• bauhaus@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Curious how none of these Republican house committee members gave a damn when everyone of Trump‘s children did this for their entire lives. Now they suddenly have a problem with Hunter Biden doing it?

    Give me a fucking break 

    • ShyDrusi@lemmy.caOP
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      I think you’re missing the point. It’s one thing to use your parents’ influence to get ahead in business, but it’s another thing entirely to use their influence to withhold international aid and pressure a foreign government to kill a corruption investigation into the company that you just so happen to sit on the board of. Granted, these are all just allegations at this point, but that’s why this case is receiving so much attention.

      • disasterpiece@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I know you’re just repeating talking points and not actually advocating for one side or the other, but I do want to provide some balance to this part

        use their influence to withhold international aid and pressure a foreign government to kill a corruption investigation into the company that you just so happen to sit on the board of

        The corruption investigation in Ukraine was being lead by an investigator, Viktor Shokin, who was himself so corrupt that he drew international condemnation (before this investigation was even opened)

        Multiple western governments, including the Obama administration, had demanded he be replaced for failing to prosecute corruption cases, and Ukrainian investigators and anti-corruption watchdogs have said that Shokin was fired because he had made no progress in the fight against corruption.

        https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1247320

      • bauhaus@lemmy.ml
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        Well, if you can produce evidence of that, or if anyone else can produce evidence of that, then it should be investigated. Currently, there is no evidence of that. Therefore, an investigation into that does not seem to be warranted. Not legally, anyway.

        You even admit that all there are are “allegations”. That’s not enough to even sustain a search warrant. You can’t just go violating someone’s rights because you have some sort of allegation or suspicion. And the GOP is trying to start some conspiracy circus because they don’t have dirt on Joe Biden, so they’re trying to get to him by making up a bunch of crap about his son instead. and while Hunter Biden may be kind of a scumbag, unless they can actually produce evidence that he did anything illegal with regards to his father, and they haven’t been able to so far, there’s no reason to start a house committee investigation.

      • jubalvoid@lemmy.zip
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        1 year ago

        I think you’re missing the point. Ousting Shokin wasn’t Biden blocking corruption investigations, it was him literally doing the bidding of the Obama administration, and was supported by the IMF and the entire G-7. That’s why he was proud of it, because it was an example of him doing his job exceptionally well. Also Shokin liked to open investigations then leave them open as blackmail, which is exactly what he did to Burisma, so this isn’t some smoking gun.

      • Alien Nathan Edward@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        I think you’re missing the part of the report where this “bombshell testimony” confirms that that never happened, and all these charges hinge on the implication that it could just because Hunter is Joe’s son. This is about, to quote the testimony, “the illusion of access to the president”.

    • DarkWasp@lemmy.world
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      Because they don’t care and never cared. They’re entirely disingenuous and trying to call them out on hypocrisy as if it matters is a losing game.

      • kescusay@lemmy.world
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        It’s not great, but it’s also not a big deal. Kids flaunt their famous parents.

        The difference here? Trump’s kids actually legit sold access, with their father’s enthusiastic consent* and involvement.


        *The only time he’s ever cared about consent

        • AngrilyEatingMuffins@kbin.social
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          Hunter Biden and his uncle literally ran a mutual fund that he sold to investors as giving access to Joe. The FBI shut it down.

          Dems are showing their true colors on this. Ivanka and Jared were rightly called out for years but Hunter does almost the same shit, just worse, and even approaching it with that level of analysis gets shouted down. Could political parties give a fuck about their own team’s corruption, please? Dems are supposed to be different but boy howdy the us vs them mentality is so fucking strong.

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            Amazing. Not one word of that was true. Impressive accomplishment.

            No, Hunter wasn’t doing “almost the same shit.” No, it wasn’t “worse.” And the reason it gets “shouted down” is because it’s lying bullshit, and we’ve got no reason to put up with that.

