Presumed US president-elect Joe Biden has vowed that his family’s dealings – including those of his son, Hunter – will not conflict with his role as commander in chief, dismissing prior allegations of inappropriate business deals.
“My son, my family, will not be involved in any business, any enterprise, that is in conflict with or appears to be in conflict, with the appropriate distance from, the presidency and government,” Biden told CNN’s Jake Tapper in an interview on Thursday.
BIDEN: “My son, my family will not be involved in any business, any enterprise, that is in conflict with or appears to be in conflict with or appears to be in conflict whether it is an appropriate distance from the presidency and government.” pic.twitter.com/2N1q66h9AF
The business ties of both Hunter and Jim Biden – the son and brother of the president-elect, respectively – have come under fire in the past, with a bombshell New York Post report in October alleging the two peddled the career politician’s influence to foreign companies.
Based on a trove of emails reportedly obtained from a computer belonging to Hunter, the report also indicated that Joe Biden, as vice president under Barack Obama, met with an executive at Ukrainian gas firm Burisma, where Hunter sat on the board of directors and raked in a $50,000 monthly salary despite having no prior experience in the industry. The Biden family has denied all wrongdoing, with the former vice president insisting he never spoke with his son about any of his business transactions.
Tapper’s query to Biden about potential conflicts of interest came just hours after the conservative muckraking outfit Project Veritas leaked recordings from CNN’s daily morning briefings, in which network president Jeffrey Zucker is heard urging subordinates to dismiss the explosive Post story. Dubbing it “the Hunter Biden email disinformation campaign,” Zucker slammed the report’s main source, attorney and Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, as a “useful idiot,” apparently echoing allegations the emails were part of a ‘Russian disinformation’ scheme.
BREAKING 9AM CALL: @CNN President Jeff Zucker BLASTS @RudyGiuliani As “Useful Idiot” In 9AM Call With Senior Leadership”There is a term for what Rudy Guiliani is suspected of being, which is “useful idiot”” “From America’s Mayor to Useful Idiot”#CNNTapespic.twitter.com/mF4MdPgF1c
However, both the director of National Intelligence and the FBI have stated that they have seen no evidence to indicate Russian involvement – as CNN itself reported in October.
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