In a fiery speech on the House floor, Representative Robert Garcia (D-TX) employed a classic “whatabout” tactic, redirecting attention from the ongoing Hunter Biden investigation to alleged wrongdoing by members of the Trump administration. Armed with a visual prop featuring a glamorous image of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, Garcia accused them of benefiting financially from their roles as senior aides during the Trump presidency.
Garcia’s impassioned address took place following Hunter Biden’s closed-door testimony before a House GOP-led inquiry. The Republicans sought evidence to substantiate their claims that the Biden family was involved in illicit activities, although no direct evidence linking Hunter Biden’s actions to President Joe Biden has emerged.
Turning the focus to Kushner and Ivanka Trump, Garcia highlighted Kushner’s receipt of a substantial $2 billion from Saudi investors into his private equity fund shortly after departing the White House. He also pointed to lucrative trademark deals Ivanka Trump secured from China, expedited just days before she assumed the role of Senior Aide to her father, President Donald Trump.
Dismissing the Biden impeachment probe as a political stunt lacking evidentiary support, Garcia then shifted gears to address what he labeled as the “real White House crime family.” He questioned why Saudi Arabia provided Kushner with a significant financial boost and why the Saudis spent substantial sums at Trump properties while Donald Trump was still in office. Garcia contended that Kushner exploited his White House position to secure a $100 billion arms deal for Saudi Arabia, among other favors.
Amid allegations of unethical conduct, Garcia emphasized that the Trump administration’s actions deserved scrutiny. Referencing a recent encounter where Kushner was questioned by a reporter about potential improprieties, Garcia asserted that the need for answers persisted. He declared that the American people deserved transparency and called on his colleagues across the aisle to subpoena Kushner’s companies for a comprehensive investigation.
In the ongoing political landscape, where accusations and investigations abound, Garcia’s speech sought to underscore allegations of financial impropriety against members of the Trump administration, offering a counter-narrative to the focus on Hunter Biden. The call for accountability and the demand for answers underscored the contentious nature of these political debates and investigations.
Madam speaker, yesterday I sat in on the Hunter Biden deposition for hours. Republicans once again proved and provided zero evidence, zero evidence failing to show any sort of link between Hunter Biden and the president. No links between those business dealings. This entire case is a political stunt and a joke. Donald Trump ordered House Republicans to smear President Biden. They tried and tried and tried and failed.
But I want to remind everyone about the real white House crime family. Why did Saudi Arabia give Jared Kushner $2 billion billion with a B just months after he left the Trump White House? And why did the Saudis spend hundreds of thousands of dollars at Trump properties while he was still the president? We also know that Jared Kushner used his cushy White House job to secure a $100 billion arms deal for Saudi Arabia and did other favors as well. Now, some members of the majority actually agree that this was unethical. And in fact, a few weeks ago, Jared Kushner was asked by a reporter about his grift. He responded. Are we still really doing this? Yes, Jared, we are still really doing this.
The American people deserve answers. I rise yet again to urge my colleagues across the aisle to answer our calls and subpoena Jared Kushner’s companies once and for all. We are not stopping, and we demand answers.
