Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden called a man at a campaign event in Iowa on Thursday a “damn liar” after he said Mr. Biden had sent his son Hunter to Ukraine to work at an energy company — an issue that has become central to House Democrats’ impeachment probe.
“[You’re] a damn liar, man — that’s not true,” Mr. Biden said after the attendee said the 2020 Democratic presidential contender was “selling access to the president.”
“Look, the reason I’m running is because I’ve been around a long time and I know more than most people know and I can get things done — that’s why I’m running,” he said.
“You want to check my shape … let’s do push-ups together, man. Let’s run. Let’s do whatever you want to do. Let’s take an IQ test,” Mr. Biden, 77, also said after the man reportedly referred to Mr. Biden’s age.
“No one has said my son has done anything wrong,” he said during the tense exchange. “Get your words straight, Jack.”
While Mr. Biden was vice president, Hunter Biden held a lucrative position on the board of the energy company Burisma Holdings. In 2016, Mr. Biden had threatened to withhold $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees unless Ukrainian leaders fired a prosecutor who had reportedly been eyeing Burisma.
House Democrats are investigating whether President Trump improperly pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into launching investigations, including into the dealings of Mr. Biden and his son in Ukraine, and the 2016 U.S. presidential elections.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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