            This “both sides” garbage - as if Hunter name-dropping his dad is identical to Trump’s kids literally selling access to theirs - with his enthusiastic involvement - is reprehensible. It’s disgusting, it’s sick, and it’s disingenuous.

              • Jeff@lemm.ee
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                From that article since we are talking Trumplestiltskin the CheetosRaper endorsing his KorruptoKidz:

                There’s no evidence that Joe Biden used his power inappropriately or took action to benefit his relatives with respect to these ventures. These entanglements could pose problems for Democrats as they seek to draw a contrast with President Donald Trump, who they accuse of corruption for mixing politics with his own family’s business ventures.

                I left the rest in there since this is from 2019 and pre-Traitor Sedition. I do not like the Bidens anymore than the Kennedys or Clinton’s but these do not compare.

          • MrSpArkle@lemmy.ca
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            1 year ago

            Dollar per dollar, what the trumps did is literally worse. They literally made billions off of foreign deals, meanwhile hunter funneled how much? Math is math.

      • Ducks@ducks.dev
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        I would say it’s worse in Trump’s case because Ivanka and Jared had been working for the white house. Jared also had security clearance which he never should have had.

        When Hunter works for the government or runs for office, then I’ll care. Right now he’s just a private citizen and he doesn’t seem to have any influence in his father’s job.

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        The answer in this case is neither.

        But you’ll notice a deafening absence of criticism from the right when The Idiot’s children did all this and much worse, and vanishingly little liberal defense of Hunter.

        There is no great Democratic hypocrisy on this subject. He was going to plead guilty and be sentenced and nobody really objected. What he did was undesirable and gross and apparently over-the-line, but it’s not much of a scandal even on pre-Idiot levels. (Five or six years of constantly going “holy shit what the fuck is going on?” has tilted that scale to where this barely registers.)

        On the other hand - Republicans suddenly feigning deep concern about nepotism and propriety is so two-faced that it’s not even funny. Idiot Junior, whats-her-face, and Eric were only outdone in classical naked corruption by The Idiot himself, because he’s too stupid to know why people act coy about it. He pardoned Rod Blagojevich. His children aren’t screaming narcissists, so their efforts were slightly more subtle, while still including overt criminal behavior.

      • joe@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        This isn’t strictly true, but even if it were, do you see anyone on the democratic side opening investigations into the Trump kids doing this?

        • keeb420@kbin.social
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          Tjey should at least investigate jared and Ivanka in the white house and their business dealings. Like how he got a bailout on his tower and the $2 bill from the Saudis. Did Jared trade our secrets and security for $2 billion?

          • joe@lemmy.world
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            Because it’s not worth the resources to worry about. The GOP is just doing it because they don’t actually know how to govern; they need something they can point to that looks like they’re actually doing something, and they know it spins up their low education voters.

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              Pretty much this. The democrats put their resources into passing infrastructure and inflation bills and investigating the events around Jan 6.

              Everyone agrees that the Trump kids got up to no good but the relative seriousness of their crimes compared to everything else Trump did was pretty small.

              Since the Republicans have no actual dirt on Joe Biden and are about as capable of passing legislation as a bag of ornery chipmunks, they latch onto these ‘scandals’ that would barely be a blip for any Republican administration.

          • Chalky_Pockets@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            This implies that the republicans had a good idea, which should have given you pause for thought in and of itself.

              • bitsplease@lemmy.ml
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                Nepotism isn’t actually illegal (though it’d be nice if it were)

                You can’t prosecute someone based on laws you feel should exist. That’s what fascists do.

                If you have issues with this sort of thing (which happens at all levels of politics and business, not just with Trump and Biden), then you should write your representative about it and advocate for new laws to be made.

                Hell, id cosign that letter, but I wouldn’t advocate for the prosecution of someone based on laws that don’t exist, not even the Trumps (though I do happily advocate the many prosecutions underway for the things they’ve done that are genuinely illegal)

                • keeb420@kbin.social
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                  1 year ago

                  Actually it is illegal for the president to hire family members. There was a law passed that says exactly that.

