Analysis by Summer Lane | Photo: Alamy
On Thursday, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced the release of the full transcript from their interview with former Hunter Biden business associate Devon Archer.
The transcript clocked in at 141 pages and included valuable insight into Joe and Hunter Biden’s unique business relationship among foreign nationals as it pertains to the Oversight Committee’s investigation into the Biden family’s alleged bribery scheme.
Here are the top five highlights from Archer’s testimony with the committee.
Allegation 1: Joe Biden was “the brand”
RSBN previously reported that Joe Biden was the “brand” that Hunter Biden appeared to sell to the Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings Limited. Archer’s testimony corroborated this investigative claim from the House in this exchange:
Majority Counsel: You keep saying ‘the brand,’ but by ‘brand’ you mean the Biden family, correct?
Mr. Archer: Correct.
Majority Counsel: And that brand is what, in your opinion, was the majority of what the value that was delivered from Hunter Biden to Burisma?
Mr. Archer: I didn’t say majority, but I wouldn’t speculate on percentages. But I do think that that was an element of it.
Allegation 2: Joe Biden was on speakerphone with Hunter’s business associates
Another important highlight of Archer’s testimony was his confirmation that Joe Biden was allegedly on the phone with Hunter Biden’s foreign business associates during meetings.
The majority counsel asked “how many times” Hunter put his father on speakerphone or “referenced his father being on the phone in front of others who were either foreign investors or foreign nationals who he was soliciting business with or working with.”
Archer replied, “In my 10 – in my whole partnership, maybe 20 times.”
Allegation 3: Burisma executives pushed Hunter to “get help from D.C.”
Burisma executives Mykola Zlochevsky and Vadym Pozharskyi allegedly pushed Hunter Biden to call Washington, D.C. to get help with “pressure” they were receiving from the Ukrainian government, which could have potentially alluded to Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin’s investigation into Burisma Holdings.
Archer stated, “The request – you know, basically the request is like, can D.C. help? But there were not – you know, I’m not going to – there were not – it wasn’t like – there weren’t specific, you know, can the big guy help? It was – it’s always this amorphous, can we get help in D.C.?”
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., asked Archer if Hunter was essentially asking D.C. to “help” relieve the pressure from the Ukrainian government. Archer answered, “Well, I mean, he was a lobbyist and an expert and obviously he carried, you know, a very powerful name. So I think it was – that’s what they were asking for.”
Allegation 4: Joe Biden was present at a 2015 meeting with Burisma executives
Then-Vice President Joe Biden, according to Archer, was present in 2015 at a dinner where Vadym Pozharskyi, Hunter Biden, Archer, and a Greek orthodox priest were present.
Archer shared, “He had dinner. He had dinner. And there was – on that one, I believe the first one was, like, a birthday dinner, and then the second was – I think we were supposed to talk about the World Food Programme. So there was some talk about that.”
This was the second dinner that Archer testified about, according to the transcript.
Allegation 5: Archer confirmed six and seven-digit wire transfers
Devon Archer additionally told the committee that he remembered receiving a wire from Yelena Baturina (a Russian oligarch) for $3.5 million to “Rosemont Seneca Thornton,” a company linked to Hunter Biden. Archer also confirmed that he remembered an incoming wire to Rosemond Seneca Bohai in 2014 for $142,300, which was then transferred to Schnieder Nelson Motor, linking it to Kenes Rakishev, a Kazakhstani businessman.
Archer testified that the money was “For Hunter’s car,” a Porsche.