DNI Shoots Down CBS, NBC ‘Speculation’ Russia Behind Hunter Biden Scandal

Late last week, CBS tried to get out in front of the Hunter Biden email and laptop scandal by claiming, without evidence, that the bombshell information being reported by The New York Post was the result of Russian hackers. Admitting it was baseless “speculation” on their part, Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan doubled down on their claim over the weekend. But to their dismay, Monday, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe shot down their fictitious claims, which they covered-up. It was the same baseless accusation NBC senior Washington correspondent Andrea Mitchell had peddled on Monday's Today. At the top of Fox News Channel’s Special Report, senior political correspondent Mike Emanuel described how the DNI had “poured cold water on those seeking to dismiss the purported Hunter Biden email and laptop story, after law enforcement and intelligence officials have been largely silent.” Emanuel noted that it was likely Ratcliffe’s comments came in response to notorious liar Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff (CA), who had pushed the Russian connection on CNN recently. “Hunter Biden's laptop is not part of some Russian disinformation campaign,” Ratcliffe said. “This has nothing to do with the intelligence community or Russian disinformation. If it was, I would know that. So, to be clear, it's not.” And Schiff’s comments sounded conveniently similar to what CBS had been peddling since last week. “Clearly, the origins of this whole smear are from the Kremlin and the President is only too happy to have Kremlin help in trying to amplify it,” Schiff told Wolf Blitzer.     Further burying CBS’s baseless “speculation” under the facts, Emanuel reported how he and Fox News had obtained a photo of the computer repair receipt with what appeared to be Hunter’s signature: Fox News has obtained new images, including what appears to be a receipt from the Wilmington, Delaware, computer repair shop signed by Hunter Biden, which also contained an email and cell phone number for him. And documentation from the FBI's interaction with shop owner John Paul McIsaac, which showed the bureau took possession of an alleged Hunter Biden laptop and external hard drive last December. He went on to note, that of the emails Fox News had obtained which purportedly showed Biden family corruption in Ukraine and China, that “one of those China emails was verified as being authentic by a source on the email chain.” That was one of the other reasons CBS’s suggestion that Russia had stolen the emails from Ukrainian energy company Burisma (as Brennan did) made no sense. Why would that company have Hunter’s correspondence with a Chinese firm? And why would they have the other salacious material that the Post reported was on the laptop handed over to the FBI? Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI) was demanding the FBI testify before his committee as to why they were sitting on the damaging information, Emanuel told viewers. Adding: “A group of House Republicans led by Andy Biggs of Arizona is now calling on Attorney General Bill Barr to appoint a special counsel to investigate Vice President Biden's dealings with his son and Hunter's business partners.” Instead of reporting on all of this, ABC’s World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News were clutching their pearls because Trump had dared to criticize Dr. Anthony Fauci. The network cover-up was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Tums on ABC, Facebook on CBS, and Ensure on NBC. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they’re funding. CBS Evening News has also asked people to text anchor Norah O’Donnell at this number: (202) 217-1107. The transcript is below, click "expand" to read: Fox News Channel’s Special Report October 19, 2020 6:00:57 p.m. Eastern BRET BAIER: We begin tonight though with senior political correspondent Mike Emanuel and new information on that Hunter Biden email story. Good evening, Mike. MIKE EMANUEL: Bret, good evening. Today, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe poured cold water on those seeking to dismiss the purported Hunter Biden email and laptop story, after law enforcement and intelligence officials have been largely silent. [Cuts to video] DNI JOHN RATCLIFFE: Hunter Biden's laptop is not part of some Russian disinformation campaign. EMANUEL: The Director of National Intelligence breaking what has been silenced from the intelligence and law enforcement authorities on Hunter Biden's purported laptop and alleged emails. RATCLIFFE: This has nothing to do with the intelligence community or Russian disinformation. If it was, I would know that. So, to be clear, it's not. EMANUEL: Ratcliffe’s pushback appeared to be in response to this attack from House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff. REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Clearly, the origins of this whole smear are from the Kremlin and the President is only too happy to have Kremlin help in trying to amplify it. EMANUEL: Fox News has obtained new images, including what appears to be a receipt from the Wilmington, Delaware, computer repair shop signed by Hunter Biden, which also contained an email and cell phone number for him. And documentation from the FBI's interaction with shop owner John Paul McIsaac, which showed the bureau took possession of an alleged Hunter Biden laptop and external hard drive last December. Fox News obtained four alleged Hunter Biden emails last week. Two about his business dealings in Ukraine in 2014 and 2015 while his father was vice president. Two about his 2017 business activities in China, after Biden left office. And one of those China emails was verified as being authentic by a source on the email chain. Now, the Senate Homeland Security Committee chairman is demanding answers from top FBI officials, which have been silent so far. SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): What do they know and when did they know it? But the larger question really is if they had this information, and these are genuine emails, and it would probably reveal all kinds of things that would have been very relevant to the impeachment case. EMANUEL: Trump confident Rudy Giuliani has worked with Ukraine parliament member Andrii Derkach to gather dirt on Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Fox News has confirmed Facebook suspended Derkach’s account. “We removed this account and this page for violating a policy against the use of our platform by people engaged in election-focused influence operations.” Derkach was sanctioned by Treasury officials in August, accused of being a Russian agent and trying to interfere in the presidential election. [Cuts back to live] A group of House Republicans led by Andy Biggs of Arizona is now calling on Attorney General Bill Barr to appoint a special counsel to investigate Vice President Biden's dealings with his son and Hunter's business partners. Bret. BAIER: Continue to follow it. Mike, thank you.

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