Bobulinski testifies Jim Biden admitted family conducted business through 'plausible deniability'
Former Hunter Biden associate Tony Bobulinski testified that Jim Biden admitted to him during a 2017 meeting that the Biden family was able to conduct its business despite the president's high profile because of ‘plausible deniability.’
Two former business associates of Hunter Biden testified publicly on Capitol Hill on Wednesday as congressional Republicans pushed forward with their impeachment inquiry against President Biden, leading to several tense and revealing moments.
Tony Bobulinski, a U.S. Navy veteran who formerly served as Hunter Biden's business partner, appeared publicly for the House Oversight Committee hearing. Jason Galanis, another Hunter Biden business associate who is serving a 14-year prison sentence, testified virtually from Federal Prison Camp, a minimum-security prison for male inmates in Montgomery, Alabama.
Democrats invited Lev Parnas, who was sentenced to 20 months for violations connected to campaign finance, wire fraud and making false statements, to testify about his work with Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine.
GOP LAWMAKER SAYS REPUBLICANS ‘DON’T HAVE THE GUTS’ TO IMPEACH BIDEN
Former Hunter Biden business partner Tony Bobulinski, center, testified before the House Oversight Committee Wednesday about the Biden family's alleged "influence peddling." (Getty Images)
'Blatant lies': Bobulinski accuses Hunter Biden of lying under oath
Bobulinski said Wednesday that Hunter Biden lied under oath while speaking to lawmakers earlier this year about his father's involvement in his business dealings.
Questioning Bobulinski, Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., said, "During his deposition, Hunter Biden repeatedly testified under oath that his father was not involved in his business in any capacity and that there wasn't even a connection between his father and his businesses. Here is just one example, quote, 'I just state for the record one more time, under oath and under penalty of perjury, my father has never been involved in my business. I have never asked my father to be involved in my business. My father has never benefited from my business, and I have never asked anyone or my father to do anything for the benefit of anyone I've ever done business for.'
"Yet the Ways and Means Committee released a WhatsApp message that was provided by the IRS whistleblowers showing that Hunter Biden wrote on July 30, 2017, quote, 'I'm sitting here with my father, and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. I'm sitting here waiting for the call with my father.' Moreover, you testified that Hunter was not shy about his ability to get his father on the phone. And Devin Archer testified that there were multiple instances in which Hunter placed his dad on speaker phone.
"Mr. Bobulinski, was Hunter Biden telling the truth when he testified under oath that his father was never involved in any of his business dealings?" Smith asked.
Bobulinski responded, "No, he was not. Those are all blatant lies."
Bobulinski claims President Biden's son, brother committed 'perjury'
During Wednesday's hearing, Bobulinski said Hunter Biden and Jim Biden, the president's brother, committed perjury.
Bobulinski, who claimed that Hunter Biden "lied throughout his testimony" in a transcribed interview to the House Oversight Committee in February, provided what he believed to be one example of Hunter Biden's "perjury."
Hunter Biden "lied to the committee on important details concerning his money demands and threats to [the] CEFC" in text messages on July 30 and July 31 in 2017, according to Bobulinski.
"He leveraged his father’s presence next to him in that infamous text to strong-arm CEFC to pay Hunter immediately," Bobulinski said.
Additionally, Bobulinski claimed Wednesday that James Biden, the president's brother, "also lied extensively throughout his transcribed interview on Feb. 21 and perjured himself."
"An example of that, on page 100 of his transcript, Jim is asked specifically, 'Do you recall having a meeting with Hunter Biden, Tony Bobulinski and Joe Biden?'"
"Jim's response: 'Absolutely not,'" Bobulinski added.
Later in the hearing, Bobulinski claimed James Biden admitted to him during a 2017 meeting that the Biden family was able to conduct its business despite the president's high profile because of "plausible deniability."
James Biden in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 21. (Jim Watson/AFP)
Committee Democrats, Republicans spar over which party's witnesses are more credible
Democratic and Republican members sparred during Wednesday's hearing over which party's witnesses were more credible.
Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents Washington, D.C., began by noting Galanis' conviction for financial crimes, saying he is serving a lengthy sentence at a federal prison.
