The House Oversight and Accountability Committee has initiated an investigation into President Biden and is currently requesting access to various records. These records include some of Mr. Biden's emails from his time as vice president, as well as all drafts of a speech he delivered to Ukraine lawmakers in 2015. The interest in these records stems from concerns regarding his son's involvement in a high-paying job on the board of a Ukraine energy firm.
Mr. Comer has made a comprehensive request to the National Archives. Among the specific documents he seeks are the email from the Archives, along with unredacted versions of other emails involving Hunter Biden. These emails were only partially disclosed by the archives, and Mr. Comer wants to examine them thoroughly. Additionally, Mr. Comer is seeking all official vice presidential emails and documents of Mr. Biden, particularly those copied to Archer and Eric Schwerin, both of whom are Hunter Biden's business associates.
Comer underlines the desire for unredacted records to shed light on potential corruption within the Biden family. While President Biden has asserted the existence of an "absolute wall" between his family's business endeavors and his role as vice president, evidence suggests that access to favorable opportunities may have been readily available.
In addition to the demand for records from the National Archives, newly released bank records reveal significant financial transactions involving the Biden family and associates with Russian, Kazakh, and Ukrainian oligarchs during Mr. Biden's vice presidency. Furthermore, Hunter Biden's former business partner, Devon Archer, attests to the vice president's involvement in business dinners and meetings with associates.
Previously, the National Archives released a White House scheduling email sent to then-Vice President Biden, which included Hunter Biden and was related to a call with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. These email correspondences become particularly relevant considering Hunter Biden's position on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy firm looking to evade a corruption probe.
These request documents were previously copied to Hunter Biden and involve a scheduling card. Furthermore, Mr. Comer is also interested in acquiring all official vice presidential emails and related documents that were shared with Archer and Eric Schwerin, another business associate of Hunter Biden.
The investigation seeks to garner a comprehensive understanding of any potential improprieties and explore the extent of the Biden family's involvement in questionable dealings. The House Oversight and Accountability Committee aims to ensure transparency and address any concerns of corruption.
It is worth noting that Archer is currently facing a year in prison due to an unrelated securities fraud conviction. However, Mr. Comer's focus remains on obtaining relevant documents and communications. In particular, he is interested in any documents that used pseudonyms when referring to Mr. Biden during his tenure as vice president. This practice has raised concerns, prompting Mr. Comer to investigate further.
One specific email of interest involves a call between Mr. Biden and Mr. Poroshenko. This particular email was sent to Mr. Biden under the pseudonym Robert L. Peters. It is not yet clear if Hunter Biden played a role in this call beyond being included in his father's email correspondence about it. Interestingly, this call coincided with Hunter Biden's appointment to the board of Burisma, a position that paid him $1 million per year. According to Archer, Burisma hired Hunter Biden to help avoid charges from Ukrainian General Prosecutor Viktor Shokin.
In his communication with the National Archives, Mr. Comer made it clear that his panel seeks access to these records in order to address deficiencies in the current legal framework regarding ethics laws and financial disclosure for the immediate family members of Vice Presidents and Presidents. Addressing these deficiencies is crucial to safeguarding American national security and interests.
The extensive nature of Mr. Comer's request underscores the significance of these documents in the ongoing investigation and legislative efforts.