President Joe Biden’s brother James Biden is denying reports he used his family name to negotiate a $140 million deal with the government of Saudi Arabia, despite admitting to it in sworn affidavits.
When The New York Post first reported James Biden was brought in to cut deal between international construction firm Hillstone International and the Saudi government, at a time when Joe Biden was vice president, a representative for Biden denied the claim.
“This entire story is yet another attempt to smear Jim Biden,” the rep said in a statement to The Post. “Mr. Biden never negotiated with the Saudi Government on behalf of Hill or any other entity.”
But court documents tell a different story.
In sworn affidavits filed in court, “the now-73-year-old told a private investigator in July 2017 that he was often picked to attend meetings with Riyadh on behalf of Philadelphia-based Hill International because ‘the name didn’t hurt,’” DNYUZ reports.
DNYUZ further reports:
“The first brother’s purported role with Hill was referenced in two affidavits from May 2021 that were filed as part of a dispute with one of three law firms Hill had hired to get back the millions it was owed by the Saudis for a desalinization plant constructed in the Middle Eastern country during the 1980s.
“The law firm, Lankford & Reed, claims in court documents — first obtained by DailyMail.com — that Hill International also hired James Biden in 2011 to help secretly settle the dispute and get out of paying Lankford the 40% cut outlined in their contract…
…During their conversation, Sullivan said in his sworn statement, James Biden recalled attending a February 2012 meeting with Saudi officials “because of his position and relationship” with his older brother — who at the time was Barack Obama’s vice president.
…Separately, Lankford & Reed partner Thomas Lankford alleged in a sworn statement that Hill International CEO Irvin Richter had told him that he’d retained James Biden because the Saudis “would not dare stiff the brother of the Vice-President who would be instrumental to the deal.”
James Biden’s role at Hill is also raising eyebrows. Despite having little experience in construction, James Biden was given an executive vice president position, just three weeks after Hill executives met with then-Vice President Joe Biden’s staff at the White House.
Within months of hiring James Biden, Hill was given a lucrative contract to build housing in Iraq, with his available company biography noting his political connections.
