Still ignoring the evidence revealed by the House Oversight Committee last week that then-Vice President Joe Biden had been involved with his son Hunter’s shady overseas business dealings, ABC’s Good Morning America spent part of their Monday morning newscast openly worrying that Joe would be forced to “pay” the price for the “sins of the son” in this case.
After noting that Special Counsel David Weiss was going to bring federal tax and gun charges against Hunter, as well as further investigate his foreign business dealings, ABC chief “justice” correspondent Pierre Thomas voiced his concerns for President Biden. “But the key question moving forward is how much damage does the father pay for any sins of the son?” he asked co-host Robin Roberts in a perversion of the biblical quote.
At the top of his report, Thomas lamented that Hunter’s sweetheart and dubious plea deal fell through and how it was harming Joe. “It was only a few weeks ago that Hunter Biden was on the cusp of a plea deal that he hoped would put an end to his legal troubles. But it appears the legal and political drama for him and the President is far from over,” he said.
He bemoaned that Hunter was “still in the investigative crosshairs of federal prosecutors” and that it was “creating political challenges for his father” as they proceeded toward trial:
A special counsel now appointed to investigate Hunter Biden's financial dealings and his plea deal apparently falling apart meaning it's all but certain he's likely going to trial.
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And then another surprise. Weiss telling the court chances for a plea deal have largely disappeared. Weiss writing in court filings, “the parties are at an impasse” and “the government believes this will not resolve short of a trial,” all signaling he likely intends to bring tax and gun charges against Hunter Biden.
Thomas did find a strand of hope to cling onto as he took the words of Hunter’s lawyers as the God-honest truth. “But Hunter Biden's team portraying confidence, noting after five years of investigation by Weiss, where is the evidence of significant corruption by Hunter Biden?” he boasted.
“Still, Republicans on the attack this weekend,” Thomas decried as if they were going against an irrefutable fact. “Democrats pushing back hard saying Republicans are desperate to weaken the President because of their own flawed leading candidate who's facing multiple indictments,” he added. He played soundbites of Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) after each of those statements, respectively.
Meanwhile, he refused to air any soundbite of House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) on CNN last week laying out the evidence that Biden family members were getting suspicious money transfers from notably corrupt foreign entities after Joe left the countries the payments originated from. Thomas also ignored Comer revealing a text message from Hunter where he decried having to turn over his money to his dad.
ABC’s concern for President Joe Biden was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Dick’s Sporting Goods and Downy. Their contact information is linked.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s Good Morning America
August 14, 2023
7:11:46 a.m. EasternGEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We get the latest now on Hunter Biden. The Justice Department has appointed a special counsel in the investigation into the President's son after his plea deal with prosecutors seemed to fall apart. Chief Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas is tracking the case. Good morning, Pierre.
PIERRE THOMAS: George, good morning. It was only a few weeks ago that Hunter Biden was on the cusp of a plea deal that he hoped would put an end to his legal troubles. But it appears the legal and political drama for him and the President is far from over.
[Cuts to video]
This morning, the President's son still in the investigative crosshairs of federal prosecutors, creating political challenges for his father. A special counsel now appointed to investigate Hunter Biden's financial dealings and his plea deal apparently falling apart meaning it's all but certain he's likely going to trial.
ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND: I'm here today to announce David Weiss as a special counsel.
THOMAS: Attorney General Merrick Garland making the surprise announcement due to what he called the “extraordinary circumstances of the case.” Garland naming David Weiss, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney, who had already been investigating Hunter Biden, as the new special counsel.
GARLAND: Mr. Weiss has the authority he needs to conduct a thorough investigation and continue to take the steps he deems appropriate independently.
THOMAS: And then another surprise. Weiss telling the court chances for a plea deal have largely disappeared. Weiss writing in court filings, “the parties are at an impasse” and “the government believes this will not resolve short of a trial,” all signaling he likely intends to bring tax and gun charges against Hunter Biden.
But Hunter Biden's team portraying confidence, noting after five years of investigation by Weiss, where is the evidence of significant corruption by Hunter Biden?
ABBE LOWELL (attorney for Hunter Biden): There's no new evidence to be found. Some of these transactions are years old.
THOMAS: Still, Republicans on the attack this weekend.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R_TX): We need a whistleblower not to go back and bury what Hunter Biden did is what David Weiss has been doing for five years.
THOMAS: Democrats pushing back hard saying Republicans are desperate to weaken the President because of their own flawed leading candidate who's facing multiple indictments.
REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): They've not laid a glove on Joe Biden as president. They haven't been able to show any criminal corruption on his part.
[Cuts back to live]
THOMAS: But the key question moving forward is how much damage does the father pay for any sins of the son? Robin.
ROBIN ROBERTS: All right. Our thanks to you, Pierre.
