2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said on CBS’s “60 Minutes” on Sunday that reports accusing his son Hunter of using his position as vice president to make “lucrative” deals with Ukrainian energy company Burisma were a “smear campaign.”
Biden pointed his finger at Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, saying that the intelligence community has “warned” that the laptop allegedly given to Giuliani’s attorney containing “confidential information,” was in fact “disinformation from the Russians.”
“It’s a smear campaign,” Joe Biden says about the recent leak of unverified emails allegedly from Hunter Biden’s computer. https://t.co/xbXRaEGy26 pic.twitter.com/ZZETJwivIr
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) October 26, 2020
RELATED: Biden Says Accusations Against Hunter Just ‘Desperate Campaign To Smear Me And My Family’
Biden’s ‘Russia Disinformation’ Claim
The New York Post broke the story last week, showing Hunter Biden allegedly detailing aspects of his business dealings overseas on the computer.
During his 60 Minutes interview, CBS News anchor Norah O’Donnell asked Biden, “Do you believe the recent leak of material allegedly from Hunter’s computer is part of a Russian disinformation campaign?”
Biden replied, “From what I’ve read and know, the intelligence community warned the president that Giuliani was being fed disinformation from the Russians.”
“And we also know that (Vladimir) Putin is trying very hard to spread disinformation about Joe Biden,” he said.
Biden on the purported Hunter Biden documents: "When you put the combination of Russia, Giuliani, the president, together — it's just what it is. It's a smear campaign because he has nothing he wants to talk about. What is he running on? What is he running on?"
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) October 26, 2020
‘Smear Campaign’
“And so, when you put the combination of Russia, Giuliani, the president together, it’s just what it is,” he added.
Biden then claimed, “It’s a smear campaign because he has nothing he wants to talk about.”
Biden said President Trump has resorted to criticizing his family because he has nothing of substance to campaign on.
“What is he running on? What is he running on?,” Biden asked O’Donnell.
This exchange between Trump and Lesley Stahl is insane. She repeatedly insists the Biden laptops “can’t be verified” so reporters shouldn’t talk about it.
Trump asks her why it can’t be verified.
Her answer: “Because it can’t be verified.” pic.twitter.com/cf9hcSGnrm
— Anders Hagstrom (@Hagstrom_Anders) October 22, 2020
Will The Hunter Biden Scandal Affect The Election?
This story about Hunter Biden’s alleged overseas dealings and how his father might have been involved will no doubt be brought up for the remainder of this election.
Does more come out that hurts Team Biden? Is it a distraction for Team Trump from more pressing issues of interest to voters?
We will likely all find out in a little over a week.