She was followed by ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who also noted Galanis' convictions but also attacked Bobulinski for offering "a lot of rhetoric and a lot of hot air but absolutely no facts" that would warrant impeaching President Biden.
"Nobody on their side can even tell us what is the impeachable high crime and misdemeanor, which suggests that they are moving in the direction of criminal referrals, and they should start by looking at their own witnesses," Raskin said.
Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., pushed back by reminding Norton and Raskin "the witness, Mr. Galanis, was partners with Hunter Biden."
"That's why he's here. We have their partners. You could have invited partners, but you invited this guy," Comer said, motioning toward Parnas, a former aide to Giuliani.
The members began speaking over each other before Comer moved on to Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., for his questioning.
Grothman began by noting that Parnas was also convicted of crimes and sentenced to federal prison.
Former Hunter Biden business associate Jason Galanis, inset, testified from prison to House lawmakers working on the President Biden impeachment inquiry. (Facebook | AP)
FORMER HUNTER BIDEN ASSOCIATES TESTIFY PUBLICLY IN NEXT PHASE OF IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY
Bobulinski targets Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, says he 'begged' him to look at phone evidence
Bobulinski said Wednesday he "begged" Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and his staff to sit down with him to review the text message evidence he had on his Blackberry cellphone regarding the alleged wrongdoings by members of the Biden family.
Bobulinski's comments came after Khanna refused to question him and spoke only to Parnas.
"If you noticed, Congressman Khanna scurried out of here very quickly, and I'm actually disgusted as I sit here that he didn't address me based on the fact that I'm sitting here in front of the world trying to testify to the truth," Bobulinski said shortly after Khanna's time expired.
"I have messages I'm willing to produce to both the Democrats and the Republicans that Ro Khanna sent to me saying, 'You have always demonstrated to me that you're nothing but honest with the highest integrity individual,'" Bobulinski said. "I was begging for him to go CNN and tell the world in October 2020."
"I have extensive emails with Congressman Ro Khanna in 2021 and 2022, where I begged him and his staff to sit down with me and look at my BlackBerry phones that the Democrats are so focused on, to hire forensics experts and go through all of the factual information I had," he added. "So, the fact that he did not even address me and then scurried out of here is disgusting to me."
In a statement to Fox News Digital about the matter, Khanna said, "I have reviewed extensive information presented to the committee on this matter. I have always respected Tony's past service to our nation as I value anyone who wears the uniform, and I will continue to take my duty seriously on the committee and review all the evidence."
Regarding Bobulinski's claim that he had spoken to the California lawmaker about the evidence, a Khanna spokesperson told Fox, "Tony reached out a few times, and Rep. Khanna was always gracious because he respects Tony’s service, but made it clear that any evidence would have to be reviewed through committee procedure."
Democrat taunts GOP committee chairs to hold Biden impeachment vote
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., challenged Comer and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to hold a vote on impeaching Biden during Wednesday's hearing, claiming they would do so if they had truly found enough evidence he committed high crimes and misdemeanors.
The exchange took place after Moskowitz asked Bobulinski if he felt Biden had committed high crimes and misdemeanors and should be impeached.
"I believe with all the evidence he's gathered, yes, he's proven that Joe Biden has committed high crimes and misdemeanors," Bobulinski said.
Moskowitz went on to ask Bobulinski if he felt Comer and Jordan had proven Biden committed high crimes and misdemeanors. "I know that he committed high crimes and misdemeanors. I was involved and saw them happen," Bobulinski responded.
"My point is that the chairman has not yet moved for that. And, so, look, chairman, we got, like, 3½ minutes here. I mean, let's just do the impeachment," Moskowitz facetiously suggested. "I mean, why continue to waste millions of dollars of taxpayers' money if we're going to impeach because you believe you've shown he's committed a high crime and misdemeanor?"
Moskowitz went on to mockingly motion for a vote, asking Jordan or Comer to second that vote, but neither did.
Jordan responded that the committees under GOP leadership don't do "snap impeachments," referencing the one Democrats undertook against President Donald Trump in 2019.
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In announcing the hearing earlier this month, Comer invited Hunter Biden to testify publicly, per the first son’s repeated requests. Through his attorney, Abbe Lowell, Hunter rejected the invitation.
Fox News' Brandon Gillespie and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
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