Hunter Biden associate worked with White House office on a response to explain his
Hunter Biden‘s former associate’s emails with then-Vice President’s staff from 2015 detail a closely coordinated relationship that blurred the line between official government work and the Biden family business and may be evidence of ‘collusion,’ say Republicans.
The GOP is ramping up its investigation into the Biden family’s decades-long ‘influence peddling scheme’ as lawmakers eye opening a potential impeachment inquiry into the sitting president over his connections to his son’s foreign business operations.
They are narrowing in on a series of emails between Eric Schwerin, a close business associate of Hunter’s at his investment firm Rosemont Seneca, and then-VP staffer Kate Bedingfield in December 2015 regarding Hunter’s Ukraine ties.
In an exchange on December 4, 2015 labeled ‘Quotes,’ Schwerin sought the VP’s sign-off on statements he suggested the White House use to respond to media inquiries regarding Hunter’s role in Ukrainian oil company Burisma as Joe ramped up his anti-corruption work in the country.
At the time, Hunter was serving on the board of the company making roughly $83,000 a month despite having no previous experience in the energy industry.
According to the records, Schwerin wrote to Bedingfield’s official ‘@ovp.eop.gov’ account, suggesting language ‘from a spokesperson for Hunter’ distancing Joe from Hunter’s lucrative Burisma role.
She replied: ‘VP signed off on this’ a few hours later, and then sent the statement to the New York Times and other inquiring outlets.
On the exact day of the email exchange, Hunter was actually in Dubai with Burisma executives at a dinner at the Four Seasons.
Devon Archer, far left, golfing in the Hamptons with former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, far right, in 2014
Eric Schwerin was the former president of Rosemont Seneca Partners, an investment firm co-founded by Hunter Biden
Hunter allegedly said at that dinner that he would be able to get ‘help from D.C.’ in order to relieve some ‘government pressure’ on the company as they faced corruption probes.
Archer testified before Congress last month that Burisma ‘requested Hunter, you know, help them with some of that pressure,’ and ‘D.C.’ meant his influence based on his connection to his then-VP father.
‘Well, I mean, he was a lobbyist and an expert and obviously he carried, you know, a very powerful name. So I think it was that’s what they were asking for,’ said Archer about Hunter.
He then continued on to confirm that immediately after Hunter was asked to help during the Four Seasons meeting, he ‘called his dad.’
Although Archer was not ‘privy’ to the call, he was told that ‘we called D.C.’
The emails between Schwerin and Bedingfield were first publicized by America First Legal in March as part of an ongoing Freedom of Information Act lawsuit with the National Archives.
Many of the related emails have been ‘withheld in full’ due to White House executive privilege.
Now, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is demanding the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) produce all the emails between Schwerin and Bedingfield in their full, un-redacted state.
He also asks for documents and communications between the VP’s office and staff with Hunter’s other associates including Devon Archer, Vuk Jeremic, John Robinson ‘Rob’ Walker and Jeffrey Cooper.
‘Joe Biden never built an ‘absolute wall’ between his family’s business dealings and his official government work – his office doors were wide open to Hunter Biden’s associates,’ Chairman Comer told DailyMail.com in a statement. ‘There is evidence of collusion in the efforts to spin media stories about Burisma’s corruption while Vice President Biden was publicly pushing an anti-corruption agenda in Ukraine.’
A spokesperson for NARA said that the agency has received the request from Comer and will respond ‘in accordance with the Presidential Records Act (PRA), NARA’s implementing regulations, and the governing Executive Order.’
The White House has maintained that Joe Biden has never been ‘in business’ with his son or aware of his foreign dealings.
The follow-up request comes a week after Comer wrote to NARA asking the agency to provide records detailing reports that Hunter traveled to at least 15 countries with his dad then-Vice President Joe on Air Force Two.
They accuse then-VP Biden of having ‘abused’ his taxpayer-funded office ‘to enrich his family’ by flying Hunter all over the world to meet with his business associates, according to a letter to the National Archives on Aug. 29 obtained by DailyMail.com.
Hunter tagged along with his powerful father during official vice president trips between 2009 and 2017 to Asia, Europe, Africa, Mexico and Canada spanning at least 15 different countries, according to a recent report by Fox News.
During the trips, Hunter would reportedly meet with his international business associates and potential clients. He also apparently offered short ‘handshake’ meetings providing his partners direct access to his father on several occasions.
They demanded all Air Force Two flight records and emails sent from the White House to Biden family members during the Obama-Biden administration.
Additionally, new records have revealed that then-Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter’s investment firm Rosemont Seneca exchanged over 1,000 emails during his time as the No. 2 most powerful politician in the world.
Hunter Biden’s business partner Devon Archer revealed that Ukrainian oil company Burisma used vague terms to demand he use his influence as the then-vice president’s son for help. Hunter and his father are seen meeting Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov (right) and oligarch Kenes Rakishev (left)
Eric Schwerin was a close business associate of Hunter’s at his investment firm Rosemont Seneca
Then-Vice President Joe Biden waves as he walks out of Air Force Two with his granddaughter Finnegan Biden and son Hunter Biden on December 4, 2013 in Beijing, China
Republicans claim there is mounting evidence that the then-vice president was involved in Hunter’s overseas deals that raked in millions from nations including China, Romania and Ukraine.
The House Oversight Committee Republicans reiterate their ‘concerns’ that foreign nationals ‘sought access and influence by engaging in lucrative business relationships with high-profile political figures’ immediate family members,’ including members of the Biden family.
DailyMail.com reached out to NARA for a response to the Republican-led letter last week, and a spokesperson said Comer’s ‘request’ has been received.
‘NARA has received the request from Chairman Comer, and will respond in accordance with the Presidential Records Act (PRA), NARA’s implementing regulations, and the governing Executive Order.’