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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 14 october 2019
Hunter Biden to step down from Chinese board

By STEVE PEOPLES there. The president's per-
AP National Political Writer sonal attorney, Rudy Giu-
NEW YORK (AP) — Facing liani, is also under increas-
intense scrutiny from Presi- ing scrutiny for his efforts to
dent Donald Trump and his dig into Hunter Biden's busi-
Republican allies, Hunter ness background.
Biden said Sunday he will Late last week, two busi-
step down from the board nessmen involved in Giu-
of directors of a Chinese- liani's efforts to investigate
backed private equity firm Hunter Biden's dealings in
at the end of the month Ukraine were charged with
as part of a pledge not federal campaign finance
to work on behalf of any violations.
foreign-owned companies Still, Republicans reacted
should his father win the to news of Hunter Biden's
presidency. decision to step away from
Biden, the 49-year-old son the Chinese-backed BHR
of Democratic presiden- Equity Investment Fund
tial candidate Joe Biden, Management Co. with
revealed his plan in an in- deep skepticism.
ternet post written by his "I think this is just another
attorney, George Mesires, way to save a flailing cam-
who outlined a defense of In this Jan. 30, 2010, file photo, Vice President Joe Biden, left, with his son Hunter, right, at the Duke paign that's going down,"
the younger Biden's work in Georgetown NCAA college basketball game in Washington. Georgia Rep. Doug Col-
Ukraine and China, which Associated Press lins, the top Republican on
has emerged as one of purported conflicts of in- personally uninvolved in his in suburban Des Moines, the House Judiciary Com-
Trump's chief lines of attack terest, or the appearance business affairs, while avail- Iowa, said his son did not mittee, said on Fox News
against Hunter's father de- of such conflicts, includ- ing himself as necessary discuss that decision with Channel's "Sunday Morning
spite no proof of impropri- ing any restrictions related and appropriate to the him before posting the Futures." ''He knows he's in
ety. to overseas business inter- Office of the White House statement. trouble and this is just an-
"Hunter makes the follow- ests. In any event, Hunter Counsel to help inform his "No one has asserted other way to try and de-
ing commitment: Under will agree not to serve on application of the Biden my son did a single thing tract attention
a Biden Administration, boards of, or work on be- Administration's guidelines wrong," Biden added, On the same show, White
Hunter will readily comply half of, foreign owned or standards to his business pounding his finger into the House counselor Kellyanne
with any and all guidelines companies," Mesires wrote. decision-making." podium, "except a lying Conway said Hunter Biden
or standards a President He continued: "He will con- Joe Biden, speaking to re- president." "should have done this
Biden may issue to address tinue to keep his father porters after a union forum And Biden promised to quite a while ago."
bar his family members Mesires noted repeatedly
from occupying any office that there is no evidence of
within the White House and wrongdoing against Hunter
said they won't "sit in meet- Biden, despite intensifying
ings as if they are a Cabi- attacks from Trump before
net member." That was the 2020 election.
a jab at Trump, who taps "Despite extensive scrutiny,
daughter Ivanka and her at no time has any law
husband, Jared Kushner, as enforcement agency, ei-
advisers. Biden did not say ther domestic or foreign,
if his pledge meant that Jill alleged that Hunter en-
Biden, his wife, would not gaged in wrongdoing at
get the office tradition- any point during his five-
ally assigned to first ladies, year term," Mesires said in
should he win. his Sunday post of Biden's
He further vowed that no experience in Ukraine.
one in his family will have The attorney wrote that
"any business relationship Hunter Biden worked as an
with anyone that relates unpaid board member for
to a foreign corporation or BHR Equity Investment Fund
foreign country." Management Co. "based
The White House released a on his interest in seeking
rough transcript of a call in ways to bring Chinese cap-
which Trump asks Ukraine's ital to international mar-
new president, Volodymyr kets."
Zelenskiy, to probe Biden's "To date, Hunter has not re-
family and Ukraine's role in ceived any compensation
the 2016 election that put for being on BHR's board of
Trump in office. Trump has directors," Mesires said. "He
also encouraged China has not received any return
to dig into Hunter Biden's on his investment; there
work in that country, assert- have been no distributions
ing without evidence that to BHR shareholders since
earned $1.5 billion from a Hunter obtained his equity
"sweetheart" business deal interest."q