              • bauhaus@lemmy.ml
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                If you can produce any evidence that they did anything illegal, then, yes, there should be an investigation into that. 

              • Jeff@lemm.ee
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                Only because he placed them into public servant governmental roles. Those are specific and unique.

      • bitsplease@lemmy.ml
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        It’s bad in the sense that I wouldn’t want to hang out with someone who did it, but there’s nothing illegal in using your famous parent to get a leg up in your own dealings.

        It makes you seem like a spoiled trust fund kiddy, but last time I checked, being obnoxious isn’t actually a crime.

        The point being made isn’t that it’s OK for Hunter but bad for the Trump kids, it’s that its being made out as a conspiracy and crime for Hunter by republicans, whereas those same Republicans had no issue whatsoever with the Trump kids doing it (and continuing to do it today)

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        1 year ago

        I think if either party wants to be taken seriously, they should start by looking within their own party and prove that nobody is above the law.

        Trumps, Bidens I don’t care. But instead of attacking your political opponent’s family, why not show the world what you stand for yourself by persecuting those within your own party.

        “Lead by example”

        • Chalky_Pockets@lemmy.world
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          Are you under the impression the democrats don’t do that? Every time I’ve seen a democrat scandal in recent history at least, they call for the guilty to step down and, where possible, remove them.

          • cassetti@kbin.social
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            Are you under the impression the democrats don’t do that?

            Where exactly did I say democrats aren’t narcissists?

            I’m not defending biden or trump - I specifically said …

            Trumps, Bidens I don’t care.

            Nobody is above the law. But if you want me to take you seriously when the other side is in party, focus on your own side first and lead by example.

            Neither side is innocent.

            Personally over my life I have voted for candidates of both parties depending on who it was and the time in my life. But I have never voted for the same candidate in two elections, because not a single candidate has ever proven to me that they are worth a second vote. Maybe I’ve just lived in some crummy regions, but I don’t get how someone can vote for these politicians election after election

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    When did it become illegal to say “do you know who my father is?”

    Lots of kids in salmon colored shorts are heading to prison!!

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      Around the same time as when it became only allowable when trump’s spawn does it.

      • neptune@dmv.social
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        I’ll never vote for Hunter or Jared for political office. That much is sure.

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        So what? It may be unsavory, but I don’t see how any of this is illegal. And I especially don’t see why they should be wasting taxpayer dollars on this huge circus of an investigation into something that’s not illegal. Hunter Biden is not an elected official, nor does he hold public office appointed, or otherwise. He’s a private citizen, and going after him is just a slimy way of attacking Joe Biden indirectly because the Republicans don’t have anything on him. 

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          If the only defense you have for the behavior is “well its not illegal!” then you’re pretty much just admitting it’s indefensible. It’s just as corrupt when Joe Biden’s kid does it as it is when Trump’s spawn do. If he’s so unaffiliated and detached from his father as a private, non-political citizen then why do you care if he gets put through the wringer for being an influence peddling little shit?

          • bauhaus@lemmy.ml
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            who said Hunter Biden needs a defense? he’s not accountable to you or to anyone.

            he doesn’t hold nor is he running for public office. he’s a private citizen. HE’S ALLOWED TO BE A SCUMBAG. and if you don’t like that, too bad.

            he doesn’t owe you or anyone else an explanation, a defense, or anything else.

            • underisk@lemmy.ml
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              Do you think it should be legal for people to go around using your father’s political position to peddle your influence? Are you unwilling to entertain the idea that it’s possible he did do something that actually is illegal while being an immoral scumbag? If not, then why not just shrug your shoulders and let them fight it out, instead of rushing to point out how totally legal it is to be a piece of shit.

