Yes, The Biden Impeachment Hearing Presented Evidence of Corruption — Lots of It

On the first day of Biden’s impeachment inquiry, Republicans brought mountains of evidence of corruption. Democrats and the media shrugged.

by John Daniel Davidson for The Federalist

The corporate news media all but refused to cover the opening hearing of the House impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden on Thursday, and to the extent they did, it was only to repeat, at the behest of the White House, the exhausted mantra that there’s “no evidence” connecting Biden to his son Hunter’s international bribery scheme. 

(The New York Times ran with a cursory and misleadingly headlined article, “First Impeachment Hearing Yields No New Information on Biden,” that boasted “even their [Republicans’] witnesses said the case for impeachment hadn’t been made.” Which, of course the case hasn’t been made yet. That’s why you launch an inquiry, of which Thursday was day one.)

But if the media had actually covered it, the American public might have heard more about the mounds of damning evidence now piling up by the day, including the release on Wednesday by the House Ways and Means Committee of reams of text messages and emails between Hunter Biden, his uncle James Biden, and a colorful array of foreign oligarchs, business associates, and bagmen. All told, House Republicans presented more than two dozen pieces of evidence on Thursday linking Joe Biden to his son’s overseas business dealings. 

This evidence was the centerpiece of the hearing Thursday, which served to lay the groundwork for the impeachment inquiry. So far, the evidence suggests the Biden family “business” is exactly what it appears to be: an influence-peddling scheme on a scale never before seen in American history. George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley, who testified at the hearing, said that even though Washington, D.C., is “awash” in influence-peddling, he’s never seen “anything of this size and complexity,” and that Congress has a “duty to determine if the president is involved in what is a known form of corruption.”

Based on what we already know, it’s hard to see how Joe Biden couldn’t have been involved or couldn’t have benefited from his son’s corrupt dealings. Consider just a few items of evidence mentioned during Thursday’s hearing. In one text exchange with his uncle in June 2017, Hunter refers to his father as his “family’s brand” and “only asset.” That echoes something Devon Archer, Hunter’s former business partner, said in his July testimony to the House Oversight Committee, that the value of adding Hunter to the board of the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma was “the brand” — clearly a reference to then-Vice President Joe Biden. (Hunter had no experience in the energy sector and brought no value to the company other than access to his father.)

Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina brought up an FBI memo released Wednesday by the House Ways and Means Committee about another former business partner of Hunter’s, Tony Bobulinksi. In an FBI interview, Bobulinksi said that in 2015-16 Hunter and Hunter’s uncle James did business with CEFC, a Chinese company with close ties to the Chinese government. But because Biden was still vice president, Hunter and James weren’t paid right away. “There was a concern it would be improper,” Bobulinksi said, because of the company’s affiliation with the Chinese Communist Party.

But Hunter and James wanted to get paid. According to Bobulinksi, “they believed CEFC owed them money for the benefits that accrued to CEFC through its use of the Biden family name to advance their business dealings.” Once Biden left office, Hunter and James were paid more than a million dollars by CEFC. “Now we know why,” said Mace. “Because it was back-pay.”

Later in the hearing, Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida showed organizational charts of Hunter Biden’s businesses created by the IRS team investigating the president’s son, including from 2014, when Joe Biden was vice president, and 2018, when he was a private citizen. The charts show a dizzying array of interrelated companies — none of which involved real estate or any other industry where you would typically see this kind of complex matrix of different business entities and shell companies. Donalds then shared a text message between Hunter and James Biden in which Hunter, discussing a business deal, tells his uncle, “You’ve been drawn into something purely for the purpose of protecting Dad.” 

This is just a sample, but you get the idea. Hunter was engaged in a patently corrupt scheme that involved selling access to his father, one of the most powerful politicians on the planet. The question the impeachment inquiry has to answer is whether Joe Biden knew about the scheme, whether he profited from it, whether he intentionally helped Hunter, and whether he changed U.S. policy as part of rendering that help. On every count, there is mounting evidence that the answer is “yes.”

