Devon Archer's statement before the House of Representatives has become a matter of state. After being delayed on several occasions, Monday's scheduled Lower House appearance was met with Justice Department maneuvering over the weekend demanding Archer's imprisonment before he could speak behind closed doors in front of congressmen about the Biden family business. But what could he possibly uncover that the prosecutor would demand that he turn himself in, in the middle of the weekend? From the Republican Party side, they accuse the agency led by Merrick Garland of obstruction of congressional investigations and attempted intimidation of a witness.
Update: The weaponized DOJ now “clarifies” they won’t try to prevent Devon Archer from testifying tomorrow. Witness intimidation & obstruction? Nah, nothing to see here. pic.twitter.com/tHQ6ueFfZs
— Rep. Mike Johnson (@RepMikeJohnson) July 31, 2023
Archer and Hunter, together on Burisma and business with China and Russia
Archer worked side by side with Hunter Biden on the president's son's business dealings with foreign companies. They joined Burisma's board at the same time and he was a key player in the creation of the company with which the first son won the first major contract with a Chinese company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party. In addition, he was a person with the total confidence of Joe Biden, with whom he played golf and had dinner on multiple occasions. This makes him an exceptional witness to what really happened in the events for which the Biden family business is being investigated.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer had been pursuing his statement for months and summed up its importance to lawmakers:
I don't want to put words in Devon Archer's mouth, but I will say this: He has an opportunity to come to the House Oversight Committee tomorrow and tell the truth. He has the opportunity to be a hero, as were the two whistleblowers, as was the Delaware judge who rejected the Justice Department's favored treatment of Hunter Biden. Devon Archer could be in that category of Americans who just come right out and tell the truth. That's all we want.
Keynote presentation
According to Just The News, Archer will face questions from committee members that will be key to the investigation that the House Republican majority is leading. In particular, about the alleged bribery scheme in which Joe Biden allegedly participated when he was Obama's vice president. In this regard, the investigators will ask Hunter's former partner why the Ukrainian company Burisma was so interested in in the hiring of the then vp's son on the eve of the latter's visit to Ukraine and what the current White House tenant knew about his son's business dealings in China, Ukraine, Romania and Russia.
In addition, he will be questioned about Biden Sr.'s calls to executives of the Ukrainian firm and, especially, about a physical meeting with them when Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin was increasing investigative pressure on the company.
🚨Biden sits on Delaware beach as DOJ tries to JAIL Hunter's best friend Devon Archer BEFORE his closed-door testimony - in which he will implicate Joe in First Son's foreign business schemes🚨 https://t.co/HQlMMWH2dR
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) July 31, 2023
Apart from business dealings in Ukraine, Archer will be questioned about the approaches to Chinese companies and Russian oligarchs made jointly with Hunter and the benefit they derived from it. He will also be invited to explain whether the current president's son was involved in the case for which Archer himself has been sentenced to prison.
But most of all, the congressmen want to hear what Hunter's former business partner has to say about whether Joe Biden received money directly from his son's business associates or whether his son ever paid expenses and bills to his progenitor.
"Big Guy"
As many as five people made reference to the "Big Guy" in documents under review. Investigators suggest that the president himself could be hiding under this name. The term was found on at least five occasions. Burisma president Mykola Zlochevsky denied sending money to the "big guy" when asked if he had paid $5 million to Joe and Hunter Biden as payment in exchange for the current president's political influence. For his part, IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley complained to Congress that DOJ officials responsible for the Hunter investigation did not allow their subordinates to investigate who was behind the referral.
Another business associate of the president's son, James Gilliar, noted in a 2017 post that Joe Biden was behind the moniker. Gilliar would use the appellation again in connection with the Biden family three years later. Also on record for the nickname by mail was Geoff Roger, an executive with the wealth management firm Glenmede Trust Company. Finally, union member Chuck Harple demanded that Hunter talk to his union leader and tell him that he needed to know all the facts "before talking to the 'Big Guy.'"
Joe Biden at the Delaware Beach
Meanwhile, Joe Biden didn't seem too concerned. The president, who is enjoying a 10-day vacation trip, took advantage of Sunday to relax at Delaware Beach, one of his favorite spots. So far, Biden has enjoyed 360 days off since he came to the White House, 39% of this period.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden relax at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware pic.twitter.com/lfiTEemBIP
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 31, 2023
