A question about proof he was enmeshed in a bribery deal while he was vice president brought a bemused expression to President Joe Biden’s face on Tuesday.
On Monday, Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa claimed that a confidential source, who allegedly claims to have bribed Hunter Biden and his father during the years Joe Biden was vice president, has audio proof of dealings with them.
Grassley said from the Senate floor that the individual who paid the father and sons kept recordings of them — 17 in total — as an “insurance policy” in case they were needed in the future.
That led to one reporter shouting a question at Biden on Tuesday after the president left an event in the White House East Room, according to the New York Post.
“Are there tapes that you accepted bribes, President Biden? Is that true?” Biden was asked.
Because he “knows” nothing will happen to him.
— ???? (@Xanthan81) June 14, 2023
The Post’s characterization of the incident, which has been posted to Twitter, was that Biden “turned around with a smile on his face — then seemed to chuckle to himself and shook his head as he turned to walk away without saying a word.”
Last week, Biden brushed off questions concerning allegations against him that were made to the FBI and reviewed by lawmakers, the Post reported.
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“Where’s the money?” Biden replied, adding, “I’m joking. It’s a bunch of malarkey.”
Biden’s reaction drew extensive comments on Twitter, with one poster writing, “The response is terrifying.”
Good for you for asking this. The response is terrifying.
— Josh Young (@Josh_Young_1) June 14, 2023
I’m glad he finds it funny.
— Kelkat (@Tweetytweeter63) June 14, 2023
Does he take anything other than transsexual rights seriously?
— Moderate/Centrist (@IamIndependent0) June 14, 2023
Former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker called Grassley’s claim “explosive,” according to Fox News.
“There’s so many issues surrounding this, but remember what my home state senator, Chuck Grassley, said. This was redacted from the document they looked at, the 1023 that Chris Wray finally provided to the House and the Senate,” he said, referring to the FD-1023 form legislators reviewed last week after weeks of struggle to pry it loose from the FBI.
“This information, that there were recordings of the president of United States talking to a foreign national about bribes, was redacted from that 1023. That’s extraordinary in and of itself,” he said.
“Now, the contents, if true, I mean, obviously this is a cataclysmic event because you just don’t have these types of recordings usually available. And … it will prove essentially what Joe Biden knew and what his scheme was to abuse his power as vice president.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.