(Daily Signal)—James Biden told congressional investigators that his older brother, President Joe Biden, made loans to him of $200,000 and $40,000 without charging interest, but that he has no documentation of the transactions.
“There weren’t any,” the president’s younger brother testified, according to a just-released transcript of his Feb. 21 deposition.
Jim Biden said he needed the money for “outstanding bills that I had.”
When asked whether Joe Biden was present for meetings with Tony Bobulinski, then a business associate of his son Hunter Biden, the president’s brother answered: “That I know did not happen.”
Jim Biden also testified that the contents of reported emails didn’t change his testimony or memory about his work with a collapsed rural hospital company, Americore Holdings.
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Friday released the 244-page transcript of the closed-door deposition, which is part of the impeachment inquiry into potential influence peddling by the president and his family.
The president’s brother became a key witness in the House probe after he and his wife Sara wrote a $200,000 check to Joe Biden on March 1, 2018, noting that the purpose was a “loan repayment.”
That $200,000 check was cut the same day that James Biden got a $200,000 payment from Americore Holdings.
Separately, the House committee released a copy of a $40,000 check written Sept. 3, 2017, from Jim and Sara Biden to Joe Biden that evidence shows may have been laundered through a Chinese energy company, CEFC China Energy, that Hunter Biden was involved in.
Several House members sat in on Jim Biden’s deposition, and several questioned him directly. At one point, Biden’s lawyer Paul Fishman said, “Calm down,” according to the transcript.
It isn’t clear whether the remark was directed at Fishman’s client or someone else.
“Have you ever made direct payments to your brother, Joe Biden?” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., asked the president’s brother.
“I repaid two loans that I secured from my brother,” Jim Biden replied.
Gaetz followed up by asking: “And were any documents memorialized in terms of those loans?”
Biden, 75, seemed to stumble for words in answering the question.
“Through—through,” Biden said, according to the transcript. “Actual, no, no.”
Biden testified that the two checks—although made out to Joe Biden—actually went to lawyer Mel Monzack, who oversees the president’s business income such as book royalties.
“What was the full sum of those loans?” Gaetz asked.
“One was for $200,000 and one was for $40,000,” Biden answered.
Gaetz asked: “And what was the interest rate on those loans?”
Biden responded: “There weren’t any. … Yeah. Family. Uh-huh.”
Gaetz asked why he needed the $240,000 to begin with.
“Outstanding bills that I had,” Biden answered.
A House staff investigator asked the president’s brother about a recent Politico story about Americore Holdings. The investigator read from the article during the questions.
“Did you ever speak with anybody at Americore about Joe Biden getting equity in the company?” the investigator asked.
“That is ridiculous on its face. No,” Biden answered.
The Daily Signal first reported that Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman is investigating Americore Holdings, which operated in Kentucky.
The staff investigator continued, reading several references to the emails in Politico’s reporting.
The investigator began to ask: “This appears to be an email. Do you recall referencing—”
Jim Biden cut him off, saying, “No.”
“Joe Biden?”
“No.”
The investigator asked: “Does this—quoting an email—does this change any of your other answers about never involving—?”
Again cutting him off, Biden said: “No.”
He later denied that Joe Biden ever met with Bobulinski, his son’s business partner at the time. Bobulinski already had told the House committee that he met with Joe, Hunter, and Jim Biden in California.
“Was Mr. Bobulinski what you would consider a business associate of you and Hunter Biden?” a House investigator asked.
“He wasn’t of mine,” Biden answered. “I had discussions with him, but there was never anything that was memorialized in terms of his involvement.”
The investigator asked: “Do you recall whether you were at the bar with Hunter Biden, Tony Bobulinski, and Joe Biden?”
Biden replied: “That I know did not happen. … I could have been there just with Tony Bobulinski. I could have been there with Hunter as well. But my brother was never there.”
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
#FTheKenyanTraitor + #FjoKeBidumB and their low-info (IQ), mindless DemoNcrat electorate minions
#ENDTheDemoNcratParty (the original party of slavery, the KKK, Jim Crow laws, continued modern racism and new slavery methods) – F A C T S
#WakeUp
#WalkAway
#Hispanics4TRUERepublicans 🇺🇸 (we ARE going to change the narrative, just look at our current polling)
VOTE A STRAIGHT REPUBLICAN TICKET IN 2024 for regained Rule of Law!
A Republican majority is required to do so.
*I did NOT say vote for a RINO
Why wasn’t Jim Biden asked whether a gift tax was paid to the IRS since the amount exceeded the threshold ($15,000 or less back then)? Also, why wasn’t he asked if he received the money in cash, check or wire transfer? Records would exist at the bank for the latter two methods, unless it came out of a cash slush fund that Joe had stashed away. If so, then where did that $240,000 in cash come from?