Hunter Biden’s former associate Devon Archer was interviewed before the House Oversight Committee on Monday about the Biden family’s foreign business dealings.
The former Biden family associate testified behind closed doors for four hours and came with several allegations about how Joe Biden was specifically involved in Hunter Biden’s business dealings.
Here are the key takeaways:
Hunter Biden put his father — then-Vice President Joe Biden — on speakerphone during business meetings “over 20 times,” Archer said, according to a readout from House Oversight.
The calls included conversations with French and Chinese companies, and Joe Biden was put on the call to sell “the brand,” Archer said, according to the readout.
Archer’s testimony contradicts Joe Biden’s 2019 claim that he never spoke to his son about business dealings. The White House has recently shifted its language to say Joe Biden was never “in business” with Hunter Biden.
“The biggest significant thing that has come out so far is that we now have proof that Joe Biden lied. He’s been telling everyone for years now that he knows nothing about Hunter Biden’s business deals, that he’s never talked to his son about it. Well, this morning Devon Archer confirmed for all of us that that is not true,” Republican Georgia Rep. and committee member Marjorie Taylor Greene said in an interview with the Caller.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 31: At center, Devon Archer, a former business associate of Hunter Biden, arrives for closed-door testimony with the House Oversight Committee at the O’Neill House Office Building July 31, 2023 in Washington, DC. Republicans are expected to ask Archer if U.S. President Joe Biden was involved in business dealings with his son Hunter Biden during his time as Vice President. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Archer also said Hunter Biden was added to Burisma’s board due to “the brand” of Joe Biden. Hunter Biden served on the Ukrainian energy company’s board from 2014 to 2019.
“Devon Archer testified that the value of adding Hunter Biden to Burisma’s board was ‘the brand’ and confirmed that then-Vice President Joe Biden was ‘the brand,’” House Oversight Chairman James Comer said in a statement.
Archer said “Burisma would have gone out of business if ‘the brand’ had not been attached to it,” the statement added. “He believed that Hunter Biden being on the board and the Biden brand contributed to Burisma’s longevity. People would have been intimidated to mess with Burisma legally because of the Biden brand.”
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 31: Devon Archer, a former business associate of Hunter Biden, goes through security as he arrives for closed-door testimony with the House Oversight Committee at the O’Neill House Office Building July 31, 2023 in Washington, DC. Republicans are expected to ask Archer if U.S. President Joe Biden was involved in business dealings with his son Hunter Biden during his time as Vice President. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Archer’s interview also raises concerns the president’s son potentially violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) during his business dealings, Comer’s statement read.
Burisma CEO Mykola Zlochevsky and his associate Vadim Pozharski “placed constant pressure” on Hunter Biden to “get help from D.C. regarding the Ukrainian prosecutor, Viktor Shokin,” Comer said in his statement citing Archer’s testimony. Shokin was the Ukrainian prosecutor general investigating Burisma for corruption.
“Hunter Biden, along with Zlochevsky and Pozharski, ‘called D.C.’ to discuss the matter. Biden, Zlochevsky, and Pozharski stepped away to make the call,” the statement read.
Hunter Biden referred to Joe Biden as “my guy,” Archer said, and the two had dinner with Hunter Biden’s associates at a cafe in Washington, D.C., in the spring of 2014, according to the readout. Russian oligarch Elena Baturina — who is not sanctioned by the Biden administration — attended the dinner, Archer said.
“Why did Joe Biden lie to the American people about his family’s business dealings and his involvement? It begs the question what else he is hiding from the American people. The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability will continue to follow the Bidens’ money trail and interview witnesses to determine whether foreign actors targeted the Bidens, President Biden is compromised and corrupt, and our national security is threatened,” Comer said.
Greene told the Caller she hopes the committee will get more former Biden business associates to testify. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: MTG Reveals Next House Oversight Hopes After Devon Archer Testimony)
“We will have more people coming,” Greene said. “I’ll give you one that I hope to see on that list that is a name that people know: Tony Bobulinski. I hope we see him in September.”