Sparks Fly When Dan Goldman Grills Ex-Hunter Biden Partner Tony Bobulinski About 'Big Guy' Email

Forbes Breaking News

20 Mar 202405:41

Summary

TLDRIn a hearing, Mr. Goldman questions a witness about the involvement of Joe Biden in a business venture related to Onida Holdings and Hunter Biden. The witness clarifies the business structure of coh hawk Holdings, LLC, and the 50% ownership on the American side attributed to the Bidens. Despite the witness's claim of having substantial evidence, the discussion around a text message and an email suggesting a 'big guy' reference does not conclusively link Joe Biden's involvement. The witness's account contrasts with public statements made by James Giller, who denies the former vice president's involvement in the business discussions.

Takeaways

🕒 The questioning is time-sensitive, with only 5 minutes allocated for Mr. Goldman's inquiry.
🧐 Mr. Balinsky's testimony involves Joe Biden's alleged involvement in a business venture related to Onida Holdings and Hunter Biden.
💼 Onida Holdings is a business venture in which Mr. Balinsky and the Bidens are implicated, with Onida Holdings LLC and Coh Hawk Holdings LLC owning 50% stakes.
🤝 The partnership was documented and involved five partners, including Hunter Biden, Jim Biden, Rob Walker, James Gilear, and Mr. Balinsky, each with a 20% stake.
📜 The final signed documents confirm that the LLCs of the five partners owned the shares, not the individuals directly.
🕵️‍♂️ There is uncertainty regarding whether Joe Biden or an LLC related to him was involved in the ownership structure.
📅 The agreement in question was signed on May 22, 2017, when Mike Pence was Vice President and Donald Trump was President.
🗣️ Mr. Balinsky first met Hunter Biden in early 2017, with significant interactions occurring in May of that year, around the same time as meetings with Joe Biden.
📱 A text message from James Gilear to Mr. Balinsky on May 11, 2017, suggests involving Joe Biden in the business deal.
📧 An email sent by James Gilear proposed a division of the company, including a 10% share for 'the big guy,' an ambiguous reference.
🔍 Hunter Biden's claim that he did not respond to the 'big guy' email is contested, as there were responses to the email.
🚫 Despite the claims of involvement, James Gilear has stated that former Vice President Joe Biden was not involved in the 2017 discussions or the business structure.

Q & A

What is the business venture that Mr. Balinsky is referring to involving the Bidens?
-The business venture referred to is related to the company Onida Holdings and coh hawk Holdings, LLC, where Onida Holdings and Hunter Biden are involved.
How many partners were there in Onida Holdings, and what percentage of ownership did each partner have?
-There were five partners in Onida Holdings, with each partner owning 20% of the company.
Is it correct that Onida Holdings and coh hawk Holdings, LLC own 50% of the business venture?
-Yes, that is correct. Onida Holdings was the 50% on the American side of the coh hawk deal.
Who were the five partners in Onida Holdings?
-The five partners were Hunter Biden, Jim Biden, Rob Walker, James Gilear, and Mr. Balinsky.
Did any of the partners own their LLCs individually, or were they owned collectively?
-The partners' LLCs owned the shares, not the individuals themselves.
Is there any direct evidence that Joe Biden was involved in the business venture?
-Mr. Balinsky stated that he doesn't know if Joe Biden owned any of the LLCs related to Jim or Hunter Biden, leaving the involvement of Joe Biden uncertain.
When was the agreement involving Onida Holdings and coh hawk Holdings, LLC signed?
-The agreement was signed on May 22nd, 2017.
Who was the Vice President and the President of the United States on May 22nd, 2017?
-Mike Pence was the Vice President, and Donald Trump was the President.
When did Mr. Balinsky first meet Hunter Biden?
-Mr. Balinsky first met Hunter Biden in early 2017, with an extensive meeting in early May 2017.
What was the content of the text message between James Gillard and Mr. Balinsky dated May 11th, 2017?
-The text message discussed setting up the company and getting Joe involved, implying Joe Biden's involvement in the business venture.
What was the response to the email that suggested a division of the company, including a 10% share for 'the big guy'?
-Hunter Biden responded to the email, contradicting his previous claim that he didn't respond to it.
What did James Gilear say to the Wall Street Journal regarding Joe Biden's involvement?
-James Gilear stated that he would like to clear up any speculation that former Vice President Joe Biden was involved with the 2017 discussions about their potential business structure, and that he was unaware of any involvement at any time.

Outlines

00:00

🕵️‍♂️ Inquiry into Business Ventures and Biden Involvement

The first paragraph involves a questioning session where Mr. Goldman is pressed for details about his business venture with the Bidens, specifically focusing on Onida Holdings and coh hawk Holdings LLC. The questioning delves into the structure of the partnership, the involvement of Joe Biden, and the equity distribution among five partners, including Hunter Biden. It also touches on the timing of the agreement, which was signed on May 22, 2017, and the claim of 'mountains of irrefutable evidence' regarding Joe Biden's involvement. The paragraph highlights a text message and an email suggesting a division of the company with a 'big guy' reference, implying Joe Biden's involvement.

