On Wednesday morning, House Republican Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) held a press conference in which he claimed his committee had evidence that the Biden family and their business associates used a web of “complicated and suspicious” networks to enrich themselves to the tune of $10 million. This occurred on the same day that backbencher Republican Congressman George Santos (NY) was handed a 13-count indictment for fraud, money laundering, and other charges.
All three broadcast networks, ABC’s World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News, led their respective broadcasts with the Santos story. Yet the Comer press conference wasn’t mentioned during any of their half-hour broadcasts.
In total, the networks spent a combined 10 minutes and 57 seconds on the Santos charges while spending no time at all on the Biden family scandals. ABC spent by far the most time on Santos with 4 minutes and 18 seconds, NBC's 3 minutes and 28 seconds scored them second place, and CBS brought up the rear with 3 minutes and 11 seconds.
Even CNN covered it briefly throughout the day in their 9 am, 1 pm, 5 pm, and 6 pm-hour shows. Although they skipped airing Comer’s press conference.
Fox News Channel’s Special Report also covered the Comer revelations having to do with the Biden family’s alleged corruption. In fact, the newscast led with the story.
Covering the story for Special Report, correspondent David Spunt revealed that “House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer went page by page through new evidence that he says shows the Biden family and associates made more than $10 million from overseas contacts.”
“Republicans say a bulk of the activity happened when Joe Biden was vice president. According to House Republicans, Biden family members and associates created more than 20 companies and the money went from account to account before landing in the account of a Biden,” Spunt added.
According to Spunt, the evidence provided to Comer’s committee directly implicates Joe Biden since: “In May 2014, then Vice President Biden spoke in Romania to members of the government. According to House Republicans, a company called Robinson Walker L.L.C., a business established by an associate of Hunter Biden received $3 million from a company connected to a Romanian businessman.”
You would think allegations like this would warrant at least a brief mention on the nightly newscast. But as always, protecting Joe Biden was more important to the networks than informing their audiences.
This outrageous bias by omission was made possible by Angi on ABC, SimpliSafe on CBS and Liberty Mutual on NBC. Their information is linked.
The transcript is below. Click “expand” to read:
FNC’s Special Report
5/10/2023
6:00:48 p.m. EasternBRET BAIER: House Republicans are taking the gloves off and are now going after President Biden over alleged corruption. The Chairman of the Oversight Committee says there is evidence of what he calls a complicated and suspicious network of companies used to enrich the Biden family by more than $10 million. This comes as the GOP presses the FBI for a document that supposedly details a whistleblower's claim that then Vice President Biden sold his influence for money, a document that no one has seen as of yet. The FBI, however, is now responding. Correspondent David Spunt starts us off tonight from the Justice Department. Good evening, David.
DAVID SPUNT: Good evening, Bret. We know right now that Republicans are calling this judgment day for President Biden and his family using bank records. They say they’re taking their investigation all the way to the Oval Office.
REP. JAMES COMER: This committee is investigating President Biden and his family's shady business deals that capitalize on Joe Biden's public office and risked our country's national security.
SPUNT: House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer went page by page through new evidence that he says shows the Biden family and associates made more than $10 million from overseas contacts. Republicans say a bulk of the activity happened when Joe Biden was Vice President. According to House Republicans, Biden family members and associates created more than 20 companies and the money went from account to account before landing in the account of a Biden.
REP. BYRON DONALDS: There is no business structure around this family. Except politics.
SPUNT: In addition to Hunter Biden, House Republicans say the President's brother James and daughter-in-law Halle Biden also received payments. In many cases Republicans say the cash came from communist China. But they say other countries were also involved. In May 2014, then Vice President Biden spoke in Romania to members of the government. According to House Republicans, a company called Robinson Walker L.L.C., a business established by an associate of Hunter Biden received $3 million from a company connected to a Romanian businessman. The Republicans claim they have evidence that payments were then funneled from Robinson Walker to the Biden family.
REP. NANCY MACE: If it looks complicated and sounds complicated it was intentionally made to be complicated so you could not follow the money.
SPUNT: Comer and his team did not share any evidence that any p258ayments went directly into the pockets of Joe Biden. The White House, fighting back, spokesman Ian Sam's tweeting ‘Comer has asked for a single Joe Biden policy they believe has been unduly influenced. He cannot name a single one, incredible.’
[...]
SPUNT: And, Bret, the FBI won't even acknowledge or deny the existence of this 1023 form. We just got a statement in from the FBI, I want to read it in part. An FD-1023 form is used by FBI agents to record unverified reporting by a confidential human source documenting the information does not validate it, establish its credibility, or weigh it against any other information verified by the FBI. Both Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and House Oversight Chairman James Comer admit they have never seen it but just relying on a whistleblower in this situation; however, they say that whistleblower is a good source and the FBI's pledging as you heard director Wray say, to work with the committee as much as possible, but they did not turn over that form and it looks like they are not going to, Bret.
