Democratic presidential hopeful and former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE and his wife Jill Biden in a pair of interviews airing Monday said their son, Hunter Biden, did nothing wrong in regards to his work on the board of a Ukrainian energy firm.
The older Bidens defended Hunter Biden in separate interviews airing on the day of the Iowa caucuses after some Republicans suggested Hunter Biden should testify during President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE’s impeachment trial in the Senate.
“Hunter has done nothing wrong,” Jill Biden, his stepmother, said in an interview with CNN. “Why would Hunter be called? Donald Trump should be before that committee.”
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“We used to be great friends… And now he’s changed,” says Jill Biden, wife of Joe Biden, about Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op MORE’s stance on the impeachment trial. “It’s hard when you consider somebody a friend and they’ve said so many negative things. That’s been a little hurtful.” pic.twitter.com/tjR1JsFrDJ
— New Day (@NewDay) February 3, 2020
Joe Biden, in an interview on NBC’s “Today,” similarly pushed back on allegations that his son acted wrongly or that he was only offered the job in Ukraine for access to his father.
“No one’s found anything wrong with his dealings with Ukraine, except that they say it sets a bad image,” Joe Biden said.
“Today” host Savannah Guthrie pressed Joe Biden further on the topic, asking the former vice president if he thought “it was wrong for [Hunter Biden] to take that position, knowing that it was really because that company wanted access to you?”
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Joe Biden pushed back, saying that “no one said that.”
“Well, that’s not true. You’re saying things — you do not know what you’re talking about. No one said that. Who said that?” Joe Biden responded.
“Don’t you think that it’s one of those things people think, ‘Well that seems kind of sleazy, why would he have that job if not for who his father is?’” Guthrie pressed again.
“He’s a very bright guy,” Joe Biden responded.
“He said he regretted having done it. Speak for himself; he’s a grown man,” he added.
The questions came as some GOP members of Congress called for Hunter Biden to testify before the Senate if Democrats were going to call their own witnesses in the impeachment trial.
Hunter Biden’s work in Ukraine was thrust into the spotlight following a July call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that is at the center of the impeachment inquiry.
Trump asked Zelensky to investigate the former vice president and his son on the call. Democrats allege that the president then tied military aid to the country to whether those investigations would take place.
Sen. Joni ErnstJoni Kay ErnstGeorge Conway group hits Ernst in new ad GOP senators introduce resolution opposing calls to defund the police The Hill’s Campaign Report: Republicans go on attack over calls to ‘defund the police’ MORE (R-Iowa) over the weekend suggested Biden could be impeached if he were elected to the White House for “turning a blind eye to Burisma because his son was on the board making over a million dollars a year.”
Joe Biden forcefully responded while speaking to supporters on Sunday while campaigning in Iowa ahead of the caucuses.
“Why don’t you all show Joni Ernst just how smart you are by caucusing for me?” Joe Biden said, to loud applause.
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“I promise if you stand with me, we will end Trump’s reign of hatred and division,” he added.
The Biden campaign has strongly rebuked Republicans for pushing a debunked narrative that as vice president Biden fired a corrupt prosecutor because his son was sitting on the board of Ukrainian energy firm Burisma.
Ultimately, all but two Republicans voted against a measure to compel witnesses during the trial, killing it.
Trump was charged with two articles of impeachment in the House in relation to the July phone call.
A final vote on Trump’s articles of impeachment is slated for Wednesday in the Senate, and the president is expected to be acquitted.