White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki faced questions about a story that confirmed emails that surfaced in 2020 belonged to President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden.
One reporter noted on Thursday that The New York Times published a story about an investigation into the business dealings of Hunter Biden.
That article confirmed that emails from Hunter Biden, which surfaced in 2020, were authentic and not Russian disinformation — disputing a claim from former intelligence officials that the release of the emails may be a Russian disinformation campaign to influence the presidential election.
Joe Biden repeated that claim during a presidential debate.
The reporter asked Psaki on Thursday, “The president previously said that the [emails] are a bunch of garbage and that it was a Russian plant. Does he stand by that assessment?”
“I’d point you to the Department of Justice and also to Hunter Biden’s representatives. He doesn’t work in the government,” Psaki responded.
Watch the video below:
A reporter asks Psaki about the NYT's confirmation of the Hunter Biden laptop story:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 17, 2022
PSAKI: "I would point you to the Department of Justice and also to Hunter Biden's representatives. He doesn't work in the government." pic.twitter.com/OXwiNHjQU9
A separate reporter noted that in 2020 Psaki repeated the assertion that the emails were part of a disinformation campaign and if she “stands by” that.
“Again, I’d point you to the Department of Justice and Hunter Biden’s representatives. I’m a spokesperson for the United States. He doesn’t work for the United States,” Psaki responded.
Jen Psaki refuses another question about the Hunter Biden laptop scandal because Hunter “doesn’t work for the United States” pic.twitter.com/nrSUpbBWVU
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 17, 2022
In the midst of the 2020 presidential election, emails emerged that were reportedly recovered from a laptop that belonged to Hunter Biden and was dropped off at a computer repair shop in Wilmington, Delaware.
The New York Post published a story based on the emails that alleged Joe Biden was involved in the businesses dealings of Hunter Biden — although an investigation by The Wall Street Journal did not find evidence to substantiate those allegations. The Biden campaign also denied any wrongdoing.
At the time, more than 50 former intelligence officials claimed in a letter that the emails had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”
They did not provide evidence to support their claim but added, “If we are right, this is Russia trying to influence how Americans vote in this election, and we believe strongly that Americans need to be aware of this.”
During a presidential debate, then-President Donald Trump brought up the issues of the emails, but Joe Biden deflected the issue as he pointed to the letter that asserted they were disinformation.