But don’t expect Democrats to take any of this more seriously than the corporate media are. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, never one to miss an opportunity for self-parody, gravely asked all three Republican witnesses whether they were “presenting any firsthand witness account of crimes committed by the president of the United States,” as if the only evidence that counts is video footage of Joe Biden stuffing cash into a duffel bag marked “$$$ from China.”

Not to be outdone in performative stupidity, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat from Texas, went on a bizarre, emotional rant claiming President Biden is only “guilty of loving his child unconditionally,” which is the only evidence Republicans have brought forward. She added, “And honestly, I hope and pray that my parents love me half as much as he loves his child.” Ah yes, Joe Biden loved his son so much that he made him the frontman of an international bribery scheme and money-laundering operation. 

So much for the opposition (including the corporate press). They aren’t going to take this seriously, even if the impeachment inquiry turns up audio recordings of Joe Biden saying, “Why yes, I did fire that Ukrainian prosecutor for $5 million from Burisma.” Democrats and the media don’t care about Biden’s corruption and won’t tell the truth about it, no matter what evidence comes to light. After Thursday’s hearing, at least that much is clear.

X22, On the Fringe, and more- Sept 30

 

This was certainly a challenging month. But with some things out of the way now, here's hoping October will be an easier month!

Something Necessary to Understand About Washington DC

posted by Sundance at Conservative Treehouse 

Spurred from several recent conversations, it becomes entirely necessary for this specific audience to understand a reality that is never discussed.

If you are reading this, wherever you are reading this, by self-association you are in a select group of high information people with a much larger understanding of the issues than your network.  That means you know, comprehend, understand and have a level of insight and discernment that is far above average.  Now, let me be brutally honest.

Factually speaking, all of the people within the mechanisms of DC,  the people you associate with being key allies to fight back against the visible corruption,  the people you assign hope toward,  are not as smart as you.

Re-read that as needed.

One of the biggest shifts of thinking needed, in order to change our dynamic to the abusive relationship with government, is to realize these people you consider important are just not that smart. They are not wiser; they are not more strategic; they are not as well versed in the details at the heart of the crisis; they are not as well informed; they do not have special access to information that makes them more capable; they do not understand the issues better than you.

Again, RE-READ that with new eyes to evaluate and understand the challenge.

It doesn’t matter what position they hold, or what access they have, or what groups, interests, networks or information resources are at their disposal.  You know more than them, and you understand the material at a much higher level of comprehension than they do.  It does not matter what their rank or importance is, YOU know more. Once you realize this, then you begin to change how you look at the challenge and at their functional capability within it.

The informational context you assign to them does not exist.  The things you think they know, they don’t.  The very specific information you believe they are aware of, does not exist in their mind.  The people in Washington DC, those allies who you think might have the skills to fix issues, have no concept of what material you are aware of.   You are light years ahead of them in the scale of information you understand, and the context it means.

I am not being hyperbolic.

Here’s the kicker….  They think they are more aware than you.

The system around them reinforces a belief that they hold some level of knowledge that you do not have. As a result, when they engage with you, they talk down to you, or talk in a manner of unintentional intellectual condescension that stems from a place where they cannot fathom your level of knowledge.

If you have the opportunity to talk to them, I mean really get beyond the surface level stuff and dig into the weeds (even the shallow weeds), suddenly they start to get a strange look on their face – that becomes fear – as your knowledge starts to destabilize their prior view of you.

Let me be very clear and precise.  It doesn’t matter who they are, or what title they hold; the same reality of material fact that I am describing applies to all of them – at every level.

If you think of a top apex-level person, currently or formerly inside government, that aligns with the principles of freedom and liberty – and has a keen awareness of the issues and subject matter that has created our current crisis dynamic, I have likely spoken to them.   Those who fit that description, and may even be reading this right now, will tell you in a moment of brutal honesty, I am correct.

The people you think can fix this stuff  have no idea how much you know.  Additionally, it becomes destabilizing and unnerving for them to accept your level of information and understanding.

Another key and important element, beyond the knowledge, intellect, wisdom and discernment level… YOU care more about it than they do.  The stuff that you know, the stuff that you yearn for them to address and fix, is more important to you than it is to them.

Why am I telling you this?

Because we all need to change your reference points when communicating with them.  We need to confront their condescension early in our contact.  We need to be deliberate, direct, and brutally honest in our delivery.

