Comer gives update on Biden impeachment probe
House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., joins "Hannity" to discuss the ongoing probe into President Biden's alleged connection to Hunter Biden's business dealings.
Hunter Biden’s business associate involved in his dealings with Chinese energy company CEFC is expected to appear for a closed-door transcribed interview Thursday morning before the House Oversight and Judiciary committees.
Mervyn Yan, who worked with the first son on deals with Chinese energy company CEFC, was subpoenaed last November to appear as part of the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden.
He is expected to appear at 10 a.m. on Capitol Hill.
JOE BIDEN RECEIVED $40K IN 'LAUNDERED CHINA MONEY' FROM BROTHER IN 2017, COMER SAYS
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan notified Yan of his subpoena and explained the reason for compelling his appearance.
"President Biden has received money originating from China via James and Hunter Biden, individuals with whom your client has previously engaged in business," Comer and Jordan wrote to Yan's attorney. "James Biden maintained a business relationship with Hunter Biden, and the two engaged in several business deals, including a deal with Chinese energy company CEFC China Energy (CEFC), which is closely ties to the Chinese Communist Party through its founder, Chairman Ye Jianming."
President Biden and son Hunter (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Fox News Digital first reported on the funds transferred to Joe Biden in November.
Comer said the "money trail" began in July 2017 when Hunter Biden demanded a $10 million payment from a CEFC associate. In a WhatsApp message, Hunter Biden "was sitting with his father and that the Biden network would turn on his associate if he didn’t pony up the money," Comer said.
Hunter Biden in the WhatsApp message allegedly told a Chinese business associate from Chinese energy company CEFC that he and his father would ensure "you will regret not following my direction."
Hunter requested the $10 million wire for his joint-venture with CEFC called SinoHawk Holdings.
"I am sitting here with my father, and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled," Hunter Biden told Henry Zhao, the director of Chinese asset management firm Harvest Fund Management. "And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang or the chairman, 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."
Zhao responded, in part, "CEFC is willing to cooperate with the family."
The Oversight Committee then obtained bank records that showed on Aug. 8, 2017, the $5 million in funds were sent to Hudson West III, a joint venture established by Hunter Biden and CEFC associate Gongwen Dong. The same day, Hudson West III sent $400,000 to Owasco PC — a separate entity controlled and owned by Hunter Biden, Comer said.
Days later, on Aug. 14, 2017, the records show Hunter Biden wired $150,000 to Lion Hall Group, a company owned by James Biden and his wife, Sara Biden. By Aug. 28, 2017, Comer said Sara Biden withdrew $50,000 in cash from Lion Hall Group and later deposited it into her and James Biden’s personal checking account.
Sara Biden wrote a check to Joe Biden a few days later for $40,000, with a memo line of the check reading "loan repayment."
Hunter Biden, son of President Biden (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images)
While President Biden has maintained he was never in business with his son, text messages obtained by Fox News Digital in 2020 revealed that in May 2017 he met with Hunter's business associates for the Sinohawk venture, specifically Tony Bobulinski. The meeting on May 2, 2017, would have taken place just 11 days before a May 13, 2017, email obtained by Fox News in 2020 that included a discussion of "remuneration packages" for six people in the business deal with CEFC.
HUNTER DEMANDED $10M FROM CHINESE ENERGY FIRM BECAUSE 'BIDENS ARE THE BEST,' HAVE 'CONNECTIONS'
The email includes a note that "Hunter has some office expectations he will elaborate." A proposed equity split references "20" for "H" and "10 held by H for the big guy?" with no further details.
The "big guy" has been said to be a reference to President Biden.
President Biden (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Also, Fox News Digital in December 2020 reported that Hunter Biden, his CEFC associate, Gongwen Dong, and Joe Biden shared office space in Washington, D.C., in September 2017.
Meanwhile, Comer and Jordan, in demanding Yan’s testimony, said they expect he will "provide evidence that is relevant to the impeachment inquiry," specifically related to his "knowledge of how James Biden and Hunter Biden operated their businesses and structured their financial transactions, and your client may also know whether and how President Biden has been involved in his family’s business dealings."
Comer and Jordan also said Yan could be in a position to provide information on whether Joe Biden, as vice president or as president, "took any official action or effected any change in government policy because of money or other things of value provided to himself or his family, including whether concerns that Chinese sources may release additional evidence about their business relationships with the Biden family have had any impact on official acts performed by President Biden or U.S. foreign policy."
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., left, Hunter Biden and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio (Getty Images)
They also said he may provide evidence of whether Joe Biden "abused his office of public trust by providing foreign interests with access to him and his office in exchange for payments to his family or him" or "abused his office of public trust by knowingly participating in a scheme to enrich himself or his family by giving foreign interests the impression that they would receive access to him and his office in exchange for payments to his family or him."
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Yan’s transcribed interview is expected to take place a day before Hunter Biden business associate Rob Walker appears for testimony and weeks before Hunter Biden appears for his deposition.
Biden defied his subpoena to appear for a deposition on Dec. 13 and was at risk of being held in contempt of Congress.
His attorneys and the committees came to an agreement last week that the first son will appear for a closed-door deposition on Feb. 28.
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