Topline
Hunter Biden’s attorneys asked the Office of Congressional Ethics to investigate Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for her inflammatory rhetoric about the president’s son on Monday, days before his legal team is expected to meet with Justice Department prosecutors weighing federal charges against him.
President Joe Biden stands with his son Hunter Biden, left, and sister Valerie Biden Owens, right, … [+]
Key Facts
Hunter Biden’s attorney Abbe Lowell accused Greene of “unmoored verbal abuses” against the president’s son in a Monday letter to the Office of Congressional Ethics, citing her social media statements suggesting Hunter Biden is involved in human trafficking, drugs, and sex with prostitutes and minors.
The letter also cited a Truth Social post by Greene in January in which she posted a photo of Hunter Biden driving his niece and her cousin and accused him of being “on crack” and “wheeling and dealing” with China and “prostitutes.”
Lowell said the statements amount to “outrageous, undignified rhetoric and brazen violations of the standards of official conduct that do not reflect creditably on the House.”
In a separate letter, Lowell also asked the Treasury Department Inspector General to probe how Garrett Ziegler, a former Trump White House official, obtained “suspicious activity reports” from Hunter Biden’s bank that he published on his personal website, Marco Polo, dedicated to exposing various individuals he claims are involved in “corruption and blackmail.”
Ziegler claimed he worked with associates at JP Morgan to obtain the five reports—which banks are required to send to the Treasury Department when they detect potential illegal activity associated with a transaction—and used the documents to “craft a false narrative that Mr. Biden is associated with a human trafficking ring,” Lowell’s letter states.
Key Background
Hunter Biden faces two possible misdemeanor charges of failing to file his taxes, along with felony charges for tax evasion and failing to disclose a firearm purchase. His lawyers are expected to meet with DOJ officials this week to discuss the charges. Federal prosecutors said in October they believed they have enough evidence to charge Hunter Biden, the Washington Post reported.
What We Don’t Know
Whether the Office of Congressional Ethics will probe Greene for the conduct described in Lowell’s letter. The chair and co-chair of the committee—appointed by the top Republican and top Democrat in Congress—must agree to open a preliminary review of the issue. The OCE does not issue punishments or have any statutory authority, but serves as a fact-finding agency that makes recommendations to Congress about possible violations of ethical standards.
What To Watch For
News that the DOJ investigation against Hunter Biden may be reaching the charging stage comes as the president is expected to announce his re-election campaign on Tuesday.
Further Reading
Hunter Biden Faces DOJ: Charges Will Be Discussed This Week, Report Says (Forbes)
Hunter Biden Pushes Back Again: Sues Owner Of Repair Store Over Alleged Laptop Leak (Forbes)
Here’s Why The GOP Is Targeting Hunter Biden’s Artwork—Priced As High As $500,000—As House Panel Re-Ups Request For Info From NYC Gallery (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/04/24/hunter-bidens-lawyers-call-for-investigation-into-marjorie-taylor-greenes-defamatory-statements/