Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Kevin Morris, testified to congressional investigators that the first impeachment of former President Trump in February 2020 made it an “emergency” for Hunter Biden to file his tax returns, according to a transcript of his testimony. Morris cited “political risk” due to the election cycle and the possibility of Hunter Biden being called to testify in the impeachment proceedings as the reason for the urgency to file the tax returns. However, Morris clarified that the political risk had nothing to do with Joe Biden’s candidacy for the White House.
Morris also admitted to loaning Hunter Biden at least $5 million and began paying his tax liability. He further revealed that the loans do not have to be repaid until 2025 and could be forgiven. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer argued that these actions were intended to protect Joe Biden from political liability during his presidential campaign.
The impeachment inquiry against Trump was prompted by a phone call in which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the Biden family’s actions and business dealings in Ukraine. Hunter Biden was already under federal investigation at the time, and Democrats viewed Trump’s request as a quid pro quo for releasing U.S. military aid to Ukraine. Republicans had been investigating Hunter Biden’s business dealings with Ukrainian firm Burisma Holdings.
In addition to the impeachment inquiry, Republicans are also investigating any involvement Joe Biden had in his son’s business dealings. Republicans obtained an FBI form detailing allegations made by Burisma CEO Mykola Zlochevsky, who claimed he was coerced into paying Joe Biden and Hunter Biden millions of dollars to get a Ukrainian prosecutor fired. Furthermore, Hunter Biden has been under federal investigation since 2018 and was charged with federal tax offenses in December 2021.
Overall, this testimony from Hunter Biden’s lawyer sheds light on the urgency to file his tax returns and the potential political risks associated with his business dealings and the impeachment proceedings against Trump. It also highlights the ongoing investigations into the Biden family’s actions in Ukraine and the legal troubles faced by Hunter Biden.
