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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 7 october 2019
Problematic relatives: A true American political tradition

By ASHRAF KHALIL seemingly had some sort of
Associated Press troublesome family mem-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Since ber to contend with. Some
America's early days, lead- of the historical misbehav-
ing politicians have had ior would be seen as serious
to contend with awkward in modern times. Franklin
problems posed by their Delano Roosevelt's son Jim-
family members. Joe Biden my moved from controver-
is the latest to navigate this sy to controversy, including
tricky terrain. openly selling positions in
President Donald Trump his father's administration,
has sought, without evi- Wead said.
dence, to implicate Biden In other cases, the scandals
and his son Hunter in the now seem in hindsight to be
kind of corruption that more of a window into the
has long plagued Ukraine. quant social standards of
Hunter Biden served on the time. Teddy Roosevelt's
the board of a Ukrainian daughter Alice was a con-
gas company at the same troversy magnet for her
time his father, then vice father's entire tenure in of-
president, was leading the fice. Her supposed crimes:
Obama administration's smoking in public, swearing
diplomatic dealings with In this Jan. 30, 2010, file photo, Vice President Joe Biden, left, with his son Hunter, right, at the Duke and showing up at parties
Georgetown NCAA college basketball game in Washington.
Ukraine. Though the timing Associated Press with her pet snake. Wead's
raised concerns among favorite Alice Roosevelt an-
anti-corruption advocates, drug rehab and other per- people end up feeling that son John was "thrown out ecdote: At one point the
there has been no evi- sonal problems. He's part of their entire identity is fil- of Harvard for drinking and president said his daugh-
dence of wrongdoing by a sometimes unfortunate tered through who they're partying," according to An- ter could not smoke inside
either Biden. American tradition in which related to." thony. Presidential historian the White House, so Alice
The president's baseless the foibles of otherwise ob- John Adams, America's Doug Wead says both the called a news conference
claims have nonetheless scure people become lia- second president, had a pressures and temptations on the White House roof
thrust Hunter Biden into the bilities for national leaders. son who died of alcoholism of a presidential child or and smoked there.
center of presidential poli- "Everyone's affected when while the father was still in sibling can be unique and Richard Nixon reportedly
tics, complete with remind- somebody becomes presi- office. Adams' oldest son, distinct from relatives of had his brother Donald's
ers of a checkered history dent," said Carl Anthony, John Quincy Adams, be- other famous celebrities or phone tapped because
that includes the younger author of "America's First came the sixth president, prominent businessmen. he feared Donald's busi-
Biden's multiple stints in Families." ''Often these but John Quincy Adams' "It's just enormous pressure ness activities might em-
to perform. The expec- barrass the administration.
tations are so high," said Ronald Reagan's daughter
Wead, author of "All the Patti Davis spoke out pub-
Presidents' Children: Tri- licly against her father's
umph and Tragedy in the politics, published a tell-all
Lives of the First Families." book and later posed for
"It's a hopeless task. Unless Playboy.
you become president Hillary Clinton's brothers
yourself, you're overshad- were both accused of
owed," he said. shady business dealings
Billy Carter still stands as while their brother-in-law,
one of the most prominent Bill Clinton, was in office.
examples of troublesome Meanwhile Roger Clinton,
presidential relatives. Jim- Bill's half brother, had a
my Carter's brother had string of drug-related inci-
a string of public embar- dents that famously earned
rassments and flagrant at- him the Secret Service
tempts to cash in on his po- codename "headache."
sition. His multiple incidents President Trump's son Don
of public drunkenness be- Jr. has earned his share of
came so infamous that he headlines for meeting with
launched his own brand of Russian operatives offering
Billy Beer. The hijinks took dirt on Hillary Clinton as well
on a more serious tone in as pushing Trump business
1980, when he registered overseas with deals that
as a paid agent of the may have benefited from
Libyan government and his father's position.
accepted a $220,000 pay- George H.W. Bush stands
ment from Tripoli. The move as an interesting exception.
triggered an investigation His most problematic and
by the Senate Judiciary seemingly least ambitious
Committee that included son turned out to be the
a young Sen. Joe Biden, D- most politically successful:
Del. George W. Bush, the 43rd
Almost every president has president.q