Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s relationship with Hunter Biden is under fresh scrutiny as Republican lawmakers examine his role in trying to discredit the laptop story before the 2020 election.
GOP lawmakers recently revealed that former CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell testified that Blinken had reached out to him after the New York Post broke the story, which “triggered” him to spearhead an effort to cast the story as Russian disinformation.
Now, Republicans are examining Blinken’s role in the effort, as well as emails that he and his wife, White House Executive Secretary Evan Ryan, sent to Hunter Biden, which were found on the laptop.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures that Blinken had falsely claimed to them that he had “never” emailed Hunter Biden, but that emails from him and his wife show otherwise.
“He said he did not email Hunter Biden, and now we have those emails. We also know that his wife, using her private email address when she was an employee of the State Department, was basically a conduit between her husband and Hunter Biden as well,” Johnson said.
A review of some of the emails found on Hunter Biden’s laptop show a long history of communication between Hunter Biden and Blinken, as well as between Biden and Blinken’s wife, who served as deputy campaign manager for Biden’s presidential run in 2008 and later in the Obama State Department.
On June 11, 2010, Blinken forwarded to a White House official an email related to then-Vice President Joe Biden’s trip to South Africa. “For Hunter,” Blinken wrote.
On October 3, 2012, Hunter Biden introduced a man named Kevin Downs to Blinken in an email. “Kevin, I apologize for the delay in getting back to you after our lunch. I wanted to introduce you via email to Tony Blinken. Tony is my dad’s national security adviser and would be happy to meet with you. I’ve cc’ed Tony on this email so you two can work out a time that fits your schedules. Look forward to seeing you again.”
Blinken responded: “Kevin — happy to get together. May be a little tough before election but we will figure something out. My office will [be in] touch.”
The emails also show that Biden and his business associates closely tracked Blinken’s moves within the administration, and his ascension to deputy secretary of state.
On January 25, 2013, Hunter Biden’s business partner Eric Schwerin e-mailed Hunter Biden a Politico article on moves within the White House. The email’s subject was: “Does this mean Tony is leaving the VP’s Office?” Biden responded, “Yes,” and the two discussed his potential replacement.
Schwerin also sent Biden articles tracking Blinken’s nomination as deputy secretary of state as early as November 2014. On December 17, 2014, Schwerin emailed Hunter Biden an article about Blinken being confirmed and later the same day emailed him with Blinken’s personal email.
About five months later, Biden emailed Blinken to set up a meeting. On May 22, 2015, Hunter Biden wrote to Blinken’s personal email address:
Have a few minutes next week to grab a cup of coffee? I know you are impossibly busy, but would like to get your advice on a couple of things. Best, Hunter.
Blinken responded:
Absolutely. I’m just about to land in Tokyo en route back DC from Burma. I’ll be in office from Tuesday on. Copying Linda in my office to find a good time. Look forward to seeing you. Tony
Biden then forwarded Blinken’s response to his business partner Devon Archer, who was serving with him on the board of Burisma at the time. Archer responded, “Roger.’
Biden and Blinken scheduled a meeting for May 27, 2015, but it did not occur until July 21, 2015, at the State Department, according to the emails.
After the meeting, Blinken sent Biden an email the next day telling him it was “great to see” him and “catch up.”
“You will love this,” Blinken wrote. “After you left, Marjorie, the wonderful african american woman who sits in my outer office (and used to be Colin Powell’s assistant) said to me: ‘He sure is pleasant on the eyes.’ Tell you wife.”
The emails also show Blinken’s wife Evan Ryan communicating with Hunter Biden on numerous occasions as far back as 2010.
“Can I get Toni’s non-govt email?” Biden wrote to her on June 16, 2010. “I want to send him something. Thanks.” Ryan responded with Blinken’s personal email address.
The emails show that Schwerin — Hunter Biden’s business partner — also communicated with her on at least several occasions regarding White House events and getting guests invited.
“OVP has 250 tix to the Easter Egg Roll and your Mom has an additional 200. Family, etc is coming out of your Mom’s allotment,” Schwerin wrote Biden in March 2010, saying he had talked to Ryan. “Evan is handling your Dad’s and we can pass on names to her for outreach purposes. Let’s discuss. I don’t think we have 50 spots, but if we had 20 or so names we’d probably be fine.”
Schwerin also indicated he spoke to Ryan about the guest list for a Mexico state dinner, and subsequent emails showed that Ryan and Biden also spoke about the event. She also sent Biden emails regarding dinner plans and a “party.” Ryan also met with Schwerin on at least one occasion, according to Fox News.
Biden was also a recipient of an email from Ryan on January 6, 2017, saying she would be joining the news outlet Axios.
“I’m excited to let you know that on Monday I will be joining Axios, a new media company launched by Jim Vandehei, Mike Allen and Roy Schwartz,” she wrote.
Ryan currently serves as executive secretary of the White House.
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