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In early December, Twitter boss Elon Musk released new details about the Hunter Biden story.
Carla DeVizziEditor News
Days earlier, the new Twitter boss Elon Musk (51) announced a major revelation about the so-called Twitter files. “What really happened to the Hunter Biden story suppressed by Twitter will be published on Twitter!” Musk announced in early December. The focus was on an article in the New York Post about leaked computer files from Hunter Biden (52), the son of US President Joe Biden (80).
Because the origin of the information about this story was initially unclear and possible Russian propaganda was feared, Twitter decided to block the article at the time.
Musk announced the big reveal last Friday. Internal documents purporting to show that the US government ordered Twitter to block the article.
On behalf of Tesla boss Musk, the journalist Matt Taibbi (52) has now published the most important findings about the Hunter data leak – including screenshots from internal emails, messages from politicians and comments from the former moderation team. They show a different picture.
But what exactly is behind the latest allegations coming from Musk? Blick provides the most important answers.
What is Hunter Biden accused of?
The story began in October 2020. In the midst of the presidential campaign, the New York Post published an article on Hunter Biden’s controversial business ties to Ukraine. The source of the information is said to have been Hunter Biden’s laptop, which he had left behind during the repairs and which is said to have ended up in the NYP editorial office.
Hunter’s business in Ukraine in particular raised questions: Hunter Biden held a lucrative post on the board of directors of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma between 2014 and 2019, while his father Joe Biden was US Vice President responsible for Ukraine at the same time. And: Biden junior is said to have specifically influenced Ukrainian businessmen, as the leaked emails would show. In addition, the lawyer is said to have had trouble explaining himself because of a video that showed sex and drug use.
Why is Hunter Biden always in the spotlight?
Biden’s son Hunter’s foreign dealings had made headlines in the past and given Republicans political attacks on Democrat Joe Biden. During the 2020 election campaign, the Trump campaign had already set itself the goal of using the Hunter Biden scandal to weaken the democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
However, a Republican-led Senate probe found no evidence of wrongdoing by the elder Biden on the matter while he was vice president.
House Republicans, who tweeted a tribute to Musk back in October, plan to launch an investigation into Hunter Biden’s dealings. That is set to happen at the takeover of the House of Representatives next month.
Hunter Biden, who remains the subject of a Justice Department criminal investigation, has so far denied any wrongdoing.
How dangerous can that be for Joe Biden?
It is unclear whether and to what extent the story will have a negative impact on US President Joe Biden. As several international media write, the “Twitter Files” did not really reveal anything new. “There is no evidence — that I have seen — of government involvement in the laptop story,” wrote journalist Taibbi.
According to the US tech site Wired, this is just fodder for further conspiracy theories. Elon Musk had already attracted attention in the past with the spread of conspiracy theories.
What was the reaction to Musk’s revelation?
The newly leaked information caused a stir among some right-wing commentators. Others, however, would have hoped for more. Even a columnist for the “NYP” directly affected: According to her, it is “not the smoking gun that you would have hoped for”.
However, Twitter boss Musk has already announced further publications.