Hunter Biden told lawmakers his close business associate paid for his brand new Porsche, not an oligarch from Kazakhstan who wired the money to buy it before dining with then-Vice President Joseph R. Biden.
But Hunter Biden admitted to House lawmakers in daylong testimony that his father popped into business meetings and made speaker-phone appearances while he met with business associates.
The details of his testimony, released Thursday in a 229-page transcript, show Hunter Biden’s determination to discredit claims his father played a role in securing business deals that helped the Biden family and associates rake in more than $20 million from Kazakhstan, China, Russia, Ukraine and other countries.
The president’s son admitted he “took possession” of the $142,300 Porsche in 2014, but distanced the car from Kazakhstan oligarch Kenes Rakishev, who Hunter Biden invited to a dinner with his then-vice president father at Cafe Milano in Georgetown, shortly after the Porsche money arrived.
“My dad stopped by. I never did anything on behalf of Kenes Rakishev or asked anyone to do anything on behalf of Kenes Rakishev,” Hunter Biden told lawmakers.
He said the car was purchased by his close business associate, Devon Archer, now a convicted felon awaiting a prison sentence for securities fraud. But he claimed not to know the money’s origins.
Archer told lawmakers earlier this year the money came from Mr. Rakishev, and was meant for Hunter Biden to buy a sports car. But he did not know what services, if any, were provided in exchange for the money.
Hunter Biden told lawmakers the car was “a payment” from Archer for his help with Archer’s real estate venture.
Republicans say Hunter Biden’s claims about the Porsche and other testimony he provided in the deposition clash with Archer and other witnesses.
They announced plans for a public hearing that would feature Hunter Biden and many of the witnesses who told investigators his father was a key figure in securing the business deals thanks to his powerful government role.
But Hunter Biden now appears unwilling to participate in a public hearing, despite demanding one earlier in place of the closed-door deposition.
He was dismissive of ex-business associates who overheard the older Mr. Biden’s speakerphone appearances or witnessed his cameos at high-stakes business lunches.
He said his relationship with his father was framed by the loss of his mother and sister in a fatal car accident that also gravely injured him and his brother.
“I’m surprised my dad hasn’t called me right now, and if he did, I would put him on speakerphone to say ‘hi’ to you and to Congressman Raskin and everybody else in the room,” he told lawmakers, referring to Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat.
The calls and appearances during business meetings, he said, were “nothing nefarious, literally.”
But Mr. Biden showed up or phoned-in while he was serving as vice president or shortly after he left office and Republican lawmakers believe the appearances by one of the nation’s most powerful political figures helped close the lucrative business deals that enriched the Biden family.
A recovering drug addict, Hunter Biden told lawmakers he was “out of his mind,” on drugs and “an absolute ass and idiot” when he sent a threatening WhatsApp message in July 2017 to Chinese energy company executive Raymond Zhao.
Hunter Biden invoked his father to threaten the company if it did not come through with a $10 million payment.
“I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled,” Hunter Biden told Mr. Zhao in the message.
Making further demands for the payment to be expedited, Hunter Biden said, “I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction.”
A few days later, the company wired $5 million from an affiliate company to an account affiliated with Hunter Biden.
The ex-vice president’s involvement in the deal was all a charade, he said.
“My father was not sitting next to me. My father had no awareness of the business that I was doing. My father never benefited from any of the business that I was doing,” he said.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
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