When we write to them, articulate the arguments.  When we talk to them, pull them into the weeds of the issues and force them to see that our grasp of the topic far exceeds their ability to bullshit their way around the issue.

Being courteous, respectful and considerate for their role, does not mean you have to dumb yourself down or consider yourself subservient to their view.

I guarantee you two things.  First, that you know the material better than they do. Second, I absolutely guarantee that you care more than they do.  What that latter element says about the challenge is for another discussion, but these key points need to be emphasized.

That’s it.

Love to all,

~ Sundance

‘The Democrat Party Hates America’ is a Brutal Indictment of The Left

This book should awaken American patriots across the land

by Carpe Diem for American Greatness

Anyone who is a regular listener of Mark Levin’s radio show or watches him on Fox News is aware that no one is better equipped at exposing the evils of the Democratic Party than Levin.

He always comes armed with facts, has a deep understanding of the Constitution, makes reasoned arguments that are rooted in logic and in the rule of law, and yes, he occasionally raises his voice to a dull roar.

In Levin’s latest book, The Democrat Party Hates America, Levin delivers perhaps his most scathing indictment yet of this increasingly radical, tyrannical and unhinged Marxist party.

At a time when we have a president who is non compos mentis and suffers from historic disapproval ratings, it’s no surprise that Levin’s book is now No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list. Surely this will infuriate the folks at Mediaite (who constantly mischaracterize Levin) and the rest of the Journo-activists in the Leftist corporate media.

In the book, Levin outlines in great detail the Democrat Party’s history of anti-black racism, and anti-semitism, which has now morphed into anti-white racism, more anti-semitism (at least they’re consistent), a war against Catholics, its destruction of the nuclear family, its Orwellian control of language and thought, and its war against the Constitution.

Levin further exposes beloved Leftist figures like Woodrow Wilson—who jump started the administrative state and was sympathetic to the KKK, and FDR—who expanded the role of government to achieve his socialist agenda, threw 120,000 Japanese Americans into internment camps during WWII, showed little interest in helping the millions of Jews being slaughtered by the Nazis and did next to nothing to help advance the causes of the black community.

Levin writes that while the Left has an obsession with reminding its base about the past sins of our country, curiously the Democrat Party never takes any responsibility for it. 

The Democrat Party has developed in the political home of the various American Marxist movements, with which they agree and identify. Hence, they are not so repulsed by America’s past—or more accurately, the Democrat Party’s past—as to forever condemn the Democrat Party and refuse any association with it. They ignore or downplay its links to the Ku Klux Klan, white-supremacist neo-Nazis, lynchings, etc. Instead, they target and blame the entire society, culture, and country for the Democrat Party’s contemptible past. To underscore the point, the American Marxists are supportive of the Democrat Party’s modern-day promotion of economic socialism, cultural Marxism, and anti-Americanism. In truth, their contempt for the Constitution, and its routine condemnation, is not so much because of some of the Framers’ biographies, but because the Constitution’s firewalls remain an impediment to, or at least slow their revolutionary aims and the speed with which they seek to make them.

For the record, Levin deliberately refers to this benighted party as the “Democrat Party,” instead of the “Democratic Party,” because as he correctly points out, it is anything but Democratic.

An autocratic party that does not believe in free and fair elections, and cannot even define what a woman is deserves only mockery and scorn. As Levin explains: 

Of course the Democrat Party wants the big cities and most populous states to rule over the entire country, since these are Democrat strongholds. And, if they could, they would abolish the states. Presidential candidates would not have to campaign in vast parts of the country, only in the dense areas mostly along the two coasts and certain Midwest metropolitan areas. Thus, representation would effectively be denied to tens of millions of people who live in the exurbs and beyond, including rural areas. The states that produce most of the food we eat and energy we consume would have little or no say in the nation’s governance or in the federal government’s rule over them, which would be disastrous civilly, politically, and economically.

Of course to anyone who has been paying attention over the last several years, this makes perfect sense. The Left is no longer the party of the working class. They do not appeal to the farmers, ranchers, manufacturers and truckers. Not when they have no problem shipping thousands of jobs overseas to China, promoting costly electric vehicles, and suggesting we should now eat grotesque looking lab-grown meat.

