I think the point is that Hunter isn’t accused of any actual crime I’m aware of. All he did was take a seat on the board of a foreign company, which realistically probably hoped that it would help sway American policy.
That he had no knowledge of the business isn’t criminal - I think US boards end up with lots of semi-famous ‘names’ just so they can say that someone famous is part of their company. For example:
Seems unlikely that she has any sort of deep knowledge in all three of those diverse industries.
There’s some specific crimes for which the answer is “yes”, such as treason, but they’re crimes against the US even if commited on foreign soil. If Hunter’s foreign job was illegal just on account of being for a foreign company, a lot of despicable American elites are doing illegal jobs right now.
He gave a truthful account of the state of Homeland Security on live TV a week or two ago, basically noting that the entire agency has been decapitated to three levels deep and that as far as the security of the homeland is concerned, the country is flying blind and undefended.
I’ve been meaning to look up the actual interview.
On a side note, the principal component of Benedict Arnold’s treason was to weaken the defenses of West Point so that it would be easy to take over.
One of the main Republican talking points seems to be that Hunter Biden’s reported salary of “up to $50,000 a month” was inherently criminal. Speaking as a guy getting by on Social Security, a small stipend and the proceeds of a part-time job, Biden’s generous wage kind of pisses me off, but I am unaware of any US law capping salaries earned while working for a foreign company. Long as he paid whatever taxes were required, we good.
I love in the discussions of his replacement that we have just abandoned the idea that in the United States, the Senate is supposed to be confirming nominees. Just another conservative principle thrown in the trash.
Well, I’m not a lawyer, but I’m sure if I went to country X, that the US doesn’t have an extradition treaty with, and killed people while live-streaming it, and then came back to the US, I would be arrested and tried for murder.
“My son Eric, who does not know me, did very little work for our Country and was very nasty after he begged me for a job (and I said NO!) Now guilty of crimes that have nothing to do with me - TOO BAD!”
IANAL, but I believe you’re correct that US law enforcement generally doesn’t care if you break a law in another country. The only wrinkle I can think of is the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which makes it illegal for Americans to bribe foreign officials. So I believe in that case American law enforcement could prosecute you for going to another country and giving an official a grocery bag full of 20s. That’s not what’s alleged here, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
To your second point… The Biden story seems to be largely bullshit. However, if Hunter Biden was implicated in wrongdoing in another country, I think it’s reasonable to question whether Joe was involved or helped Hunter commit the wrongdoing. Again, as far as I can tell, Hunter played by the rules, cockeyed as they may be. But even if US law enforcement has no jurisdiction or desire to pursue alleged crimes in another country, as a voter I would care if Joe Biden facilitated them in some way (which he almost certainly did not in this case).
IANAL either, but I’ve never heard of a case of the US arresting and trying anyone for a murder committed outside US jurisdiction. They might arrest and extradite someone at the other country’s request, but otherwise, yeah, fleeing the jurisdiction is a big loophole that people routinely take advantage of.
“Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating whether President Trump’s personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani broke lobbying laws in his dealings in Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the inquiry…”
Murdering people overseas and then fleeing the jurisdiction is a big loophole that people routinely take advantage of? Guess I learned something new today.
What about prostitution? Seems like there are laws against a US citizen having sex with prostitutes under the age of 18 in foreign countries.
Or tax evasion? If I go to a foreign country and don’t file the proper forms or pay the right taxes, I can’t be prosecuted in the US? It just seems strange to me.
