Hunter Biden 'received compensation' from Romanian businessman aiming to influence U.S. policy, special counsel in tax case says
NBCAug 08
DOJ: Romanian Businessman Hired Hunter Biden to Influence US Policy
Above: Hunter Biden departs from the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building on June 3 2024, in Wilmington, Delaware. Image copyright: Anna Moneymaker/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
In a court filing on Wednesday, Special Counsel David Weiss accused Hunter Biden of accepting over $3.1M from a Romanian businessman to "influence US government agencies" during his father Pres. Joe Biden's vice presidency.
Named as G.P. in the filing, media reports have identified the associate as Gabriel Popoviciu, who allegedly hired Biden for legal work in 2015 when he was facing a criminal investigation in Romania. Though he denied the charges, Popoviciu was convicted of real estate fraud and sentenced to seven years in prison in 2017.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
Hunter Biden has been the target of politically motivated attacks about his legitimate foreign business dealings and investments. Since he has never been charged with any crime relating to these conspiracy theories, Weiss should be precluded from raising these allegations at the trial. This case is a distraction from former Pres. Donald Trump's criminal cases and indictments to ensure Hunter's plight remains in the news while Democrats campaign to defeat Republicans.
Republican narrative
It's no secret that the Biden family earned millions of dollars from foreign entities during and after Joe Biden's time as vice president. Foreign governments directly paid Hunter Biden to influence his father's actions, which impacted national and international politics. He previously lied about his drug use when purchasing a gun in 2018; he will naturally deny violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. However, justice will prevail, and he will face the consequences of his actions.