The Left’s platform in 2023 only seems to cater to the laptop class, and its alphabet soup of activist groups who more often than not reside in urban areas. So it’s only fitting that the Left couldn’t care less about taking away the voting power from the hardworking men and women who deliver our produce, and keep our power grid humming, but aren’t on board with the Left’s job killing, economy destroying, inflationary agenda.

While Levin rightfully spends most of his time excoriating the Democrat Party, he also has little patience for Republicans who do not show chutzpah or courage, seem hellbent on appeasing the Leftist media apparatus, make concessions that betray their constituents and genuinely don’t seem to understand what we’re up against. That’s not to say that Levin is advocating Republicans use the same sort of dirty tactics that the Left uses, but he is honest enough to explain the major difference between the two parties.

Unlike the Republican Party, the Democrat Party is more than a political party. It is the state party. It seeks to monopolize the political system, the culture, government, and society. And while the Republican party exists to try to win elections, the Democrat Party plays for keeps—that is, election defeats can never be allowed to interfere with the ideological trajectory the party imposes on the nation. And when the Democrat Party wins elections, it continues building upon the permanent centers of power, including the vast federal bureaucracy, subsidized nongovernment organizations, lifetime activist judges, tenured professors and teachers, party members in the media, etc. The Democrat Party uses the culture and politics to empower itself and its agenda. And Democrats have no intention of surrendering control of either. Consequently, when the Democrat Party wins elections, it claims broad mandates; when it loses elections, it ignores the popular will of the people and turns to the permanent government and its cultural surrogates to sabotage the Republicans and push forward their American Marxist agenda.

In other words, even when the Left does not have control of the White House, or Congress, it is still able to advance its anti-American, Marxist agenda via the administrative state and through other means.

While Levin does not necessarily offer a solution to combating this pervasive Leftist onslaught that we face, he does a commendable job of identifying and outlining the very real dangers that we face, which is a good start.

The same way Thomas Paine’s pamphlet served as a guide to the early colonists during the American Revolution, this book should awaken American patriots across the land to become more involved in advancing the principles of freedom that have been preserved for the last 247 years, but sadly are being curtailed.

President Trump's Speech to California GOP Convention

posted by Sundance at Conservative Treehouse 

President Trump is delivered remarks to the California GOP.  Trump’s afternoon speech at a state Republican Party convention in Anaheim came two days after he bypassed the second GOP debate held at Ronald Reagan’s presidential library northwest of Los Angeles, signaling again that he sees no need to appear side-by-side with lesser-known contenders.  

Tucker Carlson: Practicing Real Christianity Means ‘The People In Charge Want To Kill You’

Living our faith requires vigilance, but it also

 requires fearlessness, Tucker Carlson told a

 crowd of Christians in Ohio earlier this month.

Nick Givas reporting for The Federalist

As a journalist who’s covered various topics and written thousands of articles for national outlets, I’ve noticed one subject being neglected across the country: faith. Church membership and attendance have rapidly fallen and Biblical values have become limited in the modern world.

After traveling to Ohio earlier this month to hear Tucker Carlson speak about Christianity, it was reassuring to be reminded of the crosses we must bear to preserve our faith and walk in the footsteps of Christ. Living our faith requires vigilance, but it also requires “fearlessness.”

“Christians can absolutely get it wrong and do,” Carlson said at the event sponsored by the Center for Christian Virtue. “They could follow the wrong path; they can be mistaken. The one they cannot do is be afraid. Period.”

Yet most Christian leaders have buckled under the weight of fear and all but abandoned the pillars of our faith. Whether it was fear of government intrusion during Covid lockdowns, fear of not fitting in, or fear of death — Christianity has lost its way.

As a Catholic, I’m disappointed at how dystopic our nation has become regarding the persecution of the faithful — often treating religion as a threat. I’m also disturbed at how little Christian leaders have done to take a stand against this treatment while failing to inspire their flocks in the face of corruption.

I’ve all too often heard homilies and messages from church leadership devoid of meaning, devoid of God, vague, rambling, and without inspiration. This must end. The faithful must rise and take back what is theirs while strengthening those around them, whom the enemies of the church have trampled down.

