Ex-Trump adviser: 'Republicans need a different talking point' after Hunter Biden conviction

House Speaker Mike Johnson in Las Vegas in October 2023 (Gage Skidmore)

David Urban, a former adviser to Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign, on Wednesday said “Republicans need to figure out a different talking point” as GOP leaders continue to claim a two-tiered justice system despite Hunter Biden’s conviction in a Delaware courthouse Tuesday.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Tuesday was asked by CNN’s Manu Raju if Biden’s conviction undermines GOP talking points as party leaders continue to claim Trump was unfairly convicted last month on 34 felony counts in his “hush money” trial in New York.

Johnson told Raju the Republican narrative is not undermined by Biden’s conviction, arguing the charges against Trump were “brought for political purposes,” whereas Biden’s conviction “is a separate instance.”

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“It doesn’t, every case is different, and clearly the evidence is overwhelming here,” Johnson said. “I don’t think that’s the case in the Trump trial, and all the charges that have been brought against him have been obviously brought for political purposes. Hunter Biden is a separate instance.”

Rep. James Comer (R-KY) likewise said in a statement that the Department of Justice should “investigate everyone involved in the Bidens’ corrupt influence peddling schemes.”

Urban on Wednesday disputed those talking points.

“I think that this case stands by itself.” Urban said. “Republicans just can't acknowledge that the justice was served here. This case was brought. It was a strong case, Hunter Biden faces yet another case coming up September 5, he's being tried just as anyone else would be tried, I think. That’s just reality.”

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“Two things can be true here,” Urban continued. “Donald Trump was found guilty by a jury in New York, which overwhelmingly voted against Donald Trump in the general election, and Hunter Biden was found guilty in a state where his family is love and beloved. I mean, you saw the jurors the jury pool here. lots of folks had ties to the Biden family, and he was convicted.”

“So I don't believe that the statement by the by the speaker is a hundred percent correct, that there are two systems of justice here,” he added. “I think this case kind of illustrates that point.”

“If the president had something to do with it, you think, he lost one son to a tragic death and he's got another son now who’s facing some serious, serious substance abuse issues,” Urban noted. "Clearly he would have put his thumb on the scale if he could’ve, right, to preclude this from happening, and it didn't happen. So I think Republicans need to figure out a different talking point for this specific case.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

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