Documents, texts, and emails released by Tony Bobulinski reveal efforts to lure in a number of politically-connected officials beyond the Biden family into business partnerships.
Jim Biden, brother of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and a former business partner of Bobulinski, is listed as one of a host of “key domestic contacts for phase one target projects” for the U.S.-China joint venture in a May 15, 2017 email sent to Hunter Biden, Bobulinski, James Gilliar, and Rob Walker. The email suggested they mainly aim at high-profile Democratic politicians, beginning with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whom the former vice president’s brother noted was “moving forward with major infrastructure projects such as the long-stalled Tappan Zee Bridge replacement and the much-needed redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport” and had “invested nearly $4 billion through the Regional Council and Upstate Revitalization initiatives.”
Jim Biden also said their group should target New York Department of Economic Development Howard Zemsky, New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and New York City Economic Development Corporation President Maria Torres-Springer.
Hunter Biden’s uncle also suggested contacting a host of Democratic politicians in California, including then-Governor Jerry Brown (who he called a “long time friend from his first term as governor”), current Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (who he called “Hunter’s friend”), Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer. In subsequent emails, he also suggested reaching out to longtime Clinton ally and then-Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, former Sen. Al Franken, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott.
Jim Biden sent a separate email the same day also listing proposed “foreign contacts for development projects (mainly phase two)” for the U.S.-Chinese joint venture, which included reaching out to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, Argentinian President Mauricio Macri, Ireland’s Taoiseach Enda Kenny (saying he had “visited him last year, very friendly”), wealthy Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani (whom he described as the “richest man in India” and a “close friend of a friend”), Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim (who he called “arguably the richest man in the world” while saying he was “mentioning Slim now because he is big into racing and has a Formula I racing team and I know you are headed to the Grand Prix”), and “the European Union in general.”
Days before that, on May 11, 2017, Gilliar texted Bobulinski about potential meetings with former Clinton CIA Director James Woolsey and former Obama Under Secretary of Energy David Sandalow at the same time that Gilliar, Bobulinski, and Hunter Biden were trying to meet with Ye Jianming, the founder of the Chinese Communist Party-linked energy company CEFC China Energy.
Starting in 2015, both Bobulinski and Gilliar exchanged messages discussing various schemes to entice former senior federal government officials, signaling that leveraging political influence was central to their business strategy.
“There will be a deal between one of the most prominent families from the U.S. and them constructed by me. I think this will be a great addition to their portfolios as it will give them a profile base in NYC then LA etc,” Gilliar wrote to Bobulinski on December 24, 2015. “For me it’s a no-brainer but culturally they are different, but smart so let’s see … Any entry ticket is small for them. Easier and better demographic than Arabs who are a little anti-U.S. after Trump.”
In March of the following year, Gilliar wrote to Bobulinski discussing a meeting he had with former Acting ICE Director for President Obama John Sandweg and former Deputy Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection David Aguilar. No records show either Sandweg or Aguilar went into business with the men.
“Meeting Louis Freeh (former FBI Director). We have some programs with him,” Gilliar wrote to Bobulinski on Oct. 3, 2016. “Then Jordan introduced me to some oil and gas guys from Colombia. Not sure about that but god loves a trier.”
Not until either man met Hunter Biden did their attempts to court high-profile names seem to lead to any productive meetings. By the 2016 election, and President Trump’s surprise victory, Gilliar seemed prepared to exit the U.S. market entirely.
“Mate I never underestimate the stupidity of the masses,” Gilliar wrote to Bobulinski on Nov. 8, 2016. “I traded out of the dollar last night. The FBI thing killed her.”
However, a December party hosted by Vice President Joe Biden signaled a reversal of fortunes for Gilliar. Two months later, he texted Bobulinski about meeting his new business partner.
“Who is your partner?” Bobulinski asked, to which Gilliar responded, “Hunter Biden.”
Newly released texts from Bobulinski suggest that Joe Biden met with Bobulinski, Hunter Biden, and his brother James Biden in 2017. At the time, Hunter Biden and his associates were pursuing a potentially lucrative deal with a Chinese tycoon, complicating claims from the former vice president that he never discussed business dealings with his son.
Bobulinski spoke at a surprise press conference just over an hour before the final presidential debate last week, when he said he would be handing over three phones to the FBI on Friday.
“On May 2, 2017, the night before Joe Biden was to appear at the Milken conference, I was introduced to Joe Biden by Jim Biden and Hunter Biden. At my approximately hourlong meeting with Joe that night, we discussed the Bidens’s history and the Biden family’s business plans with the Chinese, with which he was plainly familiar, at least at a high level,” Bobulinski said, adding, “On numerous occasions, it was made clear to me that Joe Biden’s involvement was not to be mentioned in writing but only face to face. In fact, I was advised by Gilliar and [Rob] Walker that Hunter and Jim Biden were paranoid about keeping Joe Biden’s involvement secret.”
“Joe Biden has never even considered being involved in business with his family nor in any overseas business whatsoever,” Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates told the Washington Examiner. “He has never held stock in any such business arrangements nor has any family member, or any other person ever held stock for him.”
