Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida walked out of Hunter Biden’s closed-door deposition on Wednesday and expressed his thoughts on the testimony. He stated that parts of Hunter Biden’s testimony were “interesting” and that “telling tall tales must run in the family.”
Biden was summoned to testify as part of an impeachment inquiry against his father, President Joe Biden, following Republican scrutiny on his overseas business relationships. The investigation is focused on Hunter Biden’s past work with Ukrainian gas company Burisma when his father was vice president. Joe Biden has stated that he had no involvement in his son’s business dealings and did not financially benefit from them.
During the deposition, Hunter Biden explained his reason for being on the board of Burisma, which Gaetz found amusing. According to Gaetz, Hunter Biden claimed that he joined the board to “counter Russian aggression.” Gaetz remarked that he had not heard that explanation before and sarcastically thanked Hunter Biden for his contribution to the fight against Vladimir Putin.
When asked about Hunter Biden’s opening statement, Gaetz described it as “strange” and said that the Republican party had been “hunting” him in a “partisan political pursuit” of Joe Biden. Hunter Biden accused Republicans of spreading “innuendo, distortion, and sensationalism” and disregarding any evidence that disproves their baseless conspiracies.
Gaetz also commented on the value Hunter Biden brought to the companies he was associated with. He stated that they have asked these questions and concluded that there was no real benefit to having Hunter Biden on their boards. He believes that Hunter Biden’s role was nothing more than a bribe masquerading as an international business transaction.
Despite Hunter Biden’s claim that he joined the board to counter Russian aggression, it is unclear how his presence would have had any impact on the situation. According to the “influence peddling timeline” provided by the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, Biden joined the board of Burisma in 2014, the same year Russia invaded Crimea. This raises doubts about the true intention behind Hunter Biden’s involvement with the energy company.
???? Matt Gaetz says Hunter Biden claims he joined the Burisma board to counter Russian aggression.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 28, 2024
Gaetz believes that Hunter Biden’s testimony was just another “interesting” story to add to the collection of Biden family tales. Whether it’s Joe Biden’s arrest on his way to meet Nelson Mandela or an encounter with a long-deceased Amtrak conductor, the Biden family seems to have a knack for telling unbelievable stories. And the reason for Hunter Biden’s role on the board of Burisma, as explained by Gaetz, is just another addition to this list of laughable and ridiculous tales.