President Biden on Thursday chided a reporter who asked about allegations of corruption pushed by House Republicans, dismissing the claims as a “dumb question.”
“Why did the Ukraine FBI informant file refer to you as the big guy?” a New York Post reporter asked at the end of an event focused on addressing junk fees.
“Why’d you ask such a dumb question?” Biden replied.
The reporter was referencing an FBI record that has been pushed by House Republicans to allege the Biden family was part of a corruption scheme related to a Ukrainian oligarch. Multiple conservative outlets reported in recent days that the record includes notes that an oligarch involved in the alleged scheme referred to Biden as the “big guy” during a conversation.
More Biden administration coverage from The Hill
- Ticketmaster, SeatGeek pledge to show all-in pricing for customers up front: White House
- White House blasts Tuberville’s hold on military nominations
- Biden praises Su for role in reaching labor agreement at West Coast ports
- Trump indictment poses political headaches for Biden
But White House officials have repeatedly noted that Republican lawmakers have been unable to confirm or verify the corruption allegations against Biden, which the president himself has dismissed as “malarkey.”
“Every time a right wing talking point about this absurd allegation falls apart under even the slightest scrutiny, the far right moves the goal posts,” Ian Sams, a White House spokesman, tweeted Thursday.
“Informant? Disappeared! Audio tapes? Don’t exist! It wasn’t investigated? Actually Trump’s DOJ/FBI did! Now coercion! Crazy,” Sams tweeted.
