Devon Archer said he was “not aware of any” wrongdoing by President Joe Biden, according to the full transcript released on Thursday of Archer’s closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee earlier this week.
Archer, Hunter Biden’s former business partner, testified as part of a longer investigation by House Republicans, who have insisted that the Biden family has used their political power for personal financial gain.
But Archer said “nothing of material” was discussed during phone calls between Hunter and Joe—a bit of a letdown for Republicans, who have been breathlessly touting him as a key witness who would provide evidence tying the president to corruption via his son’s shady business ventures.
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House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer (R-KY) nevertheless took a victory lap after the interview.
“The walls are closing in on the Bidens,” he told Newsmax after Archer’s testimony.
In reality, the transcript proved that Archer’s testimony was a far cry from the bombshell revelations that Republicans had promised.
Archer testified that Hunter was selling “the illusion of access to his father,” often speaking to Joe during business meetings but discussing trivial topics.
“There are touch points and contact points that I can’t deny that happened, but nothing of material was discussed,” Archer said.
Archer also testified that Hunter would “take credit for” his father’s actions, “despite having no role in them or no influence over them,” in order to convey himself as a more influential person in front of potential business partners.
When asked if he was aware of Hunter Biden asking his dad to change any federal government policies on his behalf, Archer said he wasn’t.
Still, Archer claimed that Hunter talked to his father very often.
“He talked to him every day,” he said.
During the period that Beau Biden—Joe’s son and Hunter’s brother—experienced deteriorating health from his brain cancer, Archer testified that Joe and Hunter talked even more often. Those conversations, Archer claimed, were mostly centered around Beau, though.
“A lot of logistics,” Archer said. “[Beau’s] treatments and who was going to be with him that week and a lot of it… Not related to commercial business, politics, that kind of stuff.”
Both Democrats and Republicans claimed victory after Archer’s interview, with Democrats declaring his testimony showed the president had done nothing wrong.
“Once again, Committee Republicans’ priority investigation into President Biden has failed to produce any evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) said.
Republicans suggested that Archer’s acknowledgement of Joe’s influence in Hunter’s business was enough to suggest foul play—despite Archer’s testimony lacking the substance they promised. Even so, Comer told Newsmax that Democrats were “moving the goalposts” by declaring Archer’s testimony a win.
In a statement to CNN, Archer’s lawyer said that all he did was tell the truth.
“[A]ll Devon Archer did was exactly what we said he would: show up and answer the questions put to him honestly and completely,” his attorney, Matthew L. Schwartz, said. “Mr. Archer shared the truth with the Committee, and we will leave to them and others to decide what to do with it.”
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