(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) President Joe Biden and embattled son Hunter find themselves under scrutiny as their close ties to indicted Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., surface through a 2010 email obtained from Hunter’s infamous laptop.
This revelation has raised questions about the extent of Biden’s connections with Menendez and has added to the mounting controversies surrounding the president, who is facing allegations of bribery himself.
The emails reveal that Menendez’s chief of staff, Danny O’Brien, reached out to Hunter and his former business partner, Eric Schwerin, with a specific request: access to Biden.
According to copies of the emails reserved by the Marco Polo non-profit, O’Brien asked both Hunter and Schwerin to extend an invitation to then-Vice President Biden to keynote the “United States – Spain Council’s Annual Forum” in July 2010. This request was made after Biden’s office at the White House declined the offer:
Dear Senator Menendez and Mr. O’Brien,
Thank you for inviting Vice President Biden to keynote the United States – Spain Council’s Annual Forum on July 23-25, 2010.
Vice President Biden values each and every invitation he receives. The constraints of his schedule, however and the volume of requests are such that the majority must be declined. It is with sincere regret that the Vice President will be unable to keynote the forum.
Thank you for your interest in including the Vice President in your plans, and we appreciate your understanding.
Sincerely,
The Office of the Vice President
Office of Scheduling
Unhappy with Biden’s office, O’Brien emailed Schwerin with the special request.
Eric:
Please see the revised request I just sent in to the Vice President’s office. Any chance you could forward it to Hunter? Ambassador Solomont was in yesterday and will be broaching the matter with the Vice President when they meet in Madrid later this week.
Danny.
In response, Schwerin then emailed Hunter:
Danny O’Brien called. Sen. Menendez is U.S. Chair of the above group. Spanish members include CEOs of the major banks – Banco Santander, etc, Iberdrola, Spanish Rail, etc. Amb. Solomont is a big supporter and JRB went to speak to group in Boca when a Senator.
Having their annual meeting in DC in July. Spanish Foreign Minister attends. Danny wants to explore with you possibility of getting VP to host event at NAVOBs for group. Maybe even an appearance at a reception at a hotel. I’ll get more info and we can discuss with Danny next week. I think Solomont mentioned your interest in Spain and that is why Danny is calling us.
Sounds interesting. Let’s discuss. Probably don’t want to mention to Transatlantic in case we can’t deliver though I guess.
These revelations come at a time when prominent conservative voices are drawing comparisons between the allegations of bribery involving Biden and Hunter and the indictment of Menendez. Menendez faces charges from the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, including gold bullion.
The contents of the email, dated April 7, 2010, reveal that Menendez had already established a back channel through Hunter. It is not immediately clear how or when Menendez’s office began communicating with Hunter’s associate.
Several Democratic lawmakers, including Democratic Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., called for Menendez to resign. The Biden White House, however, has remained mum on the scandal embroiling their close Democratic ally.
“This is an active matter, so I’m not gonna comment,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre remarked on Friday.
