James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, stated that Devon Archer verified on Monday that President Joe Biden "lied to the American people when he said he was unaware of his son's business dealings and was not involved."
Archer, a former business associate and longstanding acquaintance of Hunter Biden, testified for hours behind closed doors before the House Oversight Committee on Monday.
Former Hunter Biden Business Partner Testifies Before House Panel
At least twenty times, Hunter Biden placed his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden, on speakerphone while meeting with business associates. Archer described how Joe Biden was asked to promote "the brand" over the phone.
Comer stated that the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability "will continue to follow the Bidens' financial trail and interview witnesses to determine whether foreign actors targeted the Bidens, whether President Biden is compromised and corrupt, and whether our national security is at risk."
Following Archer's testimony on Monday, his counsel, Matthew L. Schwartz, managing partner of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, issued a statement. According to Fox News, Comer outlined the "essential conclusions" from Monday's lengthy testimony by Archer.
Archer, who served on the board of Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings alongside Hunter beginning in 2014, told legislators that the value of adding Hunter to the board was to strengthen the company's "brand."
Archer affirmed that then-Vice President Joe Biden was "the brand," according to Comer. Archer also testified that "without 'the brand,' Burisma would have gone out of business."
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Devon Archer Confirms Joe Biden's Participation to Son's Business Dealings
According to Comer's office, Archer stated that he believed Hunter Biden's presence on the board and the "Biden brand" contributed to Burisma's longevity and that people would have been "terrified to meddle with Burisma legally because of the Biden brand."
Archer testified about a December 2015 interaction between Mykola Zlochevsky, the CEO of Burisma, and Vadym Pozharski, an administrator at the company.
Archer stated that Zlochevsky and Pozharski "constantly exerted pressure on Hunter Biden to obtain assistance from Washington, DC in ousting Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin." Shokin investigated the corruption of Burisma.
According to the source, Archer testified that on December 4, 2015, Hunter Biden, Zlochevsky, and Pozharski "called D.C." to discuss the matter. Archer testified that Biden, Zlochevsky, and Pozharski left the room to answer the phone.
It is unknown whether Hunter and the Burisma executives spoke with Joseph Biden directly about the matter. However, during the Obama administration's tenure, Joe Biden was in command of U.S.-Ukraine policy.
A source reported that Archer testified that Joe Biden traveled to Ukraine and delivered a speech on December 9, 2015. During his speech, Biden stated that the Ukrainian prosecutor's office required repair.
During Biden's ten-year tenure as vice president, he was indicted on twenty occasions. According to Rep. Dan Goldman, Archer stated that Hunter Biden and Joe Biden engaged in "casual conversation, pleasantries, the weather, and what's going on" and that there "was no conversation" regarding any of Hunter Biden's business transactions (D-NY).
The Republican and Democratic perspectives on Archer's testimony differed. According to Republican legislators, Joe Biden "lied" about his knowledge of his son's alleged misconduct. The president and White House spokespeople have repeatedly stated that he was not involved in his son's work, including Hunter Biden's ties to the Ukrainian energy company Burisma.
Per Washington Examiner, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) told reporters he believes Archer's testimony "involves the president."
Biggs stated that Archer testified that "Burisma would have failed sooner if the Biden brand had not been utilized. Due to the Biden family's reputation, it would be intimidating for people to legally interfere with Burisma. In contrast, Democrats argue that Archer's testimony demonstrates the House Oversight Committee has no case against Joe Biden.
Ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) said in a statement that Archer affirmed "President Biden was not involved in his son's business affairs and that he was never requested to, nor did he, take official action in relation to these business matters."
Archer is engaged in a dispute with the Justice Department regarding the remaining prison time he must serve. Archer was convicted of two felonies in July 2018 for his participation in a conspiracy to defraud a Native American tribe. Despite being sentenced in 2022, he has avoided serving time in prison due to a succession of appeals filed by his defense.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York asked a magistrate to set a reporting date for Archer, which Republicans criticized as interference with Archer's testimony before the Republican-controlled House committee.
By Wednesday, Archer's counsel is anticipated to provide a formal response to the US attorney's demands. Hunter Biden has recently pled not guilty to federal offenses despite an original plea agreement with the DOJ. To avoid a felony gun charge, he was scheduled to plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors, but the judge supervising the plea agreement raised concerns that ultimately led to a postponement in the case.
The prosecution and defense have less than thirty days to negotiate new provisions for the plea bargain. However, the judge's postponement does not mean that Hunter Biden's original plea agreement with prosecutors is deceased.
