Richard “Dickie” Scruggs, a famed Mississippi trial attorney, was tantalizingly close to a historic deal to force tobacco companies to pay billions of dollars — but there was one last hurdle. A divided Congress had to sign off. And Scruggs had identified one of the most skeptical senators, Joe Biden, as a key to winning the vote.
Scruggs turned to Biden’s younger brother James, an old acquaintance who ran a D.C. consulting firm with his wife, Sara. Scruggs paid the firm $100,000 in 1998 for advice on passing the bill, Scruggs said in an interview at his office here — the first time he has disclosed the amount. “I probably wouldn’t have hired him if he wasn’t the senator’s brother,” Scruggs said....
"When a larger version of the tobacco settlement finally reached the Senate floor," Joe Biden went "from being one of its biggest critics to becoming one of its leading defenders."
Scruggs, asked whether he thinks James and Hunter Biden went too far or tried to profit off the family name, said... “It’s really difficult for the close relative or particularly the sons of prominent men to make it on their own. Anything they do on their own, people say, ‘Well, it’s because their daddy helped them.’ My own son, for example, had to live in my shadow, for better or worse, and it got him in trouble. So I’m a little empathetic with the sons and daughters of prominent people. They have a cross to bear that nobody else has.”
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Gee, funny how The Washington Post has managed to finally get around to noticing the existence of the”Biden Family Business” exactly at the moment when the left needs to dump Joe. Democracy dies in the darkness of hyper partisan newsrooms.
Yeah, because there are no other careers or jobs out there in the entire country other than the family business.
"James Biden’s dealmaking caught on FBI tapes in unrelated bribery probe
no NO! not THAT bribery probe!
This was about a Different time that James made money selling his brother's votes.
Try to keep track, of HOW MANY different bribery probes the Biden family is involved in. It's FUN!
Scruggs, asked whether he thinks James and Hunter Biden went too far or tried to profit off the family name, said...
Paraphrasing Scruggs’ answer: Yes, they did
There's literally going ro be a giant check with "for Bribe" in the memo line, at some point, isn't there?
Somehow, someway Chelsea Clinton bore a terrible cross that has so far netted her $30 million.
https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-politicians/democrats/chelsea-clinton-net-worth/
Typical BS from those in the establishment. They were bought-and-paid-for at birth, and perhaps don't even realize that they greatly benefit from corruption, nepotism, sweetheart-deals, and special treatment that are rare for others.
Just look at the horrible, horrible cross that Prince Harry and Meghan must bear! Eek!
Those poor Bidens. They just couldn’t help themselves.
The Bidens have always been crooks - right under our noses.
If the media begin to dump Joe - yes - we will know it's over for him.
The media are still in obedient Stalinist mode... for crook Joe and his awful family.
Don’t believe Democrats’ myths: There’s clear evidence for investigating President Biden
Hey Wapoo(D)
Now do Ukraine and China.
And VP Joe at the kingpin.
Richard “Dickie” Scruggs sounds like a character in My Cousin Vinny.
Depends on the context.
Politics is so dirty. F them all.
Just because a payment was made to Biden's brother by a client who wanted to change Biden's mind on a in issue and Biden suddenly changed his mind and supported a Congressional bill doesn't mean this was a bribe!
Yeah- that is the argument the Democrats will make.
Traitor Joe has been selling the country and his office down the river for 50 years. In past times he and his ilk would be swinging in the breeze . By the neck until dead. Their corpses left to feed the vermin. There's still time to revive that practice. The clintons, obamas, the fbi and the " intelligence community should quickly follow. Cleanse the country of those who work for our enemies.
It's one thing to day "Daddy helped me get into this school because he went there and knows a dean." Or..."Daddy helped me get an interview with this firm because he used to work with one of the partners." It's quite another thing to note that "Daddy gets 10% of the millions of dollars that I've been paid to sit on the board of a company in an industry I know nothing about, because that company needs some clearance from someone in the US Government and who better than a Vice President who has his hand out?"
Joe, like so many of our politicians, has always been for sale. The thing about Joe though, is that he's so freakin' full of himself, so arrogant, that he believed he could get away with it. Surely most of them do. But Joe's was bigger than most and...once he was Veep, he was proven correct. He will get away with it. Even as everyone can see what's been going on, the media is out there fighting to protect him, not investigate him.
Because this is WaPo, I suspect a modified limited hangout.
Joe may have had some hanky-panky with the tobacco deal, in 1998, when his brother kind of sort of crossed the line. We're on it, and we'll tell you why it's no big deal, the sort of thing that politicians with relatives get tangled in.
Let's focus on this and not the rather blatant, currently relevant and potentially politically devastating, Ukraine and China stuff.
Good lord, if people actually learn about this stuff, Trump might get elected!
“It’s really difficult for the close relative or particularly the sons of prominent men to make it on their own.
Yet, less difficult than making it on your own if you're not of a prominent family.
Anything they do on their own, people say, ‘Well, it’s because their daddy helped them.’ My own son, for example, had to live in my shadow, for better or worse, and it got him in trouble. So I’m a little empathetic with the sons and daughters of prominent people. They have a cross to bear that nobody else has.”
