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--:-- Georgia Howe: Welcome to Morning Wire. I'm Georgia Howe, and I'm here with Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley.
--:-- John Bickley: Thanks for waking up with us, Georgia.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Today, we're talking about the latest developments in the Biden family corruption scandal. Hunter Biden's former business partner testified before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, refuting Joe Biden's claims he wasn't involved in his son's business dealings.
--:-- John Bickley: That's right, Georgia. And we're going to dive into the details of that testimony and what it means for the Biden family.
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--:-- Georgia Howe: Let's start with the basics. What came out of the hearing and how did Hunter allegedly use his father's influence to make the family millions?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Well, Georgia, Devin Archer, the former business partner of Hunter Biden, appeared before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, answering questions from lawmakers on President Biden's role in his son's overseas business dealings.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And what did Archer say in his testimony?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Archer testified that Hunter was added to the board of Burisma because it helped legitimize the venture, and that the business would have gone bankrupt if not for the Biden family connection.
--:-- Georgia Howe: That's explosive testimony, Cabot. And what about the claims that Hunter used his father's influence to secure business deals?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yes, Archer testified that Hunter put his father on speakerphone with his business associates more than 20 times to help sell what he called "the brand and bolster the business."
--:-- Georgia Howe: And what about the timing of those calls? Were they coincidental or did they have a specific purpose?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Well, Archer testified that the calls came as Burisma executives were under investigation for corruption in Ukraine. And shortly after those calls took place, then-President Biden famously threatened to withhold a billion dollars in aid to Ukraine unless the country's government fired the prosecutors investigating Burisma.
--:-- Georgia Howe: That's a pretty clear connection, Cabot. And what about President Biden's past statements on this issue? Did Archer's testimony contradict anything he's said before?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yes, it certainly appears that way, Georgia. Biden has routinely denied that he had any role in his son's overseas deals and has gone so far as saying that he didn't even know Hunter was on the board of Burisma until after he'd stepped down.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And what about the Democrats' response to this testimony? Did they accept it at face value or try to downplay its significance?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Well, Georgia, Democrats say that Archer's testimony does not prove anything and still insist that President Biden did nothing more than exchange pleasantries with Hunter's business associates.
--:-- Georgia Howe: That's an interesting spin, Cabot. And what about the allegations that the DOJ attempted to intimidate Archer ahead of his testimony?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yes, that's another interesting development, Georgia. Republican lawmakers say the timing of the DOJ's request to set a date for Archer's sentence is not a coincidence and is actually a clear attempt to intimidate him before his testimony.
--:-- Georgia Howe: That's a pretty serious accusation, Cabot. And what about the implications of this testimony for the Biden family and the administration?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Well, Georgia, it's clear that this testimony is going to be a major headache for the Biden family and the administration. And it's going to be interesting to see how they try to spin this and what the consequences are for them.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks, Cabot, for breaking down the details of this testimony for us.
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--:-- Georgia Howe: Now, let's move on to another story. Democrats are calling on President Biden to declare a climate emergency that would affect travel, energy use, and even agriculture.
--:-- Megan Basham: Hi, Georgia. I'm Megan Basham, Daily Wire culture reporter.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for joining us, Megan. So, what would a climate emergency declaration entail?
--:-- Megan Basham: Well, Georgia, if President Biden were to declare a climate emergency, it would unlock some powers that Democrats haven't been able to pass legislatively. He could enact a ban on fossil fuel imports and exports, call a halt to some oil and gas drilling, limit air travel, and slash farm emissions.
--:-- Georgia Howe: That's a pretty sweeping set of powers, Megan. And what about the science behind climate change? Is there agreement on what's causing it and whether it represents an existential risk?
--:-- Megan Basham: Well, Georgia, there's agreement that the Earth has been warming roughly 1.5 to 2 degrees over the last 150 years, depending on what source you're using. But the debate is really over what's causing it and whether it represents an existential risk.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And what about the Biden administration's stance on this issue? Have they been resistant to declaring a climate emergency?
--:-- Megan Basham: Yes, Georgia, the Biden administration has been resistant to declaring a climate emergency, even though there are those widespread calls calling from Democrats in Congress. But there are signs that it could be softening.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks, Megan, for breaking down the details of this story for us.
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--:-- Georgia Howe: Now, let's move on to another story. Some Democrats are expressing concern about support from a key voting demographic heading into the 2024 presidential election.
--:-- David Marcus: Hi, Georgia. I'm David Marcus, Daily Wire contributor.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for joining us, David. So, what's behind this concern?
--:-- David Marcus: Well, Georgia, according to the Washington Post, Black voter turnout in last year's midterm election was down 10% compared to 2018. That's the largest drop of any racial or ethnic group.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And what about the implications of this trend for the Biden administration and the Democratic Party?
--:-- David Marcus: Well, Georgia, if the trend of dwindling Black turnout continues, it could portend a lot of trouble for Democrats. And it's not just about the numbers – it's about the fact that Black voters have been a crucial part of the Democratic coalition in recent elections.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks, David, for breaking down the details of this story for us.
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--:-- Georgia Howe: That's all the time we have for today, folks. Thanks for waking up with us and getting the facts first on the news you need to know.
--:-- John Bickley: And don't forget to check out our sponsors, Balance of Nature and Consumer Tax Advocate.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And if you want to learn more about your ad choices, visit megaphone.fm/adchoices.
--:-- John Bickley: Thanks for listening, and we'll be back later this afternoon with more news you need to know.
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--:-- Georgia Howe: Goodbye for now, and we'll see you later.
