The House Oversight Committee on Friday released a transcript of testimony from President Biden’s brother James Biden as it enters the “next phase” of its impeachment inquiry.
Fox News Digital obtained the recording on Friday. James Biden testified before a committee last week that his brother, the president, was never involved in his family’s business dealings.
But committee investigators said there were inconsistencies in James Biden’s testimony when compared to testimony from Hunter Biden, Tony Bobulinski and other former Biden family business associates. .
“James Biden’s testimony contradicts the sworn testimony of Hunter Biden and Tony Bobulinski,” a House Oversight Committee aide told Fox News Digital. “Hunter Biden and Tony Bobulinski both testified that Joe Biden met with Tony Bobulinski, Hunter Biden, and James Biden at a hotel in California.”
“James Biden said this never happened,” the aide added.
In his deposition, James Biden was asked about a meeting that appeared to have taken place on the sidelines of the Milken conference in May 2017 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California.
“Do you remember meeting with you, Hunter Biden and Tony Bobulinski at the Beverly Hotel in Los Angeles?” he was asked.
“I remember my brother gave a talk at a hotel. I don’t know what it was. And we were in Los Angeles and we met outside the hotel. We went into the hotel together and… “My brother,” James Biden testified. “And my recollection is that my brother never came out and discussed it. Maybe he came to say hello, that’s all.”
“Who did you say hello to?” the investigator asked.
“It’s me,” he answered.
“Absolutely not,” James Biden said when asked if he remembered meeting with Hunter Biden, Joe Biden and Bobulinski at the hotel.
US President Joe Biden’s younger brother James Biden arrives for a deposition before the House Oversight and Judiciary Committee regarding the impeachment inquiry into President Biden in Washington, DC, on February 21, 2024. (Photo by Jim Watson/AFP) ) (Photo by Jim Watson/AFP) AFP via Getty Images) (Jim Watson)
“Does your testimony here today mean that the meeting never took place?” he was asked.
“Yes, sir,” he answered, but his lawyer interjected and added, “That’s why we were there.”
“That’s why I was there,” he said.
Mr. Biden was further questioned about whether he met with his nephew or Mr. Bobulinski at the hotel bar.
“I know that didn’t happen,” he said.
“Who were you at the bar with?” he was asked.
“I could have been there with Tony Bobulinski. I could have been there with Hunter,” he said. “But my brother wasn’t there.”
Questions have been raised about Hunter Biden’s testimony after he testified Wednesday that a meeting between his father and Bobulinski did take place.
“He met me in the lobby of the Beverly Hilton hotel,” Hunter Biden testified. “I think his father’s plane arrived at 11 a.m….Excuse me, 11 p.m. We were having coffee with Mr. Bobulinski in the lobby bar.”
Hunter Biden said it was “my uncle and me.”
“I think my uncle was also staying at that hotel. So, yes. More specifically, I know it says so, but I don’t think it’s true. Anyway, my father went there. “I shook hands with Tony,” Hunter Biden testified. “I think what they said was that at the time, Tony’s father was suffering from cancer and his sister was suffering from cancer, so they invited Tony to speak at the Milken conference.”
Bobulinski also testified that a meeting with Hunter Biden and James Biden took place at the hotel bar before Joe Biden finally arrived.
Bobulinski testified that Hunter Biden went to greet his father and then returned to the bar area.
“So they walked into the bar. I stood up. Of course, we shook hands. And I think Hunter made a comment like, ‘Dad, this is Tony I told you about. “And about what we’re working on with the Chinese. I don’t know. It was years ago. I don’t remember the exact terminology, but he kind of set the stage for the talks.” They shook hands and sat down,” Bobulinski testified. “And I think the meeting was between 45 minutes for him and an hour for him. I remember him explaining my background in detail.”
“As you can imagine, Jim and Hunter didn’t really talk,” Bobulinski said.
“And we called it a night, in a sense. It was late, you know, 11:30 or so. And we called it a night, because in that meeting , and because they had already asked the question before, “You know, I want you to be a guest on the moonshot speech that Joe Biden gave to the entire Milken conference the next morning,” Bobulinski testified.
On the other hand, when comparing the testimony of James Biden and others who answered questions as part of the impeachment inquiry, there appear to be discrepancies regarding whether Joe Biden met with the chairman of Chinese energy company CEFC.
Rob Walker, a former business associate of the Biden family, testified that Joe Biden met with CEFC Chairman Jianming Ye at the Four Seasons in Washington, D.C., in 2017.
Walker told Congressional investigators in a private transcribed interview that he was present at a meeting where Joe Biden had lunch with Hunter Biden, other business partners and CEFC Chairman Jianming Ye. Told.
“I don’t remember the exact time, but I remember being in Washington, D.C., and the former vice president stopped by. We were having lunch,” Walker said, according to a transcript of the interview reviewed by Fox News Digital. ” he testified.
“The former vice president wasn’t there the whole time. He was there maybe 10 minutes,” Walker said. “He was friendly. It was a normal chat. I think he finished most of the story and left.”
Walker testified that Biden addressed the entire group of about 10 CEFC officials during his visit.
In his testimony Wednesday, Hunter Biden was asked about the meeting and said he didn’t remember it, but said, “I don’t dispute and I’m not going to ask Robb whether he remembers it. I don’t remember that day.” ”
James Biden said in his testimony that he had “no knowledge” of any meeting between Joe Biden and Ye.
“Absolutely 100 percent. That’s my knowledge. I have no knowledge that that happened,” he testified.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said Wednesday that after hearing testimony from Hunter Biden, James Biden, and their former business associates, an impeachment inquiry into President Biden “will continue.” He expressed his expectations by saying that he would move on to the next stage. To hold a public hearing.
This is a developing story. Please check back for the latest information.
