In contrast, Democratic members have challenged Comer’s narrative, with some demanding the release of the deposition’s video or full transcript to substantiate the claims of witness intimidation. They have also questioned the credibility of Bobulinski’s allegations against President Biden, noting that Bobulinski’s testimony did not conclusively link the President to the alleged business dealings or provide substantial evidence of wrongdoing.
The accuracy and implications of Bobulinski’s claims remain a point of contention, with Democrats and other witnesses questioning the veracity and relevance of his testimony.
The deposition has further highlighted the political divide in Congress, with Republicans asserting that Bobulinski’s testimony sheds light on potentially corrupt practices involving the Biden family and their connections to Chinese business interests. In contrast, Democrats have criticized the impeachment inquiry as a politically motivated attempt to discredit the President without substantial evidence.