Global Courant
EXCLUSIVE: Republican Rep. Darrell Issa said President Biden “lied” about his involvement in his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings, berating the White House counsel’s office for providing a “shield” to protect against answers to questions about the issue.
Issa, R-Calif., pointed to the White House’s apparent shift in reporting in an interview with Fox News Digital after the House Ways and Means Committee released testimony last week from two IRS whistleblowers alleging the Justice Department was being influenced by politics in his investigation of Hunter Biden; slowly the probe ran; blocked questions about Joe Biden and his involvement; and more.
Last week, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre began answering questions about whether the president was involved in his son’s business dealings.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., left; President Joe Biden, right. (Getty Images/AP)
BIDEN DENIES LYING ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN BUSINESS DEAL TALK
“When the White House spokesman gets caught up in what turns out to be untrue, a lawyer becomes the norm,” Issa told Fox News Digital.
“For months and months, both the president and spokespersons on his behalf have been saying that the president had no business dealings with his son Hunter Biden,” Issa said. “It switched now a few days ago – it switched to he was ‘never in business’ with his son.”
“Huge difference,” Issa continued.
“What we can take away from the change is that it is no longer considered true that he had no communication with his son,” Issa said, pointing to recent coverage of emails, messages and alleged conversations involving the president himself. . in discussions related to Hunter Biden’s business ventures.
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE SPARTS WITH REPORTERS, REFUSES TO ANSWER HUNTER BIDEN QUESTIONS IN TESTY EXCHANGES
Meanwhile, Issa also told Fox News Digital that the White House counsel’s office “provides a shield because the White House counsel is not answering the questions.”
“The White House spokesman is supposed to answer questions, and when they turn a question into a non-answer, that becomes the impediment,” Issa said.
But Issa stressed that the “White House narrative has changed.”
“Clearly the president lied — he lied about his relationship with Hunter Biden in business transactions that initially made Hunter Biden millions of dollars tax-free,” he said.
President Biden snapped at reporters asking him about alleged corruption involving him and his son, Hunter Biden. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
A spokesperson for the White House law firm told Fox News Digital, “The president has never done business with his son.”
When the president was asked directly on Monday if he was lying about not communicating with his son about his business dealings, he said, “No.”
Issa’s comments come after an IRS whistleblower shared a 2017 WhatsApp message in which Hunter Biden reportedly told a Chinese business associate that he and his father would make sure “you will regret not following my directions.”
“I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment has not been fulfilled,” Hunter Biden told Henry Zhao, the director of Chinese asset management firm Harvest Fund Management, in the message from IRS whistleblower Gary. Shapley. “And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang or the chairman, I will make sure that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to always a grudge that you will regret not following my directions.”
The House Ways and Means Committee released that testimony after the Justice Department announced that Hunter Biden will plead guilty to two counts of willful failure to pay federal income taxes as part of a deal expected to keep him out of jail.
The president’s son also agreed to enter into a preliminary diversion agreement regarding a separate charge of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.
Brooke Singman is a digital political reporter for Fox News. You can reach her at Brooke.Singman@Fox.com or @BrookeSingman on Twitter.
