The New York Times initially left out the word “financially” in its reporting about how Hunter Biden described his father’s lack of involvement in the first son’s business dealings.
But Hunter Biden’s characterization was different from how President Joe Biden and the White House have spoken about the matter in the past.
Hunter Biden announced in front of the Capitol on Wednesday that he would not be complying with the House Republicans’ subpoena for a closed door deposition regarding his business ventures.
Hunter and Joe Biden have been accused of each receiving a $5 million bribe from the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma Holdings while Joe Biden was vice president and in charge of Ukraine policy for the Obama administration.
The House Oversight Committee is currently investigating the bribery allegations and other payments Hunter and Joe Biden have reportedly received.
“Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not financially involved in my business,” Hunter Biden told reporters Wednesday.
“There is no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business because it did not happen,” he later reiterated.
The Times did not include “financially,” reporting that the first son said, “Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not involved in my business.”
This is so bad. @nytimes doctored what Hunter said today, leaving out the key word. Wow.
NYT: “Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not involved in my business.”
Hunter: “Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not *financially* involved in my business.” pic.twitter.com/cDQEnShr6n
— Hans Mahncke (@HansMahncke) December 13, 2023
However in an updated version of the story published later in the day “financially” was added to the Hunter Biden quote.
Hunter Biden: “Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not financially involved in my business … during my battle with addiction, my parents were there for me. They literally saved my life … to suggest that is grounds for an impeachment inquiry is beyond the absurd” pic.twitter.com/J8W7vTIMPT
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 13, 2023
GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio — chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and member of the House Oversight Committee — pointed out the “huge change” Hunter Biden’s inclusion of “financially” was when compared to previous statements made by President Biden and the White House on the subject.
“Which means, sort of means, he’s involved. I think that’s how anyone with common sense would read it. [Joe Biden’s] been involved, just not financially,” Jordan argued. “That is a huge departure from everything they have said now for the last three-and-a-half years.”
“This statement today, I think, is the biggest news of the morning,” the congressman said.
Jordan ran down President Biden’s changing story regarding his involvement.
Is the New York Times biased?
“First it was no involvement. Then, ‘No, I never talked to anyone.’ And then we find out about the dinners, the meetings, the phone calls, and everything else. Now, it’s ‘Oh, he wasn’t involved in the business financially.’ I think that is important. It’s one of the reasons we want to talk to Hunter Biden,” the lawmaker said.
Fox News reported during the 2020 presidential campaign, Joe Biden said he “never discussed with my son or my brother or anyone else anything having to do with their business, period.”
But this past summer, the White House began saying Biden was not “in business” with his son during his vice presidency.
“As we have said many times before, the president was not in business with his son,” White House counsel’s office spokesman Ian Sams said in a June 29 statement.
“The answer remains the same,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a July 24 briefing. “The president was never in business with his son. I just don’t have anything else to add.”
House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer told reporters, “We have a simple question, and the majority of Americans have a question: What did the Bidens do to receive tens of millions of dollars from our enemies around the world?”
“And we also want to know what role Joe played,” Comer added. “We believe that Joe Biden’s known about this all along because he hasn’t been honest with the American people.”
The chairman argued that President Biden’s story has changed, that large portions of money was transferred to the Biden family while he was vice president, and that numerous shell companies were set up to receive and distribute it.
“This is about public corruption at the highest levels,” Comer said.
Wednesday evening the House voted to move forward with a formal impeachment inquiry into President Biden.
