BREAKING: Hunter Biden deposition transcript released

On Thursday, the House Oversight Committee released the transcript of Hunter Biden's closed-door deposition that took place on Tuesday.

The Tuesday deposition came around two months after the Biden son defied a Congressional subpoena to appear for a closed-door deposition, instead delivering a speech from the Capitol lawn. His appearance on Tuesday comes as part of the House's impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden over involvement in his family's overseas business deals.
 

Hunter Biden was asked about instances where he would put his father on speakerphone while Hunter Biden was at business meetings, to which he replied, "I’m certain my dad has called me."

"My dad calls me like I'm sure a lot of your parents do or a lot of you do with your children, and if I'm with people that are friends of mine, I'll have him say hi," he testified. 

"I'm surprised my dad hasn't called me right now, and if he did, I would put him on speakerphone to say hi to you and to Congressman Raskin and everybody else in the room," Hunter Biden said. "It is nothing nefarious literally." 

He later added that "If my dad calls me and I'm in the middle of something, I either get up from the table or I answer the phone at the table if it's with people that I have a long-term relationship with."

Hunter Biden was also asked about business lunches where his father was said to have been in attendance, to which Hunter Biden responded, "Would you call it involvement if my dad was in New York City at the same time I was in New York City and I was having lunch with some of my business associates, and I said, Hey, dad, come by for lunch?"

"Who wouldn't do that? Are you saying that you wouldn't do that with your father if he was in town at the same time?" Hunter Biden testified.

Hunter Biden was also asked about his business dealings with the CCP-linked Chinese energy company CEFC, which he said he began working with in the spring of 2017 and admitted that he received money from working with the company. He testified that his father was not involved.

"I received money from a Chinese company," he said. "I don't know the exact amount, but I know that it was all completely legal, it was incredibly ethical, and I do know this:  is that my father never received any money or any benefit from any of the businesses that I've ever done." 

"My father never benefited from my business. My father never made any decisions as it related to my business to benefit me. My father was never financially, nor any other way, of benefit from my business. And the business that you're talking about now wasn't even when he was in office," he testified.

Hunter Biden was also asked about the infamous line from an email by a Hunter Biden ex-business associate, in which "10 held by H for the big guy" was referenced.

Hunter Biden testified that he has "never" called his father 'the big guy," adding that "I truly don't know what the hell that James [Gillar] was talking about. All I know is that what actually happened. All I know is that what was executed in the agreement, and the agreement didn't have anything to do with my father.  My father's never been involved with my business. He's never benefited from my business, and he's never taken an action to benefit me or any of my business." 

Hunter Biden was asked why Gilliar, who wrote the email in question, would draft "something like that."

"Because I think that it was just as Rob Walker said. I think that it was pie in the sky. Like Joe Biden's out of the office. Maybe we'll be able to get him involved. Remember, again, is that Joe Biden, for first time in 48 years, is not an elected official and is not seeking office. And so James is probably, like, wow, wouldn't be great if a former Vice President could be in our business together," he testified, adding that he "shut it down."

Hunter Biden testified that he did not "remember" dropping off his infamous laptop at a Delaware repair shop in 2019, which the FBI has said is authentic.

He also testified on a phone call that was made from Dubai in December 2015 at a Burisma board meeting, which former business associate Devon Archer said was made by Hunter Biden to Washington DC.

Hunter Biden testified that " this is Devon talking about a call that I made to D.C. And I never would have called, and never did my father on behalf of 8 Burisma with Vadym Pozharsky to ask for anything. It never happened."

He added that he had no recollection of a call, and that if he did call DC, "most likely I called back to my office. Most likely I called back to my -- my wife. Most likely I called back to one of my daughters who were in high school. But that's who I would call.

Hunter Biden Deposition Transcript by Hannah Nightingale on Scribd