What Scruggs is lamenting here is the impact on the self-esteem of the favored relative, not any added difficulty in reaping the inordinate benefits of consanguinity.
One more shoe drops. Imelda's closet is still full.
Who will fit the glass slipper of power? Our domestic Kremlinology continues, and we watch. Do the scriptwriters understand how cynical their audience has become?
Meanwhile, the great orange beast lurks on the horizon. More to come.
Poor little politicians and lawyer's sons, they have it so hard.......NOT!
Don’t forget Joe and Hunter and, I imagine, all the Bidens hid their ill gotten gains from the IRS at the same time Joe is calling for the rich to pay their “fair share”, whatever that means. He never imagined his family business would be brought to light. The arrogance and entitlement is dumbfounding. How much in back taxes does Joe owe?
And yet, despite these tapes and Hunter's confirmed laptop and bank records and informants' testimony, etc., NBCABCCBSCNNETC (and Gadfly/Mark/Mutaman/ETC) always just smirk and claim "without evidence". Their pretty standard general dismissal of any/all evidence. And we're not talking just a free martini lunch here but millions of dollars. The real Bidenomics.
He was a soviet tool in the cold war less than kerry or the swimmer but still willing to carry their water
Res ipsa loquitur.
Did the article mention that Scruggs, who is former US Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott’s brother in law, is now disbarred for bribery?
And don't forget, this is the WaPo and therefore the absolute best possible spin that could be put on this story.
remember when Joe Biden voted to bomb Iraq, and then went there after the war to get his brother James a $2 billion contract to rebuild the homes we destroyed>
when is Joe going to release his full income taxes? You know, for the 20 shell companies that he and his wife control?
"If I am taking bribes, where is the money?" - Joe Biden before he knew that we knew about the 20 shell companies his family controls.
“We’ve got investors lined up in a line of 747s filled with cash ready to invest in this company,” the executive remembers James Biden saying.
https://www.politico.eu/article/joe-biden-presidential-bid-family-business-history-democrats/
So the story now is that Joe's family may have influenced him to change his mind and by doing so actually helped millions of people by taking on big tobacco? How is that not a good thing? The Biden family are saints I tell you!
Did the big guy get 10%?
what the hack-D corrupt press are trying to do - (I think) is to allow some information to come out on the edges - the far periphery -so they can run with the illusion that they are not the corrupt D-hack press.
all while they continue to cover for crooked Joe.
Ambulance chasing scum involved with Bite me? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you
Disbarred lawyer Richard F. Scruggs is the richest lawyer in America as of 2022, with an estimated net worth of $1.9 billion
Richard “Dickie” Scruggs, a famed Mississippi trial attorney who was disbarred for judicial bribery. He went to prison for bribery and wire fraud. Perhaps it wasn't living under the shadow of his success that caused problem for his son. I think the ethics of the family makes a bigger difference to the behavior and success of family members of rich/famous people than the fact that they have a rich relative.
According to Wikipedia, his firm earned about $900 million from that tobacco case, of which Scruggs got about 1/3. James should have asked for much more than $100,000.
It was either pay James Biden or let Biden fuck him on the senate floor.
He wisely chose to pay...
Sara Biden
You guys got this all wrong. Sure, Joe Biden accepted $100,000 to do the right thing. But he could have accepted a much larger bride from Big Tobacco. Joe Biden is a hero!
pacwest gets it
It is really hard to be a political consultant/lobbying in washington when in the shadow of your rich and powerful daddy. Please, gag me with a spoon.
Mary Beth said...
According to Wikipedia, his firm earned about $900 million from that tobacco case, of which Scruggs got about 1/3. James should have asked for much more than $100,000
guarantee you that the Bidens got MUCH more than $100,000..
That's just what they reported to the IRS; the rest was probably in diamonds
The Interesting Thing Is: Once you've taken a few MILLION dollars in blood diamonds..
What WOULD seem like something Too Wrong to Do?
Murder? Treason? ANYTHING?
Anything besides confessing?
pacwest said...
So the story now is that Joe's family may have influenced him to change his mind and by doing so actually helped millions of people by taking on big tobacco? How is that not a good thing? The Biden family are saints I tell you!
ALWAYS REMEMBER!
smoking (tobacco) is BAD! and WRONG!!! Big Tobbaco is THE DEVIL!!!
smoking (marijuana) is GOOD! and FUN!! Big Marijuana is THE BEST THING EVER!!!
you can't smoke (tobacco) at a bar, or street, or house, or park..
you CAN smoke (marijuana) ANYWHERE you want!!!
The CIA runs our media.
What difference, at this point, does it make?
Government corruption and abuse of power will continue, limited only by the powers allowed to Government by the People. That is human nature. Want to reduce Government corruption and abuse of power? Vote for smaller Government.
I’d thought Irish crime families were relics of the 20th century. Apparently, the Bidens were out of the loop.
