Gray Lady ain’t done with Hunter yet

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Jan 31, 2022 View in browser   By Max Tani, Alex Thompson and Josh Gerstein Presented by Welcome to POLITICO's West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. With Allie Bice. Send tips | Subscribe here| Email Alex | Email Max The New York Times is still digging into HUNTER BIDEN 's business relationships. In a new lawsuit on Monday, the newspaper sued the State Department to obtain emails from Romanian embassy officials sent between 2015 and 2019 mentioning a number of international business people, including the president's son and his former business associate TONY BOBULINSKI, who briefly became a political celebrity at the end of the 2020 election because of his Biden connections.   The FOIA requests also seek information on former New York City Mayor RUDY GIULIANI, who was dispatched by DONALD TRUMP to find dirt on Hunter Biden's business relationships in Ukraine. In its filing in federal court in Manhattan, the Times accuses the department of dragging its feet on fulfilling multiple FOIA requests sent last year, beginning in June. After the Times asked the State Department in December 2021 what their estimated date was for fulfilling the FOIA requests, State told them April 15, 2023. One of the Times' goals in the suit appears to be finding out whether embassy officials did any favors on behalf of private businesses (including, presumably, that of the president's son) that would raise questions about possible conflicts of interest and corruption. Specifically, the request seeks records about "(1) the possible improper use of federal government resources to assist and advance private business interests with connections to United States government officials and (2) the possible evasion of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) by those private business interests, and (3) the non-enforcement of FARA by the federal government in relation to those private business interests." The FOIA requests are a sign that the paper is still investigating the web of international business relationships cultivated by the president's son. Senate Republicans in 2020 searched for evidence that then-vice president Biden manipulated Ukraine policies to benefit his son but failed to prove any wrongdoing by Biden himself. "As a routine part of their reporting, New York Times journalists regularly seek potentially newsworthy information from a variety of sources, including from the U.S. government through FOIA requests," said a spokesperson for the paper. "We're hopeful the government will promptly release any relevant documents, and as always we are prepared to pursue our request through a lawsuit if necessary. Just as we do on any line of reporting, we will assess the newsworthiness of the material once we receive it." The reporting also threatens to revive an old feud, which at times turned personal, between the Biden campaign team and KEN VOGEL, the Times' money and influence reporter who has spearheaded the coverage of the president's son for the paper. In a series of stories for the Times and POLITICO over several years, Vogel reported on both Hunter Biden's business activities and the Trump campaign's fixation on that work, including the aggressive steps it took to uncover information on it. Vogel described the stories as both a " significant liability " for Biden, as well as a "prescient" revelation about Trump's grudge against officials in Ukraine, setting the stage for the president's 2020 impeachment. Throughout the 2020 presidential campaign, the Biden team regularly expressed fury at the Times over Vogel's coverage of Hunter Biden. Then-deputy campaign manager KATE BEDINGFIELD sent a letter to New York Times executive editor DEAN BAQUET complaining about Vogel's coverage, dubbing it an "egregious act of journalistic malpractice." The campaign noted that CNN's media reporting team referred to the stories as "widely panned," and media critics at Columbia Journalism Review said the Times seemed "aloof to the possibility of being used as an unwitting accomplice in a disinformation campaign." Then-rapid response director ANDREW BATES also regularly battled with Vogel on Twitter. Bates suggested Vogel was being fed the Hunter Biden stories by Giuliani, and even mocked the way Vogel capitalized certain words in tweets, and the local upscale market his family owned. "SCOOP from Philadelphia: KEN VOGEL (@kenvogel ) is a COWARD," Bates tweeted in February of 2020. Vogel returned the favor, mocking Bates in December 2021 over a report that the now-White House communications official anonymously texted Giuliani during the 2020 campaign to troll him — "professional AND courageous," Vogel tweeted. The bad blood between the country's biggest newspaper and the 46th president's team has persisted throughout his first year in office. The Biden White House has kept the Times at arm's length. Biden has only granted one interview to the paper thus far, agreeing to speak with DAVID BROOKS, the conservative-turned-moderate columnist whom the president regularly reads and name dropped during the 2020 presidential campaign. SEND YOUR HOT TAKE — We want to incorporate more of your feedback. Is there something we missed about progressive media? Do you have a tip to share or a thought on our coverage? Send us an email or text and we will try to include your thoughts in the next day's edition. Can be anonymous, on background, etc. Email us at westwingtips@politico.com or you can text/Signal Alex at 8183240098 or Max at 7143455427. Do you work in the Biden administration? Are you in touch with the White House? Are you VEDANT PATEL, White House assistant press secretary?  (Email/text us! Please?) A message from Blackstone: Blackstone is committed to supporting our country's veterans and their families. Veterans offer talent, commitment and proven leadership skills—the same qualities that make companies stronger. That's why we're committed to supporting the employment and professional development of veterans and military families within our firm, across our portfolio and through our nonprofit partnerships. See how.   