In a recent opinion piece, Sarah Chayes, an Atlantic Magazine columnist, expressed concerns regarding President Joe Biden’s attitude towards his family’s business activities. Chayes, formerly with NPR and an adviser to the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, portrayed the Biden family’s business dealings as potentially being a front for foreign officials with shady reputations.
Chayes wrote, “The gravest concern surrounding Hunter Biden’s business might be that the president saw no issues with it. For a leadership and party that prioritizes integrity, this raises eyebrows.”
Furthermore, she mentioned, “There’s increasing evidence suggesting Hunter Biden might have breached U.S. legal statutes. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
Chayes drew attention to parallels between various international dealings and the business intricacies of the Biden family. She highlighted alleged ties with influential figures from Afghanistan and Nigeria, comparing them to the transactions by Devon Archer, a close business associate of Hunter Biden.
One key figure in Archer’s circle was Yelena Baturina, Russia’s wealthiest woman, who had business engagements with a firm co-established by Archer and Hunter Biden. During his tenure, Baturina was wed to Yuriy Luzhkov, a former Moscow mayor known for corruption. Another significant name, according to Archer, was Karim Massimov, once an integral part of Kazakhstan’s governance, who was later investigated concerning suspected bribery cases and faced a treason charge in 2022, subsequently being sentenced to 18 years.
Archer’s business operations, including those involving Hunter Biden, were characterized by Chayes as intricate and designed to obscure financial trails. These ventures often targeted regions less stringent about transparency, like Kazakhstan.
The article also emphasized Hunter Biden and Archer’s association with Burisma Holdings, suggesting that this association might have conflicted with the U.S.’s anti-corruption stance in Ukraine. The U.S.’s position seemed inconsistent to Ukrainians, as they perceived a disconnect between official policy and the Bidens’ business ties.
Chayes concluded with a critique of President Joe Biden’s support for his son’s actions, stating that it potentially gives the impression of endorsing a business framework that facilitates image polishing for questionable international figures.
