# The Hunter Biden Investigation {thread started in 2019}, Hunter Pardoned on December 1, 2024 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 28, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964 "2019-09-28T19:54:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/403 "2023-07-21T19:20:04Z")
I heard that there was a question about, “chain of custody” as in the thing has passed through lots of hands and it’s all a bit hazy on who had access to it. It was also mentioned that there was some evidence of tampering/faking. I know this is all pretty vague, but I don’t remember exactly where I heard it. So grain of salt territory. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/404 "2023-07-21T19:23:35Z")
I’d definitely say chain of custody is a real problem for being willing to believe that there’s been no tampering with the contents of whatever computer equipment “Hunter Biden’s laptop” actually is. Especially considering whose hands the thing has gone through. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/405 "2023-07-21T19:24:49Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > I’d definitely say chain of custody is a real problem for being willing to believe that there’s been no tampering with the contents of whatever computer equipment “Hunter Biden’s laptop” actually is. I would agree. But even with all the possible “tampering,” they still haven’t “found” anything useful that I’m aware of. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/406 "2023-07-21T19:30:50Z")
Yes, if the thing really was so incriminating, as they’ve been hinting and alleging and braying about – but producing nothing worse than MTG’s dick porn – then there isn’t any there there. Just another smoke machine farting out toxic fumes. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/407 "2023-07-21T20:15:29Z")
Exactly. What is the smoking gun from his laptop? There’s no there there. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/408 "2023-07-21T20:18:38Z")
Republicans are horrified that Hunter fucks. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/409 "2023-07-21T20:20:28Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Republicans are horrified that Hunter fucks. - Republicans aren’t horrified at the sight of Hunter’s dick. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/410 "2023-07-21T20:29:37Z")
Not horrified at all. They seem pretty eager to view it and even send pictures of It out to the public, even maybe to children. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/411 "2023-07-21T20:30:17Z")
Republicans may be hornified at the sight of Hunter’s dick. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/412 "2023-07-21T21:27:54Z")
At least he doesn’t have a porn star comparing it to an itty bitty mushroom. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/413 "2023-07-22T16:52:34Z")
I can view “computer data” on my phone these days. Splitting that hair would take an axe. Tiedrich’s assertion, _if true,_ does answer the question I’ve asked many times: “Who the hell leaves a laptop in a repair shop and then forgets about it?” Even if you are a rich cokehead… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/414 "2023-07-23T12:29:00Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > Tiedrich’s assertion, _if true,_ does answer the question I’ve asked many times: “Who the hell leaves a laptop in a repair shop and then forgets about it?” Even if you are a rich cokehead… Computer repair shops are full of computers that never get picked up, just like the items in every other kind of repair shop. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/415 "2023-07-23T14:35:11Z")
I know, and that always seemed weird to me. Unless the unit in question is so far beyond repair that it’s not worth picking up again. And leaving the hard drive? That to me is like leaving a junked Rolls Royce with thousands of dollars in hard currency, jewelry or S&H Green Stamps in the back seat. Who would do that? (Answer from the Peanut Gallery: Someone with scads of money and a User of Recreational Pharmaceuticals.) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/416 "2023-07-23T16:41:18Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > And leaving the hard drive? That to me is like leaving a junked Rolls Royce with thousands of dollars in hard currency, jewelry or S&H Green Stamps in the back seat. Who would do that? Depending on the issue, repairing the computer might have been impossible without it. If it’s a software issue, obviously that would require the hard drive. Or if the hard drive itself is what needs to be repaired or replaced. When I worked at a computer store, most of the repairs my techs did were something in Windows itself. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/417 "2023-07-23T18:25:49Z")
Like many others he may have assumed it would never work again, and didn’t consider anyone would be looking at his hard drive. Nobody should have been looking at it either. It’s not at all suspicious that he didn’t pick it up. From what I can tell that laptop was stolen and even if there was incriminating evidence on it, and none has yet been found, the failure to maintain the chain of custody means such evidence is not credible nor could be used in a court of law. Once again, there’s no there there, nothing to analyze or consider. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/418 "2023-07-23T21:09:59Z")
I forgot to add, not all computers have removable hard drives. My agency has avoided purchasing Microsoft Surface devices because the hard drives can’t be removed. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/419 "2023-07-23T21:20:25Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Computer repair shops are full of computers that never get picked up, just like the items in every other kind of repair shop. When I worked at the Sporting good store (hunting and fishing pretty much 100%), there was a safe with maybe a dozen guns that had never been picked up. 😱 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/420 "2023-07-23T22:03:21Z")
So you’re saying one of those guns might have belonged to Hunter or his father? Someone should break into that safe and turn those guns over to various media outlets as soon as possible. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/421 "2023-07-23T22:08:45Z")
Yeah, i don’t think I’ve ever removed the hard drive when i left a laptop to be repaired, even when the repair was a new battery& keyboard. Even if the hard drive can be removed, it can be risky, and it makes it harder for the ship to test their repair. I think i even left the password with them, so they could test it. I don’t think there’s anything illegal on my computer. My financial things require two factors authentication with my phone. But I’d be pretty pissed if i learned they’d gone hunting. That’s grossly unprofessional. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/422 "2023-07-23T22:33:07Z")
A couple years ago I spilled some tea on my laptop and got the BSOD. I dropped it off to see if any data on the SSD could be recovered. The tech called the next day and said, “Your drive is encrypted. Do you have your Bitlocker Recovery key?” “It’s what? and my what?” I’d not seen anything about encrypting the drive when it was set up – apparently you have to opt _out_ of it – nor had I noticed anything about a key. If I had I surely would have recorded it in a file somewhere. Fortunately he was able to coax it back to life so the first thing I did was get that key and it’s now on a couple thumb drives and printed on paper stashed away. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964.md?page=22)