President Joe Biden declared $7 million more in income on his tax returns than he claimed on government transparency reports following his time as Vice President, and at least $5 million of the extra income is unaccounted for, according to The Daily Mail.
Between 2017 and 2019 the future president and First Lady Jill Biden reported $16.5 million in gross income on federal tax returns released by the Biden campaign. Most of the income was for speaking and writing engagements, the site reported, yet filings with the Office of Government Ethics covering the same period showed just $9.6 million in income for the couple.
Emails from a laptop abandoned by Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, appear to reference shady international business deals, including one with the government-controlled Bank of China. Still, no conclusive evidence has emerged that Joe Biden made money from his son’s activities. But the unexplained income continues to raise questions.
“Evidence of the president’s financial and business connections to Hunter continues to grow,” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told the outlet. “It’s imperative for the first family to show the American people the transparency that they deserve.”
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), who has been investigating Hunter Biden’s business dealings, said the news of the missing millions of dollars is “another disturbing piece of information that raises questions that deserve answers.”
The younger Biden’s laptop contains a trove of damning photos, text messages, and emails, including one that appears to suggest Joe Biden had a 10% stake in one of Hunter Biden’s deals. Another email appears to indicate Joe Biden paid his wayward son’s $737,000 legal bill at one point.
“I spoke with Hunter today regarding his bills,” Hunter’s assistant Katie Dodge wrote in a January 2019 email to bookkeeper Linda Shapero and Biden aide Richard Ruffner. “It is my understanding that Hunt’s dad will cover these bills in the short-term as Hunter transitions in his career.’”
Earlier this month the White House stated that Biden’s 2021 tax return disclosure was “once again demonstrating his commitment to being transparent with the American people about the finances of the commander in chief.”