In a recent closed-door House deposition, Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Kevin Morris, revealed that the urgency to file Hunter Biden’s tax returns was prompted by the first impeachment of then-President Trump in February 2020. The testimony, reviewed by Digital, sheds light on the political and personal factors that led to the filing.
Morris, during his interview with congressional investigators, acknowledged an email from February 2020 that mentioned “political risk” amid the ongoing election cycle. At that time, then-former Vice President Joe Biden was a candidate in the Democratic primary, and Republicans had threatened to call Hunter Biden to testify in the Trump impeachment proceedings.
According to Morris, the Trump impeachment process and the possibility of Hunter Biden being called to testify played a significant role in the decision to file his tax returns urgently. Morris emphasized the importance of tax compliance as part of Hunter Biden’s recovery from addiction issues.
However, Morris clarified that the political concerns were not directly related to Joe Biden’s candidacy for the White House. He stated that the risks were primarily due to Hunter Biden’s personal situation and the widespread media coverage surrounding him.
During the House Oversight Committee hearing, Chairman James Comer raised concerns about the financial support provided by Morris to Hunter Biden. Comer suggested that the loans and financial assistance were an attempt to shield Joe Biden from potential political liabilities. Morris admitted that the loans provided to Hunter Biden did not have to be repaid until 2025, after the next presidential election, and could potentially be forgiven.
The impeachment of Trump in December 2019 stemmed from a phone call in which he urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate the Biden family’s actions and business dealings in Ukraine. Democrats viewed this as a potential quid pro quo, as military aid to Ukraine had been frozen. Republicans, on the other hand, were investigating Hunter Biden’s business dealings with Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings.
Joe Biden, during his time as vice president, successfully pushed for the firing of Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin, who was investigating Burisma Holdings. Biden acknowledged that he had threatened to withhold $1 billion in U.S. aid if Shokin was not fired. Biden’s allies argue that his actions were motivated by concerns about corruption and were in line with the U.S. and international community’s stance.
As part of the impeachment inquiry, Republicans are now looking into any involvement Joe Biden had in his son’s business dealings. They have obtained an FBI FD-1023 form with allegations from Burisma CEO Mykola Zlochevsky, who claimed to have been coerced into paying Joe Biden and Hunter Biden millions of dollars to secure Shokin’s firing.
Meanwhile, Hunter Biden has been under federal investigation since 2018. He has recently been charged with federal tax violations, including a “four-year scheme” of not paying taxes and filing false tax reports. Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The deposition of Hunter Biden’s lawyer provides insights into the complex dynamics surrounding his tax returns and the political context of the Trump impeachment process. As investigations continue, the implications for both Biden and Trump remain significant. Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving story.
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