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                It has nothing to do with my feelings or your paranoid rhetoric. It has to do with the facts of the matter, and whether you have any evidence at hand that warrants dragging him before congressional committee just because you don’t like who his dad is. Which you don’t.

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                  You’re right that I don’t like Biden. I don’t think it’s paranoid to suggest that someone who was blatantly peddling influence may have possibly run afoul of one of the few toothless corruption laws we have. Personally, I’d like to see all dynastic influence peddling political children dragged before a congressional committee, especially Trump’s, but I’m not gonna cry foul because the one that got bit by it is the one whose father falls closer (but still quite far from) my beliefs on some political spectrum. If he wanted to remain a private citizen free from political and public scrutiny, then he shouldn’t have gone around selling access to his familial political connections.

          • Alien Nathan Edward@lemm.ee
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            what would you like us to do about not-illegal behavior involving not-the-president? you’re not the president, and presumably you’ve done things that are not illegal, so keep that in mind when you formulate your response.

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              When people engage in shit I find to be immoral I do not care a single bit when they face consequences for the immoral things they did. Legality is not part of my moral calculus. You’re right that Im not the son of the president so I don’t have to worry about this bullshit slippery slope you’ve conjured to deflect with.

              • bauhaus@lemmy.ml
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                Then, why do you hypocritically keep demanding that a private citizen be dragged before Congress for a complete circus sham of a hearing when there’s no evidence that he broke the law, other than the fact that you just don’t like him, of course….?

                And why should Congress give a shit about your “moral calculus”? 

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        I don’t think anyone on either side of the aisle (except for the most die-hard thoughtless folks I suppose) would argue against it being immoral, but that’s the whole point - immoral != illegal

        You can absolutely look down on Hunter for doing it, hell, you can absolutely look down on Joe for not coming down on Hunter for it, but there’s no crime here, despite the conservative medias best efforts to make it seem like there is one, so they can report on that instead of the numerous actual crimes that Trump is on trial for.

    • ShyDrusi@lemmy.caOP
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      I’m reposting this comment because it’s relevant:

      “I think you’re missing the point. It’s one thing to use your parents’ influence to get ahead in business, but it’s another thing entirely to use their influence to withhold international aid and pressure a foreign government to kill a corruption investigation into the company that you just so happen to sit on the board of. Granted, these are all just allegations at this point, but that’s why this case is receiving so much attention.”

      • g0nz0li0@lemmy.world
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        Granted, these are all just allegations at this point

        Very dubious allegations that they are failing to prove when you consider that their own witness testified that Hunter and Joe Biden would discuss casual, personal matters in the phone and explicitly not Hunter Biden’s business.

      • neptune@dmv.social
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        Yep. If Hunter Biden did those things he should held accountable. Same as tax fraud.

        The larger issue is that it appears Joe was entirely not involved. I mean, if I killed my neighbor would my father stand trial alongside me? Nope.

      • Falmarri@lemmy.world
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        It’s relevant in showing that you’re only interested in posting talking points, not actual reality, or anything that you actually know yourself. Otherwise you’d be embarrassed to post something this wrong

      • Grant_M@lemmy.ca
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        You’re talking about trump and the trump crime syndicate when they attempted extortion on the Ukrainian government and were impeached for it, yes?

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    Archer was also asked if then-Vice President Biden regularly “checked in on his son, who’s admitted he’s had issues with drugs.”

    “Every day,” Archer replied. But asked whether he had ever heard them discuss the “substance of Hunter Biden’s business,” he responded, “No.”

    He asked Archer, “Is it fair to say that Hunter Biden was selling the illusion of access to his father?”

    Archer replied, “Yes.”

    Glad to have confirmation of the nothingburger, I guess.

