A senior aide to President Biden, who has a close relationship with Hunter Biden and even refers to him as a "brother" in emails, was the first person to review Biden's documents and materials at his think tank, according to a timeline released by the House Oversight Committee.
Annie Tomasini, a senior Biden aide, inspected the classified documents on March 18, 2021, two months after Biden took office and nearly 20 months before they were discovered in November 2022. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer criticized the White House for providing an "incomplete and misleading" timeline and accused them of misleading the American people about the mishandling of classified documents.
Comer stated, "Bidens team told the American people that documents were unexpectedly found in November 2022, but now we know a White House official and close friend of Hunter Biden was tasked with taking inventory of President Bidens documents and materials in March 2021." He questioned why the White House and President Biden's attorney omitted this crucial information and raised concerns about the involvement of multiple White House employees and lawyers in retrieving boxes of documents believed to contain personal materials.
The timeline provided by Comer's letter revealed that at least five White House employees, including Dana Remus, Anthony Bernal, Ashley Williams, Annie Tomasini, and an unknown staffer, along with Kathy Chung, a top aide to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, made multiple visits to the Penn Biden Center and were involved in retrieving boxes of documents and materials. Comer questioned the need for so many White House employees and lawyers to be concerned with retrieving boxes that were believed to contain personal materials.
Comer also raised questions about the role of Dana Remus, who served as White House counsel until July 2022, in gathering the boxes of documents. He noted that these administrative tasks did not require her legal expertise or involvement. Annie Tomasini, the White House Director of Oval Office Operations, is not only a senior adviser to Biden but also a close friend of the Biden family, including Hunter. Emails dating from 2010 to 2016 reveal their close relationship, with Tomasini referring to Hunter as her "brother" and ending her emails with "LY" for "love you."
The discovery of classified documents at the Penn Biden Center has also raised questions about Chinese donations to the University of Pennsylvania, which houses the think tank. Hunter Biden had discussed the center in emails before its launch. In addition to Annie Tomasini, Kathy Chung, who currently serves as the Pentagon's deputy director of protocol, was also involved in packing up President Biden's documents and materials at the Penn Biden Center.
Special Counsel Robert Hur, appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, is leading the investigation into Biden's handling of the classified materials. The documents were found in a locked closet while preparing to vacate office space at the center. The National Archives were notified and took possession of the documents on November 3, 2022. President Biden recently conducted voluntary interviews with Hur as part of the investigation.
The White House has stated that they are cooperating with the investigation and providing relevant updates publicly. However, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has demanded further cooperation from top White House aides regarding their communications and actions in 2021 and 2022. The Oversight Committee aims to provide transparency and accountability to the American people.
Login