POTUS PUZZLER From the University of Virginia's Miller Center  Which president in their inaugural address said the end of slavery was "the most important political change we have known since the adoption of the Constitution of 1787"? (Answer at the bottom.) The Oval DARK MONEY IN THE WH —Speaking of Vogel, his story with SHANE GOLDMACHER over the weekend about the unprecedented sums of dark money on the left had Democrats buzzing. One source flagged that the White House's deputy Cabinet secretary, CRISTÓBAL ALEX, was on the board of the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which Vogel and Goldmacher wrote "has served as a clearinghouse of undisclosed cash for the left." The fund "received mystery donations as large as $50 million and disseminated grants to more than 200 groups, while spending a total of $410 million in 2020 — more than the Democratic National Committee itself." BIDEN OF BROOKLYN: New York City Mayor ERIC ADAMS, who has declared himself the "Biden of Brooklyn," talked about Biden's upcoming trip to the city this week and had this to say about their relationship. "We just connected. I'm sure if you were to ask him what is his favorite mayor he'd clearly tell you 'It's Eric.' [laughter].... That's my dude…We're just these blue collar guys. He is comfortable around every day people." We asked the White House if Mayor Adams is indeed the president's favorite. They did not respond. HARRIS ALMA MATER: Vice President KAMALA HARRIS' alma mater, Howard University, and five other historically black colleges and universities, were the target of bomb threats this morning. The Washington Metropolitan Police Department told CNN that the scene at Howard University "has been cleared with no hazardous materials found." As CNN notes, "On January 5, at least three HBCUs, including Howard University, received bomb threats. Nothing was found on any of the campuses that received threats, university officials said." A Harris spokesperson told us, "the Vice President is aware of the bomb threats that multiple HBCUs received today. These reports are extremely disturbing and the Vice President will continue to be briefed."   BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER:  The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now.     Advise and Consent PROMISES MADE — Biden's nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration is making major ethics concessions to Sen. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-Mass.) as he tries to lock down critical confirmation votes, LAURA BARRÓN LÓPEZ and ADAM CANCRYN scoop. ROBERT CALIFF is agreeing to not seek employment or compensation from any pharmaceutical or medical device company that he interacts with "for four years" following his time in government, according to a letter he sent to the Massachusetts Democrat. A TALE OF TWO INDUSTRIES: SARAH BLOOM RASKIN, Biden's pick to be the Federal Reserve's top Wall Street cop, is getting a dramatically different reception from Big Banks and Big Oil, KATE DAVIDSON wrote in Morning Money this a.m. While Raskin is a more progressive candidate than the banks would pick if they had their druthers, she's viewed as pragmatic and a known quantity who will hear them out and understands the issues. The energy industry is a different story. Forty-one oil and gas trade groups sent a joint letter to the Senate Banking Committee Friday urging them to reject Raskin's nomination, calling her an activist and saying her "favored policies would wreak havoc with the economy." Agenda Setting GET IT — Sen. JOE MANCHIN is "gettable" on a revised Build Back Better package, a key part of the Biden administration's agenda, Commerce Secretary GINA RAIMONDO said Monday. "I think he's gettable. I think we will get him. I think this is going to happen," Raimondo said during a POLITICO Women Rule interview with Laura Barrón López.   A message from Blackstone:   What We're Reading Biden promised to confront China. First he has to confront America's bizarre trade politics (Bob Davis for POLITICO Magazine) Biden has selected ambassador to Ukraine but is waiting on Ukraine's approval (CNN's Kaitlin Collins, Natasha Bertrand and Kate Sullivan) The Betrayal: America's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan added moral injury to military failure (The Atlantic's George Packer) White House frustrations grow over health chief Becerra's handling of pandemic (WaPo's Dan Diamond, Yasmeen Abutaleb and Tyler Pager) Where's Joe He hosted a National Governors Association meeting at the White House. Energy Secretary JENNIFER GRANHOLM, Agriculture Secretary TOM VILSACK, Deputy Treasury Secretary WALLY ADEYEMO, NEC director BRIAN DEESE , American Rescue Plan coordinator GENE SPERLING, and White House director of intergovernmental affairs JULIE RODRIGUEZ also attended. Later, the president held a bilateral meeting with Qatari Emir Sheikh TAMIM BIN HAMAD AL-THANI where he announced that he planned to designate Qatar a "major non-NATO ally." Where's Kamala With the president for the NGA meeting.   DON'T MISS CONGRESS MINUTES: Need to follow the action on Capitol Hill blow-by-blow? Check out Minutes, POLITICO's new platform that delivers the latest exclusives, twists and much more in real time. Get it on your desktop or download the POLITICO mobile app for iOS or Android. CHECK OUT CONGRESS MINUTES HERE.     The Oppo Book HUD Secretary MARCIA FUDGE likes to have fun. "When I was young, I say this to all of my friends and [they] think it's strange, I really was a party girl," she confessed in a HBCU Grad interview in July 2021 . "I believe that you work hard and play hard," she added. "I believe you have to find balance in life." Cheers to that. And, listen, we like to party too, madam secretary. If you ever wanna grab some drinks, hit us up. POTUS PUZZLER ANSWER JAMES GARFIELD during his inaugural address on March 4, 1881. He added, "No thoughtful man can fail to appreciate its beneficent effect upon our institutions and people. It has freed us from the perpetual danger of war and dissolution. It has added immensely to the moral and industrial forces of our people. It has liberated the master as well as the slave from a relation which wronged and enfeebled both." For key speeches and other information on the presidents, visit millercenter.org. A CALL OUT — Have a better trivia question? Send us your hardest trivia question on the presidents and we may feature it on Wednesdays. Edited by Emily Cadei A message from Blackstone: Blackstone has a longstanding commitment to supporting the professional growth of our nation's veterans. For over a decade, we've led by example, providing veterans and their families with training and resources to develop meaningful careers. • In 2013, Blackstone made a commitment to hire 50,000 veterans across its portfolio in response to First Ladies Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden's "Joining Forces" initiative, which called on companies to expand employment opportunities for veterans and their families. • Blackstone has partnered with our portfolio companies to provide veterans with skills training and resources to support their transition into civilian life and help them build meaningful careers. • 100,000+ members of the veteran community have been hired across our portfolio, doubling our initial commitment. Through making a lasting impact on the veteran community, we can help fulfill our core mandate: to deliver consistent returns by building stronger businesses.     Follow us on Twitter Alex Thompson @AlexThomp Maxwell Tani @maxwelltani Allie Bice @alliebice   Follow us

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