Will Hunter Biden sink his father's presidential campaign? The "sleaze factor" is becoming an indelible mark on The Family Biden as a series of revelations keeps unfolding and raising suspicions that Papa Joe's political weight enabled his (formerly?) crack-addicted son to reap riches from Ukraine and China while Daddy was forming policy on them. Meanwhile, all on his own, Hunter managed to knock up a stripper and is being sued for child support and facing court proceedings that could force him to disclose his wealth and income. This, while romancing his dead brother's widow and dumping his wife.

Wouldn't any father be proud?

The latest chapter in the tale of Hunter has two developments.

One comes from a dubious source, an outside "intervener" who filed papers in Biden's child support case. The New York Post reports:

Hunter Biden is the subject of multiple criminal investigations related to "fraud, money laundering and a counterfeiting scheme," it's claimed in court documents filed Monday in his Arkansas paternity case. The claims were put forward by a Florida-based private-eye firm, D&A Investigations, in Biden's ongoing case against alleged baby mama Lunden Alexis Roberts, a former Washington, DC, stripper who went by "Dallas." Soon after the claims were filed, a judge struck the allegations down because they were filed by an "intervener," according to court papers. Biden filed a motion to strike down the claims, arguing "the notice is filed by a non-party simply to make scandalous allegations in the pending suit to gain some media attention."

Note that the judge did not dispute the truth of the allegations, only the standing of the firm to submit the papers. But now the allegations are in the public domain, to be investigated by any party, interested or disinterested in Hunter or his dad.

One of those purported investigations relates to Burisma Holdings, the Ukrainian energy company with which Biden held a lucrative board post while his father, Joe, was vice president — drawing allegations of impropriety from Republicans including President Trump. Biden and a group of business associates "established bank and financial accounts with Morgan Stanley … for Burisma Holdings Limited ... for the money laundering scheme," D&A claims, further alleging that the accounts showed an average account value of nearly $6.8 million between March 2014 and December 2015. Biden and the others — including Devon Archer, John Galanis and Bevan Cooney — allegedly "utilized a counterfeiting scheme to conceal the Morgan Stanley et al Average Account Value," D&A claims in the papers filed at the Circuit Court of Independence County, Arkansas. The filing additionally alleges that Biden had a hand in a plot including Galanis, Cooney and Archer to rip off Sioux Native Americans to the tune of $60 million through the shady sale of tribal bonds. Galanis, Archer and Cooney were found guilty for their roles in June 2018, following a lengthy trial in Manhattan federal court. In November, Archer's conviction was overturned by a Manhattan federal judge. Biden "did drum up business for the scheme," D&A claims in its filing, without elaborating.

I have no idea whether there is any truth to these allegations. But there ought to be a paper trail if they have any factual basis.

The other development concerns the extent of Hunter's wealth. Again the New York Post reports:

Recovering crack addict Hunter Biden owns a home in one of the swankiest neighborhoods in America, it was revealed Monday. The son of former Vice President Joe Biden shares a ZIP code in the Hollywood Hills with celebrities such as Ben Affleck, Christina Aguilera and Halle Berry, according to documents filed in Hunter's Arkansas paternity case. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom mid-century home is valued at $2.5 million. It sits at the end of a private gated drive and includes a pool. Biden, 49, is currently expecting his fifth child with 32-year-old wife Melissa Cohen Biden. The property was sold on June 19, records show, but it's unclear how much Biden paid for it.

That is what many people might describe as a "dream house," raising the issue of the source of funds, especially for a recovering crack addict.



Photo credit: Rodeo Realty via the New York Post.

It may perch high up in the Hollywood Hills, but it still reeks of the swamp.