President Biden’s longtime aides linked to family business dealings: report

Despite President Joe Biden’s repeated claims that he is not involved in his family’s business dealings, a recent Politico report has found that many of the staffers and advisers who work closely with him have also had business associations with his family members, both during and after their tenure with Biden. 

Politico's investigation revealed a pattern of overlap between the president’s political and family spheres, dating back to Biden’s first Senate campaign, which was primarily run by his parents and siblings. This "all-in-the-family" approach has persisted over the years, with political patrons forming business ties with Biden's relatives, who have, in turn, also converted some business partners into campaign supporters. 

As Jim and Hunter Biden's foreign dealings have gained attention from the public, and several of their business partners have been convicted of fraud and corruption crimes, there has been continued skepticism that Joe Biden was involved in these business dealings. 

“To allay concerns about any intermingling of their affairs, the Bidens have said that they observe strict interpersonal firewalls to avoid discussing business among themselves,” Politico reported. “But with so many former and current aides in the mix — and with the surfacing of private communications in which Jim and Hunter Biden suggest they represent their powerful relative in business matters — onlookers are forced to take family members at their word that those firewalls always held.” 

One notable instance involved Jim Biden hiring Dale Pupillo, the former head of his brother's Secret Service detail, to investigate Chinese executive Patrick Ho in 2017, whom Hunter Biden had business with. Jim Biden testified during a February impeachment inquiry interview that he commissioned Pupillo before accompanying Hunter Biden to Hong Kong to meet with Ho. Despite this involvement, Jim Biden claimed he never inquired about the meeting's purpose, citing a desire to keep his affairs separate from his nephew's. 

Jim Biden’s hiring of Pupillo came under scrutiny during the congressional review. A Republican staffer expressed suspicion that Pupillo was actually hired to provide intelligence about a Department of Justice investigation that was looking into Ho for bribery allegations. 

“Was this person used to investigate Patrick Ho to try and identify whether or not there was a federal investigation before you and Hunter Biden went out to go visit Patrick Ho so that you could inform Patrick Ho if there was an indictment or a federal investigation, maybe, that was under seal?” the staffer asked Jim Biden at the congressional interview. 

“Absolutely not,” Jim Biden said in response. “This was for my personal edification, because I do not like to walk into blind buildings, okay?” 

Pupillo’s hiring was just one of several examples where a staffer for Biden was enlisted to help with his family’s business dealings. Joe Biden’s bookkeeper during his vice presidency, Eric Schwerin, was also Hunter Bidne’s business partner and bookkeeper. Both Joe and Jim Biden shared the same lawyer, Mel Monzack, as well. 

The report raises questions about whether the president's current or former staffers are still involved in his relatives’ business affairs. According to Politico, the White House, representatives for Jim and Hunter Biden, and both the president’s current and former aides all declined to respond to requests for comment.