    • MarxMadness@lemmygrad.ml
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      In response to questions from Congressman Goldman about the [Joe Biden] brand’s alleged impact, Archer said that it appeared to shield Burisma “because people would be intimidated to mess with them…”

      Republicans on the committee asked Archer about two dinners, one in 2014 and another in 2015 at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., with Hunter Biden’s foreign business associates, both of which the then-vice president attended…

      Archer, according to the transcript, also testified that the elder Biden was put on speaker phone with business contacts, potential business associates including foreign national “maybe 20 times” during the course of Archer’s and Hunter Biden’s business relationship. Joe Biden was put on the phone to sell “the brand,” Archer said.

      It looks like a conscious effort to imply favoritism without being stupid enough to say it out loud. It’s not normal to invite your dad to dinner with your business associates, especially when your dad is VP. It’s not normal to loop your dad in on a bunch of business calls, especially when your dad is VP.

      Is anyone seriously suggesting Hunter Biden got on the board of a Ukranian energy company on his own merits? There’s one reason you have that guy in a plush job.

  • laminam@lemmy.world
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    Call their bluff and introduce comprehensive anti-nepotism law reforms across the political landscape. So many people in positions of power and influence would have too much to lose if they can no longer hand out favors to their spouses, children, and inlaws.

    • Cavemanfreak@lemm.ee
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      It would be incredibly funny if this would be the thing that brought stricter laws for that lol.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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      Don’t forget Jared, the Saudi Royal Family’s best Jewish buddy. (I just find it odd they would be buddies.)

  • Alien Nathan Edward@lemm.ee
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    Then, Rep. Dan Goldman, Democrat of New York, asked Archer if he had any knowledge that Joe Biden had any direct involvement with Burisma, and Archer replied, “No.”

    So what they’re saying, it seems, is that merely being Joe Biden’s son while trying to do business is corruption because it implies that you could go talk to your dad on someone’s behalf if you wanted to. Please let them define that as corruption, I would love for every wealthy failson, Hunter included, to be corrupt by definition.

    • rockstarmode@lemmy.world
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      From the article:

      Archer, according to the transcript, also testified that the elder Biden was put on speaker phone with business contacts, potential business associates including foreign national “maybe 20 times” during the course of Archer’s and Hunter Biden’s business relationship. Joe Biden was put on the phone to sell “the brand,” Archer said.

      Be honest, that isn’t selling the “illusion” of access. That’s Hunter saying “do what I want, or I get my dad on the phone to fuck up your life. Don’t believe me, here, talk to him yourself”

      • tastysnacks@programming.dev
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        Point still stands. Please make this illegal. Republicans, please push your legislatures to make this illegal. We’ll back you up.

      • ThrowawayOnLemmy@lemmy.world
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        And plenty of kids without parents in positions… My dad works at xbox dude, I swear I’m gonna hack you if you spawncamp me again.

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      The difference is that there is proof of their wrongdoing, And the fact that they were actual political appointees while they were doing it, not private citizens

      • uid0gid0@lemmy.world
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        So Biden should just give his son top secret clearance and a spot on the White House staff and everything will be business as usual and the Republicans won’t care?

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          hehehe. if Hunter Biden wants the Republicans off his ass, he should declare himself a Republican. then they’d suddenly call him a saint, and everything he does would be the best thing ever!

    • Killgannon@lemmy.world
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      I KNEW prior to clicking on the comments the first post I read was going to be “but what about Trump?!?”

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    This is so weird to see as a European. You have Trump who directly or indirectly provided millions to his entire family - and the Republicans ignore it entirely -, and then you have Biden where his son made a statement like this.

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      It’s not weird at all, once you realize it’s all about a team sport mentality (and I’m being REALLY generous here) and not about integrity and honor.

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        Good point. The two-party system has its advantages, but clearly also it’s flaws.

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      1 year ago

      Its equal parts sad, terrifying, infuriating, depressing, and embarrassing. The Republican Party as we once knew it, is gone and the ilk that have replaced it have no principles, morals, ethics, or honor.

  • Iwasondigg@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    Fascinating to watch republicans suddenly care about this. Where were they when Trump was president?

    • stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub
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      1 year ago

      For thee and not for me

      Just remember though, keep this same energy for the people you trust too and the people in your in-groups.

      Objectivity is tough to obtain but easy to pursue!

  • sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz
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    1 year ago

    Republicans are milking this distraction for all that they can. Their dumb ass constituents don’t even know they’re being played. Or they like being played, it lets them comfortably embrace their ignorance and lack of character.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    In response to questions from Congressman Goldman about the brand’s alleged impact, Archer said that it appeared to shield Burisma “because people would be intimidated to mess with them.”

    In a separate line of questioning by Republican congressman Andy Biggs, of Arizona, Archer was asked whether the brand was about "Dr. Jill or anybody else.

    Republicans on the committee asked Archer about two dinners, one in 2014 and another in 2015 at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., with Hunter Biden’s foreign business associates, both of which the then-vice president attended.

    Archer’s interview was the latest development in the GOP’s investigations into Hunter Biden as Republicans seek to tie his controversial business dealings to the president.

    The Oversight Committee has sought information on any possible involvement from the president in his son’s foreign business deals for months.

    His conviction was overturned later that year, and U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abram wrote in her decision she was “left with an unwavering concern that Archer is innocent of the crimes charged.”


    I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • hark@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I hate how corruption is so rampant in politics. Trump did much worse, but this shouldn’t be seen as nothing.

  • rstrube@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Trump was incredibly corrupt and certainly deserves to be punished, but this doesn’t in anyway excuse what happened with Hunter Biden peddling influence for millions of dollars to foreign companies. When you dig into the details it’s really quite shocking. I also fully acknowledge that this probably happens with other powerful families - which I would argue should also be rooted out and potentially punished.

    I wish we would stop being so tribal - always rationalizing and defending bad behavior when it’s “our side”. We should call this out whenever it happens, regardless of party and political affiliation. Politics has become like sports, and we’ve become like rabid sports fans. It’s really dysfunctional.

    Personally I think neither party deserves any sort of allegiance whatsoever. They’re both working for their own self-interest and to stay in power, and they’re largely controlled by elites. I’ll vote for whatever candidate talks about the corruption money plays in our political system, which in my opinion this is the largest threat to our democracy.

    • TheActualDevil@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Is anyone defending Hunter Biden? I mean, I’m sure someone is (other than his lawyers who are paid to), but from what I’ve seen, everyone is of the thought that what he did is wrong and he should be prosecuted. Your comment feels like along winded “both sides” while propping up a strawman for one side and comparing it to a real person on the other and calling them equal.

      • rstrube@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        That really wasn’t my intention, but I can see why you might think that. For the record I’ve largely voted Democratic (probably 80%+ over the past 4 election cycles - I do split my ticket typically) - so I’m definitely not trying to strawman here for the right.

        I think there’s more and more evidence that Biden knew more than he originally admitted to, and that’s what I’m referring to. At the end of the day I really just think money corrupts politics and we should call that out whenever we see it.

      • rigatti@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        He should be prosecuted if he did anything illegal. But as far as I’ve heard he hasn’t (other than whatever tax stuff he was charged with).

        • TheActualDevil@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          You’re commenting in a thread about an article publishes 2 days ago about an ongoing investigation by the oversight committee. There has to be an investigation and illegal actions found before prosecution can happen. This is literally an active evolving thing and you’re acting like you’re upset that we haven’t just jumped right to punishment.

          And you still just blew right past being confronted with your “both sides” lies. Just moved right on to the next talking point, huh?

          • rigatti@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I think you were thinking I’m someone else… to the point that I’m not actually sure you read my comment.

            I’m not upset about Hunter Biden in any way. I don’t give a shit about Hunter Biden because he’s a private citizen. If he did something illegal, he should be prosecuted, just like anyone else (including Trump who did many obviously illegal things).

            I’m not one of the people out there saying both sides are the same.