# 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:** 27
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/523 "2023-08-12T19:50:56Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > I’m not yet ready to go that far. Can you explain the unethical and very illegal conduct? I’m not saying it doesn’t exist, I just haven’t seen a clear explanation I think it’s pretty clearly established that he was trading in on the Biden name, which is something most kids from prominent families do. Icky, but common. There’s also a reasonable suspicion that he was implying to business associates that he could influence his father in policy matters in order to secure deals with them, which is a bit more serious, but still in the same ballpark of trading on his name. There has been no evidence that he actually tried to influence his father or that his father was influenced in any way. Just slander and innuendo at this point. ---
**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:** [August 12, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/524 "2023-08-12T20:01:28Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > the Repubs are looking like fools here. (And I’m saying this as a conservative-libertarian who did not vote for him.) In my opinion, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. The R’s have begun to believe their own propaganda. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/525 "2023-08-12T20:22:33Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > I thought it was agreed that he’d bought a gun while he was addicted to drugs and that there was some issue with his taxes Hardly unethical, as I addressed. > [@MulderMuffin](#): > > I think it’s pretty clearly established that he was trading in on the Biden name If that’s unethical, legions of people in the world have to confess their sins. Nepotism and knowing the right people have always been paths to success. > [@MulderMuffin](#): > > There’s also a reasonable suspicion that he was implying to business associates that he could influence his father in policy matters in order to secure deals with them Ok, now we’re drilling down into the supposedly unethical and illegal stuff. Except…the repeated “influence” stories I hear relate to the bullshit story about firing the Ukrainian prosecutor. As has been repeated ad nauseum, he was corrupt and everybody agreed he needed to go. So what else is there? I thought the supposed Chinese “big guy”‘deal was after Joe Biden left office. Can you just lay out the theory? ---
**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:** [August 12, 2023, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/526 "2023-08-12T20:24:23Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Hardly unethical, as I addressed. I was more focused on the illegal aspect. And these are pretty minor sins, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/527 "2023-08-12T20:26:42Z")
Birther. Benghazi. Big Lie. Biden Crime Family. I think I’d like to buy a vowel? ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/528 "2023-08-12T20:38:54Z")
Or even a different consonant. ---
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/529 "2023-08-12T20:56:24Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Except…the repeated “influence” stories I hear relate to the bullshit story about firing the Ukrainian prosecutor. As has been repeated ad nauseum, he was corrupt and everybody agreed he needed to go. The stories about actual influence peddling DO seem to be all bullshit. Nothing at all has been shown that Hunter actually tried to influence his father or that Joe Biden was influenced. That’s what the propoganda is alleging. At most they _may_ be able to show that Hunter _said_ he had influence with his father and even possibly that he made it appear as if he could get policy changed if he was so inclined (the getting his father on speaker phone to say hello to his business associates comes to mind). As far as Hunter is concerned, he may or may not have exceeded the standard “entitled rich kid throwing his dad’s name around” conduct. There been some halfway reliable evidence that he greatly exaggerated his ability to influence his father and in effect influence policy in order to appear more important or to close business deals or whatever. There has been ZERO evidence that he actually tried to influence Joe Biden or that Biden in any way did anything for his sons business concerns. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/530 "2023-08-12T21:06:56Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > I thought it was agreed that he’d bought a gun while he was addicted to drugs. In what may be a new height of [hypocrisy](https://www.nraila.org/articles/20230626/hunter-biden-plea-deal-exemplifies-americas-gun-control-regime), the NRA is saying that Hunter Biden was undercharged on the gun crimes and should face more charges related to the handgun purchase. I’m under the impression that Hunter’s charge was an overreach and that the gun charge is seldomly charged as a stand-alone crime, it’s usually only charged if the gun was involved in another crime. It’s horrible public policy to charge these crimes after someone admits their addiction as part of rehab, because it would serve to dissuade people from entering rehab. But if the NRA and Republicans are suddenly _concerned_ about the dangers of drug users owning guns, I propose the following. Have the FBI or ATF obtain a list of people with medical marijuana cards in states where it is legal, and recreational purchasers in states that record such transactions. Then run that against a list of registered gun owners and round them all up and charge them all with felonies……marijuana is still federally illegal. Then sit back and watch conservative heads explode. Hypocrites. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/531 "2023-08-12T21:12:48Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > Or even a different consonant Then I’m afraid you’re going to find … > Butter e-mails Wholly unsatisfying. ---
