The New York Times reports that Australian billionaire Anthony Pratt privately recorded his intentions to give Donald Trump money in order to advance his business interests in the United States. Pratt wrote, “If Potus is having his election party at mar Lago I’ll book as many rooms as available,” because doing so would not only help Trump win the election but also “be good for business.”
The Times reports that, according to witness testimony to federal prosecutors, Pratt “spent $1 million to attend the party, well in excess of the normal charge.” That is to say, Pratt was not merely indulging himself in amenities offered by Trump’s private club but consciously using those payments as a vehicle to pay Trump directly.
While there is no evidence this alleged scheme violates any criminal statute, the colloquial term for this behavior is bribery.
Meanwhile, House Republicans are continuing to circulate allegations that President Biden was connected to his son Hunter’s influence-peddling business. Representative James Comer has made a series of uncorroborated allegations that the conservative media have uncritically promoted, insinuating that Joe Biden personally benefited from his son’s business. Republicans have produced communications between Hunter Biden and his father, which might be expected between a father and a son, but no clear evidence that Joe Biden received any payments stemming from Hunter’s work.
They are attempting, so far without success, to show Biden did what Donald Trump is proven to have done.
For all the “Hunter Biden” cries, the right sure doesn’t care that Ivanka got a lot of money from China (copyright deals that were held up until her father became President) or that Jared got billions from the Saudis for a job he had never done.
When Trump children use their father’s position to make money, the right says they are just being “smart business folks.” If Hunter Biden so much as sells a glass of lemonade, the Republicans want a Congressional investigation to see if Joe was involved in any way.
We all just need to accept anything the GOP does is not in the interest of the public but only the interest of their party.
No, holding Trump to account is not something they will do because they will not benefit. No, pointing out their hypocrisy won’t change anything because they aren’t acting in good faith. There is no moral or ethical standard to adhere to because the only objective is to gain more power. In this way they are doomed to consume themselves because the more they consolidate power the fewer people can be in the in group.
Like being in a family with a narcissistic parent (the GQP), and the Golden Child who can do no wrong (who always breaks every rule).
two things can be true at once. left sweeps bidens shady dealings under the rug, right sweeps trumps shady dealings under the rug. you really can’t deny that hunter biden working at Burisma and the emails showing him promising calls with his father to business associates isn’t sketchy.
“Enlightened centrism” once again appears to promote right wing agendas.
You are seen and recognized.
I’m just a bit sick of everyone pretending like Biden is squeaky clean. You have your own agenda which results in you defending the establishment
Zero people have defended Biden. I have myself declared that if it turns out that this is actionable then he should be prosecuted. I will bet you any amount of money that House Republicans and the DOJ will find nothing actionable, just like the last thirty times they launched investigations into Democrats.
So do us a favor and stop pretending you’re morally outraged. You didn’t give a shit about many public examples of corruption in the Trump administration, you’re not going to bring up his felony indictments, and you won’t admit it when Biden is cleared of any malfeasance. You’re just here to sling mud and pretend “both sides are the same” like a good sower of disinformation. We see you. We know who you are. You will not hear from me again.
You seem a bit too paranoid, I’m just a dude giving my opinion. This whole article is defending Biden. But “no one is defending Biden” give me a break, read the fucking comments of your own post.
The left that I know would be perfectly happy if Biden went away. By all means, if there’s evidence, convict him. If not, then we can all move on. Those of us who do vote for him only do it because we know what happens when Republicans are in charge, and it’s much worse than Biden.
How is anyone supposed to convict him? Are you seriously arguing that every single crime that has evidence is convicted upon?
I accept this view as valid. But what I don’t accept is people flip flopping from this view and defending Biden from substantive criticism.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66368126
Well, you could start by gathering evidence and presenting it in a court of law. I don’t know why you think that’s an unseemly burden.
Hunter Biden is not an elected official! Who cares what he does in his free time? Jesus fucking Christ.
It’s just the son of an elected official who would put his Dad (who happens to be vice president of the United States) on the phone on multiple occasions. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66368126 Are you really arguing this has no significance?
Years later and y’all are still desperately grasping at straws. Keep trying, one of these days something will stick for sure!
Gotta love the open and blatant hypocrisy of Republicans here. The Venn diagram of people who care about Hunter Biden, and people who criticized Trump/Ivanka/Kushner for open influence peddling (including copyrights from China for Ivanka, and literally billions of dollars in unexplained income from the Saudis for Jared) is two separate circles with no overlap.
Just completely incapable of applying the same standard when the shoe is on the other foot. Actually, a much higher standard.
Jared Kushner was a government official (even though he shouldn’t have been, for literally this exact reason: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/437292-kushners-security-clearance-was-denied-due-to-concerns-of-foreign/) and we know he mysteriously received billions of dollars from the Saudi government.
Nobody gave a shit.
It’s shady shenanigans vs illegal shenanigans
Quid pro quo is illegal, just hard to prosecute since powerful people are careful to not leave traces
Did you give McDonald’s money in exchange for a burger? You’re guilty of quid pro quo.
Words have meaning, and quid pro quo is not inherently illegal.
Uhh i’m obviously talking about in the context of politics. I know you think you said something smart but you didn’t.
And it still doesn’t matter. No matter if you or I think it should be otherwise, bribery laws are quite narrow in this country.
Quid pro quo is illegal ONLY IF IT BREAKS THE LAW
Edit- caps for emphasis, not yelling 😁