Jonathan Turley: Don’t believe Democrats’ myths: There’s clear evidence for investigating President Biden
Turley addresses three democrat/media claims:
1). Joe Biden did not benefit from the influence peddling
This one's been a big bug-a-boo for me. It's belied by the evidence, but for the sake of argument let's accept it. It's not dispositive. Common sense and previous court cases reject the notion that it's ok to line the pockets of your family members.
2). It’s about Hunter Biden’s addictions, not actions
Turley discusses the fact that the excuse does not comport with the timeline of Hunter supposedly getting clean, but I note an amusing, unstated consequence of this excuse. We are to believe that Burisma putting a drug-addled addict on its board at a salary of $1M/yr had nothing to do with his father being the Vice-President of the United State. Riiiight…
3). It’s all about Hunter’s truck
Apparently, that's the newest deflection. Focusing on a $40k payment and ignoring the millions of dollars sloshing around.
I found the article interesting because Dickie Scruggs is an interesting character. I bought Fall of the House of Zeus when it came out. For a sympathetic take on Scruggs go to a video store and rent vhs of the great 1999 film The Insider, with Russell Crowe as tobacco exec Jeffrey Wigand.
Scruggs and his son and partner Zach had already been implicated in a state court judicial bribery case before the federal case. So plausible they would try their hands with the Bidens for the same tobacco cause.
But the Republicans will be going down a rabbit hole if they try to find an impeachable offense out of stuff like this.
2). It’s about Hunter Biden’s addictions, not actions
Turley discusses the fact that the excuse does not comport with the timeline of Hunter supposedly getting clean, but I note an amusing, unstated consequence of this excuse. We are to believe that Burisma putting a drug-addled addict on its board at a salary of $1M/yr had nothing to do with his father being the Vice-President of the United State. Riiiight…
That's a big part of it. Everyone with a serious addict in the family knows that you never let that addict have easy access to lots of cash, because you're only going to enable them. There are plenty of things Joe Biden could have done to help Hunter, and plenty of things he could have done to ensure that Hunter wasn't trading on Joe's name and position. He did none of them.
"But the Republicans will be going down a rabbit hole if they try to find an impeachable offense out of stuff like this."
Oh, bullocks. Influence peddling, whether or not it's "illegal", is eminently impeachable.
Also of note is the democrat/media view of all this. Is there concern that the President's influence peddling is unethical? No, it's whether or not he can get away with it.
“But the Republicans will be going down a rabbit hole if they try to find an impeachable offense out of stuff like this.”
No need, ALL the chickens are coming home… no joke!!!
“But the Republicans will be going down a rabbit hole if they try to find an impeachable offense out of stuff like this.”
No need, ALL the chickens are coming home… no joke!!!
So it's not like the Biden family got billions and billions of dollars from Saudi Arabia for the sale of the f-35 fighter. It's much worse it's just nickel and dime pedestrian influence pedaling.
"But the Republicans will be going down a rabbit hole if they try to find an impeachable offense out of stuff like this."
‘Enormous Amount Of Evidence’: Jonathan Turley Says Joe Biden’s Connection To His Son’s ‘Corruption’ Is ‘Impeachable’
“But I have to correct one notion that is being bantered about and that is that you have to really show that money went directly to the president. That’s not the standard that in federal cases involving bribery and other crimes, giving money to a principal’s family members is in fact a benefit under federal law. Otherwise, everyone would just give money to family members and say it’s not a bribe, it’s not impeachable,” Turley stated.
“And by the way, it is impeachable. I was lead counsel in the last traditional impeachment trial, my client was impeached because benefits were given to a judge’s family member. So many of these congressmen repeating this argument voted on that impeachment and said, it is impeachable.”
Biden, all of them, are just crooks. Everyone knows it. Since DC is so dirty it is imperative to protect them.
It's a big club, etc.....
"Biden, all of them, are just crooks. Everyone knows it."
From "The Untouchables", when the judge switches the juries in the Capone trial:
District Attorney: What did you tell him?
Ness: I told him his name is in the ledger too.
Everyone knows it.
It is hopeless to think we can ever elect a better class of politician. Not everyone in government is evil, but everywhere and always, the most evil and greedy people in any society will always be found in government. Amoral, corrupt would-be tyrants like Joe Biden will always float to the top like scum in a cesspool.
The trick is to design a system that gives wicked and venal people an incentive to do good, and extremely strong disincentives to do evil. Our Founding Fathers thought they had the formula. Our Constitutional Republic worked pretty well for over 200 years for most of us (pace Crack, it did work for less than half that time for African slaves and their descendants.) But now the scum is bubbling to the top again, as the politicians have learned that a gigantic, unaccountable, self-serving governmental bureaucracy is the key to untrammeled power, as it was in the days of the Byzantines and Ottomans. The eunuchs and Janissaries and viziers and Praetorians are our masters now, and our elected emperors and sultans are mere figureheads and co-conspirators.
Maybe after the impending civil war, America 2.0 can go father in curbing the empire-builders than we ever have before. I'd favor a reverse American Idol contest where one elected politician and one appointed bureaucrat are chosen annually by the citizenry to be drawn and quartered on the Washington Mall, and a hundred or so runners-up are stripped of their jobs and pensions, but would settle for a return to the "spoils system" for everyone above GS-4 grade.
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