‘Filled With Whataboutisms’: Chuck Todd Asks Jamie Raskin About Hunter Biden, Gets Trump and Kushner Answer Instead
Chuck Todd asked Maryland Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin about Hunter Biden and influence-peddling somewhat indirectly on Sunday’s Meet the Press, but got an answer about Donald Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and quickly moved on.
Raskin, a member of the January 6th Select Committee and lead Trump impeachment manager, spoke with Todd about the most recent Trump indictment. Raskin was on with Todd after Trump attorney John Lauro’s contentious appearance (one of several on the day) and the two covered some of what Lauro had to say, along with Raskin’s view on how special counsel Jack Smith‘s investigation has proceeded.
When they moved on to electoral politics, Todd asked Raskin about the coming “whataboutisms,” saying Republicans “are going to talk about Hunter Biden a lot.”
“I know that the, a lot of the technical defense of the president with Hunter Biden is, ‘Well, the president didn’t do anything wrong.’ But as Michael Kinsley once said, ‘The real scandal in Washington is not what’s illegal, it’s what’s legal,'” said Todd.
That example was a segue to a broader question.
“Should there be a code of conduct, something, for family members here?” he asked. “Because it l– the appearance of what Hunter Biden did is, it’s not good.”
They both acknowledged that influence by family connection is a thing in Washington, D.C., then Raskin pointed a finger at Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee Rep. James Comer, saying that the GOP chose “to just pursue the Hunter Biden thing as a one-off, as a way to score cheap political points.”
“He doesn’t want to talk about Jared Kushner,” said the Representative who didn’t want to talk about Hunter Biden.
Todd did not ask whether that was a “whataboutism” despite having introduced the question that way. But he did then ask why “a thrice-indicted former president is neck and neck with the current president,” but Raskin deflected on that response as well.
TODD: We are going to have a campaign that is going to be filled with a lot of whataboutisms. We know the Republicans are going to talk about Hunter Biden a lot here. And I know that the, a lot of the technical defense of the president with Hunter Biden is, “Well, the president didn’t do anything wrong.” But as Michael Kinsley once said, “The real scandal in Washington is not what’s illegal, it’s what’s legal.” Should there be a code of conduct, something, for family members here? Because it l– the appearance of what Hunter Biden did is, it’s not good.
RASKIN: Yeah. I mean, we know that there is a lot of, you know, influence in Washington that’s based on people’s family connections –
TODD: Last names –
RASKIN: – and family ties.
TODD: – matter a lot on K Street, as you know.
RASKIN: You know, and I have repeatedly asked Chairman Comer on the Oversight Committee for us to look at that in a serious and substantive and methodical and nonpartisan way. But he’s instead decided to just pursue the Hunter Biden thing as a one-off as a way to score cheap political points. He doesn’t want to talk about Jared Kushner, who brought back $2 billion, not million, $2 billion from Saudi Arabia to a company he created the day after the Trump administration ended, when there was still blood all over the Capitol.
Watch the clip above, via NBC News.
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