Earlier this month, the New York Post ran a story about former Vice President and 2020 Democratic nominee Joe Biden's alleged involvement in the foreign business dealings of his son, Hunter.
The unverified documents on which the story hinges were supplied by President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, who claimed to have obtained Hunter Biden's laptop from a repair worker who said that Biden never came to retrieve it.
Giuliani originally went to Fox News with the story, but the outlet passed on it due to credibility issues.
Nevertheless, the Trump campaign has been pushing the smear relentlessly since the New York Post published it. Hours before the final presidential debate on Thursday, Trump presented his "special guest" of the night: former business associate of Hunter Biden, Tony Bobulinski.
Bobulinski presented messages claiming to be between him and Hunter Biden, in which Biden refers to 'the Chairman.' Bobulinski said this was the name for Joe Biden. The messages show discussions of a potential deal with Bobulinski's company SinoHawk Holdings, which operated through Chinese conglomerate CEFC.
Now, a Fox News journalist reporting that the main allegation put forth by Bobulinski—that Joe Biden was using his vice presidency to assist his son's business—doesn't hold water.
I completed searching all of Tony Bobulinski's emails. They establish:
•the “Chairman" is China.
• NO ROLE for Joe Biden in emails/docs
• Tony Bobulinski states himself there are NO OTHER MEMBERS besides Hunter Biden, Jim Biden, Rob Walker, James Gillar, and Bobulinski
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) October 23, 2020
Fox reporter Jacqui Heinrich found "NO ROLE" for Biden in the emails and documents submitted by Bobulinski, but she did find that the "Chairman" was referring to China, not Biden.
Heinrich posted her findings the day after the Wall Street Journal reached the same conclusion upon reviewing the documents.
People amplified Heinrich's findings in hopes of finally putting the smear to rest.
This is from a Fox News national correspondent.
There is simply no there there.
Now, let's talk about Ivanka's dozens of patents fast tracked from China while she was advisor to the President of the United States.#FridayThoughts #FridayFeeling #fridaymotivation https://t.co/r9dNcV8vpI
— Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) October 23, 2020
*Reporters* at the WSJ, Fox News, and NYP have all come to the same conclusion about these documents but they are being drowned out by bad faith activists on the opinion side at these Murdoch companies who favor Trump's re-election. That is the story. https://t.co/QrHdPVTcBq
— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) October 23, 2020
This is a Fox News reporter, folks. Even they are not biting. https://t.co/sfpg7zePb8
— Russell Drew (@RussOnPolitics) October 23, 2020
Can we move on now @PressSec @realDonaldTrump @GOP https://t.co/5tB2U2BalK
— 14Stories (@14storiesCA) October 23, 2020
*pretends to be shocked* https://t.co/lTviowML7o
— Ina Bauers (@sasssurlaglace) October 23, 2020
Fox News national correspondent refuting the central premise of the “bombshell" that's been all over that network for the past day. https://t.co/6s7q0fQwym
— Jacob Rubashkin (@JacobRubashkin) October 23, 2020
Meanwhile, Trump's own business entanglements in China drew concern.
Trump at the debate last night explaining his secret Chinese bank account pic.twitter.com/ODDyFtWgCa
— Antifa Chief Human Resources Officer (@AbridgedThe) October 23, 2020
Biden has released his tax returns, so we know he didn't receive $3.5 million from Russia.
Trump hasn't released his tax returns, so we have no idea how much money he gets from Russia. And he never disclosed his secret Chinese bank account.#Debates2020
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) October 23, 2020
So Trump is going to discuss his secret Chinese bank account, his Chinese taxes, Ivanka's trademarks, Jared's business interests, and the $15.8m he got from a Chinese American tied to a Chinese intelligence front? Good! https://t.co/bJXwTBFJ41
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) October 22, 2020
