A former intelligence officer revealed he knew that Hunter Biden’s laptop “had to be real” as House Republicans prepare to investigate the details regarding the president’s son. Wise was among more than 50 intelligence officials who signed a letter claiming the laptop was Russian disinformation just weeks before the 2020 election between then-President Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
Douglas Wise, a former Defense Intelligence Agency deputy director, shared his comments in an interview with The Australian.
“All of us figured that a significant portion of that content had to be real to make any Russian disinformation credible,” Wise stated.
A letter signed by over 50 intelligence officials in October 2020 claimed that the Hunter Biden emails were Russian disinformation. Wise noted that the original letter included a disclaimer that the officials did not know definitively whether the emails on the laptop were genuine
“I don’t regret signing it because the context is important,” he said. “Remember Giuliani had just been in Ukraine trying to dig up evidence on the Bidens and he met with a known Russian intelligence official. Russians or even ill-intended conservative elements could have planted stuff in there.”
The New York Post first revealed the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop, claiming it authentic in October 2020 ahead of the presidential election between Joe Biden and then-President Donald Trump. Mainstream outlets took up to two years to admit the laptop was genuine.
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CBS verified the laptop’s authenticity in November 2022. The Washington Post and New York Times confirmed the computer as genuine last year.
After Republicans won back power in the House during the November midterms, leaders ramped up talk of an investigation into the controversial laptop.
“The Biden family’s suspicious business dealings with companies tied to Communist China are a national security threat,” Rep. James Comer (R-KY) told Fox News in December. “The Bidens sold access to foreign adversaries like China to enrich themselves to the detriment of American interests.
“Next Congress, Republicans will use the power of the gavel to deliver answers, transparency and accountability for the American people,” he added.
Last week, Comer pressed Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen for information about the Biden family and their associates’ suspicious business transactions flagged by U.S. banks.
“For the past two years, the Biden Administration and Big Tech worked overtime to hide information about the Biden family’s suspicious business schemes and Joe Biden’s involvement,” Comer wrote.
“Now that Democrats no longer have one-party rule in Washington, oversight and accountability are coming. For years, the Biden family peddled influence and access around the world for profit, often at the expense of our nation’s interests. The American people must know the extent of Joe Biden’s involvement in his family’s shady business deals and if these deals threaten national security and his decision-making as president,” he added.
