REPORT: Crux of Devon Archer's Testimony Was 'We Sold Access Essentially - This Was Our Brand'
By Susie Moore
Hunter Biden’s business partner Devon Archer sat for a transcribed interview with members of the House Oversight Committee and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) on Monday.
While the interview was still ongoing, Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) addressed reporters on a break to try and minimize the impact of Archer’s testimony, acknowledging that Hunter Biden frequently placed his father, then-Vice-President Joe Biden, on speakerphone while meeting with business associates but attempting to handwave the significance away as just “talking about the weather” and other niceties.
As the interview was drawing to a close on Monday afternoon, George Washington University Law Professor Jonathan Turley joined Bill Hemmer and Gillian Turner on Fox News to weigh in information that has emerged from the interview thus far, specifically from Fox News reporter Chad Pergram, who spoke to an unnamed source. Turley has previously opined that Joe Biden “clearly lied” throughout his presidency to the American people about his involvement with Hunter’s business dealings, both himself and through his representatives. On Monday, Turley reiterated that point but asked the ultimate question regarding the president’s actions: “Why did he lie?”
While it may be several days until a transcript of the interview is released and the American public can fully assess Archer’s testimony, Turley drove home some key points in this segment.
Asked whether he believes the Bidens’ story regarding the extent of Joe’s involvement with Hunter’s business dealings is slipping, Turley said:
Well, it’s breathtaking that Representative Goldman would come out of this meeting, from what we’ve learned from Chad, and say that “It was just a dad being a dad.” It’s really unbelievable.
You know, you have now an account of these meetings talking about getting rid of Viktor Shokin, the prosecutor, and calls being made to the Vice President at that time, Joe Biden. You have an account of over 20 such calls. And you have someone who says, “Yes, the President was part of ‘moving the brand.'”
Well, what was the brand? I mean, this was an influence-peddling brand, and the object of that influence peddling was Joe Biden. He was an essential part of that, and he played that role. So, if this is true, and I’ve no doubt of the reporting of Chad, then the President has lied. He lied during the presidential debate, he’s lied for years, and he’s had staff at the White House lie – that’s always a serious matter. And the next question is: Why did he lie?
Regarding the White House’s insistence that this is a personal matter or family matter and whether they could continue to make that case, Turley observed:
No. This was a family business, not a family matter. The Bidens have always been in the business of influence peddling – they have for years. And even some of the media that protects him has admitted that – that Joe Biden’s brother and Hunter actively sought to engage in influence peddling – the view of most of us. I mean, this was a classic operation. But what’s different is the level of involvement of then-Vice-President Joe Biden – direct involvement.
And it’s insulting to tell the American people that this is just a “private family matter.” What do you think influence peddling is? I mean, this is not, you know, “Can we get an invitation to the Biden Delaware beach house?” This was, “Can we get influence in the administration? Can we count Joe Biden as part of this “brand” and this team?
Asked of the import of the fact that many of the stories Republicans have been discussing regarding the Bidens appear now to be backed up by what is known of Archer’s statements, Turley summed the situation up thusly:
The thing is, look, we have to put aside the Democratic denials. We’re not going to get people like Goldman or others to admit what is clear evidence now of influence peddling, false statements, special dealings – all of that is well-established. And the American people aren’t buying it, you know, for all these denials, the polls show that they see this for what it is.
So we’re back to the question of Speaker McCarthy, when he said a few days ago: “What do you want me to do about this? I mean, do you want me just to walk away?” We now have one of the closest friends of Hunter Biden saying, “Yeah, we sold access, essentially – this was our ‘brand’ – the Vice President, Joe Biden, was directly involved.” Do we walk away from that? Or do you get answers for that? Because nobody outside of Washington is going to view this as a family matter.”
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