Hunter Biden confirmed to lawmakers during his deposition this week that the “big guy” referred to in a proposal for a deal with a Communist Party of China-linked company was President Joe Biden.
During his deposition on Wednesday, Hunter said that the May 2017 message about having a 10% stake in a deal with CEFC China Energy “held by H for the big guy,” was a message from business associate James Gilliar referring to Joe Biden. While noting this, Hunter said that his dad was not aware of the proposal and was not involved in the deal at all.
“I truly don’t know what the hell that James was talking about,” Hunter said, according to a transcript of the deposition. “My father’s never been involved with my business. He’s never benefited from my business, and he’s never taken action to benefit me or any of my business.”
When asked why Gilliar would make such a proposal, Hunter said that it was his associates who wanted Joe Biden involved in the deal.
“Remember, again, is that Joe Biden, for first time in 48 years, is not an elected official and is not seeking office,” Hunter said. “And so James is probably, like, wow, wouldn’t be great if a former vice president could be in our business together?”
House Republicans disagreed with Hunter’s characterization of his father’s involvement in his business. Last year, House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said that bank records uncovered by lawmakers reveal that Joe Biden received $40,000 in laundered money from a Chinese company affiliated with CEFC.
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According to Comer, the money to Biden originated from Northern International Capital, a Chinese company affiliated with Chinese conglomerate CEFC. Eventually, it made its way to James and Sara Biden after going through a series of money transfers between Hunter Biden-linked entities. James, the president’s brother, and his wife, Sara, then sent Joe Biden a $40,000 check as a “loan repayment.”
According to the timeline provided by Comer, the money transfers began just days after Hunter had reportedly invoked his father in a WhatsApp message to CEFC associate Raymond Zhao. The message threatened Zhao that Hunter could hold grudges and that he was sitting with his father waiting for a “commitment” to be fulfilled.
During his deposition, Hunter claimed that the message was sent when he was high or drunk and that he was not with his father, a defense critics say contradicts other evidence including photos showing him at his father’s house the day the messages were sent.