It was only recently that I have come to understand what a deep bench of comic talent the Democrats command.
Consider Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-NY).
Is there a more accomplished straight man in the business?
A week ago, Devon Archer, bosom buddy and former biz partner of First Son Hunter Biden, testified in a closed-door session before the House Oversight Committee. The subject? Allegations of wholesale bribery, corruption, and influence peddling on the part of the Bidens.
Hunter is said to be the peddler (with Archer in the role of Tonto), dear old dad the product peddled. The details, now available in the transcript that Rep. James Comer, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, released last week are eyeopening to say the least.
We now know, for example, that Joe Biden was summoned to the telephone at least 20 times to chat with Hunter’s business partners in Ukraine, China, Romania, and elsewhere. What were they talking about?
According to Rep. Goldman, it was just chit chat.
“How’s it going, Dad?”
“Pretty well, son? How’s the weather there?”
You could almost see Goldman holding his breath as he said that. Would the rubes buy it?
Yes, it was the party line. CNN established that by reporting that what Hunter was selling was only the “illusion” of influence. Unfortunately for The Narrative, folks aren’t buying what they’re selling. The normally understated Jonathan Turley, an independent-minded Democratic commentator, said that Archer’s testimony revealed “the apex of corruption.”
“What we now know,” he said, “is that the President has been lying.”
Remember: Joe said over and over again that he never discussed business with Hunter. It was like a scene out of Gilbert & Sullivan’s “HMS Pinafore.”
“Did you discuss business with your son Hunter?” “Never,” quoth Joe. “What never?” “Well, hardly ever.”
Or, to quote Devon Archer: “That’s categorically false. He was aware of Hunter’s business. He met with Hunter’s business partners.”
Oops.
According to Turley, Hunter had connected his father, then Vice-President of the United States, with some of “the most corrupt people” in Europe. Millions of dollars were on the line. Many of those millions were funneled into the Biden coffers, a process that was obfuscated by an elaborate network of shell companies.
In Turley’s view, this is “shaping up to be one of the greatest corruption scandals in the history of Washington, and that is saying a lot.”
Indeed it is. And note how the administration has responded. Damaging news is released on the Bidens. The next day, another indictment for Donald Trump. Really. The timing is remarkable. On March 17, Hunter admits the laptop is his. On March 18, news breaks about Trump being indicted. On June 8, a leaked FBI document alleges that Hunter and Biden each received a $5 million bribe. On June 9, Trump is indicted. On July 26, Hunter’s plea deal collapses. On July 27, Trump is indicted. On July 31, Devon Archer testifies before the Congressional Oversight Committee. On August 1, Trump is indicted. Coincidence?
I remember Auric Goldfinger’s warning. “Once is a happenstance, Mr. Bond. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is enemy action.”
Dan Bongino nutshelled the state of play. “The democrats are correct,” he wrote.
“Outside of the bank records, the suspicious activity reports, the wire transfers, the private bank transactions, the LLCs, the texts, the emails, the WhatsApp messages, the photos of Joe with Hunter’s business partners, the voicemails to his son, the two business partners saying Joe is the ‘brand,’ the ‘big guy,’ and ‘the chairman,’ the two whistleblowers testimony, the recorded phone calls between Biden and Poroshenko, the video of Joe Biden bragging about firing the Ukrainian prosecutor, and Hunter’s statements that he’s giving his dad half his income, there is NO evidence of Joe Biden being involved.”
Ha, Ha.
But let’s go back to the gambit that Hunter was only selling “the illusion” of influence not any real-life, corrupt, quid-pro-quo bribery. Turley put paid to that as well. The fact that Hunter could pick up the phone and get his father, the Vice-President of the United States, on the line: that was the influence. This is a point that emerged over and over again in Tucker Carlson’s two interviews with Devon Archer a few days after his testimony before the House.
Mollie Hemingway quotes the conservative broadcaster Larry O’Connor on this point. “Understand this,” O’Connor noted. “Hunter getting Joe on speakerphone WAS THE DELIVERABLE.”
Indeed.
“It literally doesn’t matter what was discussed. Showing that he could get the Vice President of the United States on the phone was all Hunter had to show his clients to seal the deal.”
It is worth stressing this. “He was selling ACCESS not policy. Getting The Big Guy to pick up the phone demonstrated his ability to deliver that access. Case closed. Impeach.”
Maybe Joe Biden did discuss the weather in his many calls with Hunter and his cronies. The report, whether they knew it then or not, is stormy, with a distinct chance of impeachment.