**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:** [August 12, 2023, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/532 "2023-08-12T22:53:25Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > The R’s have begun to believe their own propaganda. “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” Apparently even the one telling the lie in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/533 "2023-08-13T00:51:29Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > In what may be a new height of [hypocrisy](https://www.nraila.org/articles/20230626/hunter-biden-plea-deal-exemplifies-americas-gun-control-regime), the NRA is saying that Hunter Biden was undercharged on the gun crimes and should face more charges related to the handgun purchase. That’s not really what they said. They said the Administration was being hypocritical- _If Hunter had raised [what is a serious](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ban-marijuana-users-owning-guns-is-unconstitutional-us-judge-rules-2023-02-04/) Second Amendment challenge to the prohibited person category under which he faced charges, [as was floated by his attorneys](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hunter-biden-arming-himself-second-amendment-defense-amid-doj-probe-illegal-gun-purchase-report), it would have caused his dad even more political headaches. The Biden DOJ has adamantly defended the “unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance” firearm prohibition, going so far as having the [ATF reiterate in May](https://www.atf.gov/news/pr/atf-provides-clarification-related-new-minnesota-marijuana-law) that those who use marijuana in conformity with state law still cannot possess firearms. Surely the Justice Department would (normally) defend its prerogatives under the prohibition even more strongly in the case of someone who, like Hunter Biden, was abusing crack cocaine while in possession of a firearm._ They think the law in Unconstitutional., which Legal Eagle agrees. But you cant have it both ways. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/534 "2023-08-13T11:36:33Z")
[![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/957462459176861757/1140247111829565470/facebook_1691926485777_7096454027000561263.jpg) ](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/957462459176861757/1140247111829565470/facebook_1691926485777_7096454027000561263.jpg) ---
**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:** [August 13, 2023, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/535 "2023-08-13T14:26:56Z")
What about Hunter Biden’s junk? Surely there must be some dirt ( so to speak) there? You’re not telling me they put up pictures of a person’s genitals without his consent for no reason, are you? /s ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/536 "2023-08-13T15:51:47Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > What about Hunter Biden’s junk? Surely there must be some dirt ( so to speak) there? FWIW, right after they showed Hunter’s dick pics to Congress, “Big Guy’ was trending on Twitter. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2023, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/537 "2023-08-14T13:18:06Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > They’re surely bothered by the likelihood of a genuine investigation coming up with not much, or possibly nothing. Also bad is the possibility of the investigation ending. Then, the likes of Jim Jordan will have to go back to the work that the people of Ohio elected him to do. Making laws and reading boring text and voting on stuff isn’t nearly as sexy and fun as beating the Hunter Biden drum all day long. Also, how do you keep the rubes all riled-up without this “scandal” on Fox News? Having this not bear any fruit is not as bad as not having it kept going - hence the hail Mary to get the plea deal thrown out. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2023, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/538 "2023-08-14T13:50:29Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > What about Hunter Biden’s junk? Surely there must be some dirt ( so to speak) there? Not after all that naked watersliding. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/539 "2023-08-14T18:03:11Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Except…the repeated “influence” stories I hear relate to the bullshit story about firing the Ukrainian prosecutor. As has been repeated ad nauseum, he was corrupt and everybody agreed he needed to go. > > So what else is there? I thought the supposed Chinese “big guy”‘deal was after Joe Biden left office. Yes the Ukraine thing is complete bullshit, and I haven’t heard any other claims of specific actions that J. Biden was supposed take or have taken on his sons behalf. On the other hand I could imagine Hunter making unspecific promises on his fathers behalf along the lines if you hire/start a company with me then if any hassles come up I can ask my dad to help out. Which, again, is unseemly but as common as dirt. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2023, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/540 "2023-08-14T20:42:23Z")
> [@MulderMuffin](#): > > As far as Hunter is concerned, he may or may not have exceeded the standard “entitled rich kid throwing his dad’s name around” conduct. As far as I can see, he’s guilty of playing the “Do you know who my father is?” card, which while sleazy, isn’t illegal. And that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2023, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/541 "2023-08-14T20:45:33Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Then, the likes of Jim Jordan will have to go back to the work that the people of Ohio elected him to do. Making laws and reading boring text and voting on stuff isn’t nearly as sexy and fun as beating the Hunter Biden drum all day long. …as if they’d ever do any real work of governing. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2023, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964/542 "2023-08-14T20:48:11Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Except…the repeated “influence” stories I hear relate to the bullshit story about firing the Ukrainian prosecutor. As has been repeated ad nauseum, he was corrupt and everybody agreed he needed to go. That would be on the side of Joe Biden. If Hunter was working to influence his father or anyone in the US government then he should have registered as a foreign agent. Likewise, if he tried to offer cash remuneration then that would fall afoul of bribery/corruption laws. It doesn’t matter if Joe or anyone accepted, just whether the requests were made. That’s not to say that any such attempts _were_ made, just that those would be crimes (and of the sort being intimated), which do seem plausible, and which are a bit surprising in their absence (especially the lack of a FARA charge). But, ultimately, Weiss is the champion of Bill Barr. If he’s not charging those crimes then the best bet would be that either, 1) Hunter didn’t do those things, 2) there’s insufficient evidence that Hunter did those things, or 3) Hunter has granted information to the US government that they view as being of sufficient value to trade him down to the tax crimes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hunter-biden-investigation-thread-started-in-2019-hunter-pardoned-on-december-1-2024/840964.md?page=28)