Most Americans say Joe Biden was involved in Hunter’s business deals while VP: poll

Most Americans believe President Biden was involved in his son’s foreign business dealings while he was vice president — and that he acted inappropriately during the investigation into his scandal-scarred son, according to a new poll.

Almost two-thirds (61%) of US adults said Biden had some involvement in Hunter Biden’s business deals while serving as veep in the Obama administration, compared to just 38% who said there was no involvement, a new poll by CNN found.

Forty-two percent of Americans also said Biden acted illegally while 18% said the then-vice president acted unethically but not illegally. Just 1% said Biden was involved but did nothing wrong.

In addition, a majority of Americans — 55% — also said the president acted inappropriately during the Justice Department’s five-year investigation into his son’s alleged tax and gun crimes. Forty-four percent said Biden has acted appropriately.

The poll was conducted by SSRS from Aug. 25 to 31 and surveyed 1,503 American adults, including 898 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Roughly three-quarters of Republicans said Biden acted illegally with respect to his son’s business dealings — and 90% said the president inappropriately intervened in the Justice Department’s investigation into Hunter.

A little more than half (52%) of independents believe Biden acted inappropriately during the federal investigation. Sixty-four percent said he was involved in Hunter’s business dealings. Only 39% said he acted illegally.

Fewer than one-third of Democrats believe Biden was involved in his son’s business affairs. Only 37% of Democrat-aligned voters who would support a candidate other than Biden next year believe he had involvement. Just 29% said his actions were inappropriate.

The office of Delaware US Attorney David Weiss announced Wednesday it was seeking a grand jury indictment of Hunter Biden on gun charges after a plea agreement between defense attorneys and prosecutors imploded in court.

The botched plea deal came after IRS whistleblowers testified that the Justice Department had interfered in their investigation of Hunter’s alleged tax crimes and blocked them from obtaining search warrants or interviewing the first son.

Hunter Biden evaded tax payments of $2.2 million on more than $8.3 million in foreign income he earned between 2014 and 2019.

Some of those funds came from a lucrative seat he held on the board of the Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings, while his father was overseeing US policy for Ukraine.

Other payments flowed from investment funds that the then-second son founded with Chinese government-linked business entities including CEFC China Energy and BHR Partners — the latter of which was founded 12 days after a trip to Beijing he took with his dad on Air Force Two.

IRS supervisory agent Gary Shapley and special agent Joseph Ziegler told Congress in private depositions and public hearings earlier this year that federal prosecutors hindered their probe — and Weiss privately informed them he had not been given authority to bring charges against the first son.

Weiss said he had been barred from partnering with US Attorneys Matthew Graves and E. Martin Estrada to bring charges in Washington, DC, and California, respectively, according to the whistleblowers.

Attorney General Merrick Garland and Weiss, in subsequent letters to Republican lawmakers, said the Delaware office had “ultimate authority” to pursue its case against Hunter Biden.

Garland later elevated Weiss to special counsel status after Hunter’s plea deal fell apart, despite congressional Republicans expressing reservations about the Delaware prosecutor’s handling of the investigation.

House Republicans have also begun talks about launching an impeachment inquiry against the president over his alleged involvement in his son’s business dealings.

The CNN poll also shows former President Donald Trump beating Biden in a general election rematch 47% to 46%.

Former South Carolina Gov. and Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley would trounce Biden by a margin outside the poll’s margin of error: 49% to 43%.

Former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie would also defeat Biden by two-point margins, according to the poll.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy would lose by one point, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would tie Biden in a general election.