In the latest exhibit of the lack of values possessed by America's political elite the news has come out that Vice President Joe Biden's son was booted out of the U.S. Navy earlier this year for cocaine use. Hunter Biden was discharged back in February according to the Wall Street Journal. While Navy officials are unable to provide details due to privacy laws, "people familiar with the matter" according to the WSJ have confirmed it was for the Bolivian marching power. Interestingly, the son of Joe had only recently joined the Navy reserves and had to obtain a special waiver to do so. Looks like he was polishing up his resume for a future political run because after all, America is now a land of dynastic politics.
The Washington Post reports on Biden's discharge in a piece entitled “Biden’s son discharged from Navy after positive cocaine test”:
Vice President Joe Biden's son Hunter was discharged from the Navy Reserve after testing positive for cocaine, a source familiar with the matter confirmed Thursday.
The source spoke anonymously because no permission had been given to speak publicly about a personnel issue.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Biden was discharged earlier this year after failing a drug test in June 2013. A lawyer and former lobbyist, Biden was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy Reserve in 2013. He applied for a commission into the reserve as a public affairs officer at age 42. Because of his age, Biden needed a waiver to apply. The Journal reported he needed a second waiver because of a drug-related charge when he was younger, a request that is not unusual.
"It was the honor of my life to serve in the US Navy, and I deeply regret and am embarrassed that my actions led to my administrative discharge," Hunter Biden said in a statement. "I respect the Navy's decision. With the love and support of my family, I'm moving forward."
Vice President Biden's office declined to comment.
This is the same Hunter Biden who earlier this year scored a gig on the board of Ukraine's largest gas producer Burisma Holdings. The hiring came only weeks after Foghorn Leghorn Biden himself visited Kiev in the early period after former president Viktor Yanukovych was toppled. It would be naive to believe that the younger Biden's plum position didn't have anything to do with who his daddy was. While Hunter Biden was a private citizen the entire Burisma Holdings deal stinks of political influence peddling and conflicts of interest of the worst type.
Nepotism and oligarchic secession are both traits of a corrupt system in that the sons/daughters or brothers/sisters are installed within the power structure. They then not only reinforce and cover up the corruption of their elders but institutionalize it. Hunter Biden was prepping for a future political career although now that he has been drummed out of the military over drug use any plans have likely been derailed.
One disturbing question that goes unasked is what would have happened to someone who did not hail from the circles of high political influence? The last time I checked cocaine was still illegal and if the guy had a last name of “Smith”, “Jones” or “Washington” instead of "Biden" he would likely have faced legal consequences as well.
George Orwell put it best: “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others”.
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