As Tucker put it, the fight has drifted away from politics and become “a spiritual battle,” where souls are up for grabs.

The State Is Actively Persecuting Christians

He’s right. We now live in an age where freedom of religion extends only to a select few, while the Christian majority is monitored by the FBI. Sometimes they’re drawing federal attention for something as simple as attending Latin Mass, or peacefully protesting abortion.

The U.S. recently witnessed harsh convictions being sought by the Biden Justice Department against various pro-lifers, who are now facing months — if not years — in prison, for speaking out against the evils of abortion. Tucker touched upon this as well, by saying the point of existence is to have children. Those encouraging abortion have become the “enemy,” as they seek to twist the true nature of mankind for their own gain.

Our mere existence as faithful Christians and reliance on the Lord has upset an earthly order of power. One led by corrupt people, who desire worldly satisfaction devoid of God. It unbalances them so much they’re even willing to kill for it.

As Tucker reminded the crowd, “If you practice real Christianity, the people in charge want to kill you.” Your faith in something bigger represents a threat to their power.

Carlson pointed to the life and testimony of the apostle Paul from the New Testament. A former pharisee who was later blinded by God on the road to Damascus for his role in killing Christians.

“There’s not a letter [Paul] wrote where he didn’t have a sword hanging over his neck. He expected, at any moment, to be murdered,” Tucker said.

We saw the contempt our modern government has for God when it closed houses of worship during the pandemic but allowed liquor stores, strip clubs, and drug dispensaries to remain open.

What frustrated me most was how pastors, priests, and ministers cooperated with the government decrees. In a time of uncertainty, when they were most needed, where were they? Locked behind closed doors.

It Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better

Christians must live with their eyes on the next life. But how do we accomplish this in a world that grows more secular by the day? We start by supporting each other in our spiritual needs, as well as living out our faith through corporal works of mercy.

One of the main takeaways from Carlson’s remarks was his advice about unity. If we don’t support and care for other Christians, how can we ever hope to achieve harmony? Not only does it inspire those outside the faith, but it strengthens those who are being persecuted and helps prepare their souls for the bigger battle ahead.

For as bad as things have become, they are only going to get worse, as governments seek more power and churches remain silent.

Carlson was correct when he said our “church predates those governments and will outlast them, as will the faith.” But sadly, Christians remain “so intimidated in this country.”

Followers of Jesus must openly share their love for the gospel, and their hope for eternal life and fight to keep these freedoms intact, despite pandemics, death, threats, and politics.

We must also emulate Paul’s calm serenity and rid ourselves of corrosive fear entirely. Christians are primed for persecution. It is written in the Gospel of John, “The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted Me, they will persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours.”

Yet we cannot let that silence us, for our suffering will have become meaningless. If the word of Christ is destroyed by enemies of the church and replaced with edicts from government, darkness will cover the world and countless souls shall be lost.

There is much at stake, but be not afraid, my friends. Trust God, lean not on your own understanding, and preach the good news to all corners of the world in freedom from fear. Amen. 

Robert Kennedy Jr. to Run as Independent in 2024 Election

Sundance reporting for Conservative Treehouse 

Many people are talking about this today; it is an interesting dynamic.

According to Mediaite with the exclusive first story, Robert Kennedy Jr. will announce his transition from a candidate on the Democrat ticket to a candidate on the Independent ticket for the 2024 presidential contest.  RFK Jr. will make the announcement on October 9th, in Pennsylvania.

(Via Mediaite) 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to announce he will run as an independent on October 9 in Pennsylvania, Mediaite has learned.

Kennedy’s campaign machine is now planning “attack ads” against the Democratic National Committee in order to “pave the way” for his announcement in Philadelphia about running as an independent, according to a text reviewed by Mediaite.

“Bobby feels that the DNC is changing the rules to exclude his candidacy so an independent run is the only way to go,” a Kennedy campaign insider told Mediaite. (more)

My thoughts are the same today as they were when we first discussed RFK Jr.

None of the Lightbringer’s supporters/voters and ballot harvesters are going to support RFK Jr.  None of the leftists who follow social media or traditional media influence operations, the sheeple masses, are going to vote for RFK Jr.  None of the party Democrats are going to vote for RFK Jr.  None of the Gavin Newsom supporters are going to support RFK Jr.