05:02

🗣️ Public Denial of Biden's Involvement in Business

The second paragraph features a statement aimed at clarifying speculations about the former vice president's involvement in the 2017 business discussions. It emphasizes that there is no evidence of Joe Biden's participation, and the project in question never materialized. The statement also mentions that the agreement was eventually signed without Joe Biden's involvement, suggesting that the desire for his involvement led to a fallout with Hunter Biden. The paragraph concludes with a reference to Mr. Know Better Chairman's time expiring and the recognition of Mr. Higgins for further questioning.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Onida Holdings

Onida Holdings is a business venture mentioned in the transcript, which is central to the discussion about the involvement of Joe Biden and his family in corporate dealings. It is noted that Onida Holdings, along with coh hawk Holdings LLC, is involved in a 50-50 partnership, with the American side of the deal being represented by Onida Holdings. This keyword is crucial to understanding the allegations and the structure of the business arrangement in question.

💡Joe Biden

Joe Biden is the central figure of interest in this transcript, as the discussion revolves around his alleged involvement in the business venture with Onida Holdings. The keyword is significant because it relates to the integrity and conduct of a high-profile political figure, with implications for his public image and potential legal ramifications.

💡Hunter Biden

Hunter Biden is a key individual in the narrative, being one of the partners in Onida Holdings and coh hawk Holdings LLC. His involvement is significant due to his familial connection to Joe Biden and the potential influence this may have had on the business dealings. The keyword is essential for understanding the scope of the allegations and the extent of the Biden family's involvement in the venture.

💡James Giller

James Giller is one of the five partners in Onida Holdings and is involved in the email exchange that is being scrutinized in the transcript. His role is important as it provides insight into the communication and agreements among the partners, which is central to the allegations being discussed.

💡LLC

LLC, or Limited Liability Company, is a legal structure used by the partners in Onida Holdings and coh hawk Holdings LLC. Understanding this term is crucial as it defines the corporate form of the business venture and the liability protection it offers to the owners. The keyword is used to clarify the ownership structure and the nature of the business arrangement.

💡Business Venture

The business venture refers to the collaborative commercial endeavor involving Onida Holdings and coh hawk Holdings LLC. This keyword encapsulates the core subject of the transcript, which is the exploration of the business deal's legitimacy, the involvement of political figures, and the potential ethical implications.

💡Text Message

The text message is a piece of evidence mentioned in the transcript that is dated May 11th, 2017, between James Giller and the speaker. It is significant as it is one of the documents provided to the committee as part of the evidence supporting the allegations against Joe Biden. The keyword is important for understanding the nature of the communications between the partners and the potential implications of these communications.

💡Big Guy

The term 'big guy' is a reference used in an email mentioned in the transcript, which is implied to refer to Joe Biden. This keyword is significant as it is part of the contentious evidence being discussed, with the interpretation of the term being a point of contention between the parties involved.

💡May 22nd, 2017

May 22nd, 2017 is the date when the agreement in question was signed. This keyword is crucial as it provides a timeline for the events being discussed, specifically the signing of the business agreement that is central to the allegations and the testimonial.

💡Bar 45 Minutes

Bar 45 Minutes refers to a meeting that the speaker had with Joe Biden, which is a key event in the allegations being discussed. This keyword is important as it denotes a specific instance where the speaker claims to have discussed the Chinese business venture with Joe Biden, which is central to the investigation and the testimonial.

💡Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal is mentioned in the context of a statement made by James Giller to the publication, where he denies any involvement of the former vice president in the business discussions. This keyword is significant as it introduces an external source that provides a different perspective on the events in question, adding another layer to the narrative.

Highlights

The discussion revolves around a business venture involving Onida Holdings and the Bidens.

The witness, Mr. Balinsky, is questioned about Joe Biden's involvement in the business venture.

Onida Holdings and coh hawk Holdings, LLC were part of a 50-50 partnership.

The American side of the coh Hawk deal was represented by Onida Holdings.

James Giller, Hunter Biden, Jim Biden, Rob Walker, and the witness each owned 20% of Onida Holdings through their LLCs.

The final signed documents showed equal 20% shares among the five partners.

The agreement was signed on May 22nd, 2017, when Mike Pence was Vice President and Donald Trump was President.

The witness first met Hunter Biden in early 2017, with extensive interaction in May 2017.

The witness had two meetings with Joe Biden around the same time he met Hunter Biden.

The witness claims to have mountains of irrefutable evidence supporting Joe Biden's involvement.

A text message from May 11th, 2017, suggests getting Joe involved in the business.

An email from James Giller proposed a division of the company, including 10% for 'the big guy'.

Hunter Biden responded to the email, contrary to his claim of not responding.

The 'big guy' reference in the email was not directly responded to, implying everyone knew it referred to Joe Biden.

James Giller later clarified to the Wall Street Journal that Joe Biden was not involved in the 2017 discussions.

The agreement was eventually signed without Joe Biden's involvement.

Hunter Biden allegedly ended his association with the witness after the disagreement over Joe Biden's involvement.

The witness's claims of Joe Biden's involvement are contested, with evidence presented from both sides.