So, who will vote for RFK Jr?

ANSWER: Two core groups.

#1) Ron DeSantis supporters.  When RdS drops out, his coalition of support, the Never Trump Republicans, will flow to RFK Jr. 

#2) Approximately one-third of unregistered, unaffiliated or what we would call “independent” voters.  About a third of them.

Independents will fracture into three subsets.  Approximately 1/3 supporting Gavin Newsom. Approximately 1/3 supporting Donald Trump.  Approximately 1/3 supporting Robert Kennedy Jr.

With DeSantis Republicans and one-third of independent voters, that’s the RFK Jr. coalition.

As I said from the outset, RFK Jr. is the intelligence community insurance policy against the threat of Donald Trump.

RFK Jr. running as an independent will tilt the election to Gavin Newsom.

Stop thinking about RFK Jr. taking votes from Biden.  Unfortunately, this will be the narrative; this will be what is polled.  However, Joe Biden will not be the DNC nominee.

The correct question is, what does RFK Jr. running as an independent do to the 2024 contest when it is Gavin Newsom -vs- Donald Trump?

In that scenario, the motives and intentions of RFK Jr. taking votes from Biden, because Joe Biden is a blithering idiot, disappears.  Democrats will happily stick with Newsom…. which is exactly why his visibility is everywhere right now.  It’s an op.

RFK Jr. running as an independent, is part of that op.

Reset your reference point to the baseline where the intelligence operatives do not want you to be.  When someone starts asking the question about RFK Jr. taking votes from Biden, stop them immediately.  Joe Biden will not be the nominee.  With Gavin Newsom as the DNC candidate coming out of Chicago, what does RFK Jr. do to THAT contest with Trump?  That’s the question.

You all know the answer.

This is an op.

There is no more beautifully run intelligence operation than when the target of the intelligence operation represents the interests of the intelligence operation.  The irony of a Kennedy is just a cherry on the operational cake.

Last point.  Remember when I warned about “Q” back in 2018 ,and people got very, very mad at me for my position?  Do you think it is accidental the Kennedy narrative stemmed from the “Q”-Anon origin?

Biden Thinks He's Going to Tag the GOP for Gov't Shutdown, but CNN Has a Big Surprise for Him

Nick Arama reporting for RedState 

Joe Biden and the Democrats are playing this government shutdown game again. 

They want to keep spending and they don't want to be checked in any way, despite the rising debt and the continuing annual deficits. I'm not even sure Joe Biden knows the difference between the two concepts, since he keeps confusing them.

But 80-year-old Joe Biden is stuck back in the past when in any fight over a government shutdown, the GOP often got blamed by the public. 

Now, Biden claims he cares about not having a government shutdown and that it would be bad. 

Yet he isn't doing anything at all to stop it, as we can see when the media questioned White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the subject Friday. 

They don't have any meetings with Congress, and KJP doesn't even know when Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) last spoke. "It's not on us to fix," KJP says.  

It's Friday, and Saturday is the deadline. Where's Joe Biden? He reportedly took an early lid for the day at 2:42 p.m. EST. It's very hard to "work" four hours a day, have one or two events in a day, and then be off for vacation most weekends. 

Biden also has no events scheduled on Saturday or Sunday. So, he's not even pretending to be busy. He just can't be bothered, despite what he says. 

But if Biden thought he could just sit back, grouse about Republicans, and pretend things aren't the fault of the Democrats, CNN's data guru Harry Enten has a big surprise for him. As Enten explained, the plurality of voters would blame Joe Biden and the Democrats for any government shutdown. 

I wrote about this in a piece on the WaPo/ABC poll.

Enten went on to explain this is very different from prior shutdowns. Joe Biden, who seems frequently stuck in the past to his detriment, may be stuck in the past on this issue as well, thinking this is not going to adversely affect the Democrats and not understanding what Enten is saying. 

He and the Democrats haven't done one thing to curb spending or to compromise with the Republicans. Biden just thinks it's his way or the highway. 

If Biden is playing games here, it sounds like it's going to come back and hit him in the fanny, and it would be well-deserved.