The Biden campaign was panned Thursday for preemptively accusing President Trump "amplifying Russian misinformation" ahead of the second and final presidential debate.
The controversy surrounding Hunter Biden's foreign business deals has escalated in recent days but took a dramatic turn on Thursday after former Hunter Biden business partner Tony Bobulinski came forward to authenticate messages detailing an arrangement involving a Chinese energy company and members of the Biden family -- including a 10% cut for the "big guy," who Bobulinski confirmed was the former VP.
Bobulinski is set to attend Thursday night's debate as a special guest of President Trump.
Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield offered a taste of what to expect from the Democrat nominee's response if Trump goes after his family.
"If we see tonight from Donald Trump these attacks on Vice President Biden's family, I think we need to be very, very clear that what he's doing here is amplifying Russian misinformation," Bedingfield said.
That ploy didn't pass the smell test among critics.
"Crazy. DNI, FBI, and DoJ have specifically rejected this claim," conservative writer A.G. Hamilton reacted. "There is no evidence to support it. Biden camp should be widely condemned for spreading conspiracy theories without evidence."
"This has all the classic earmarks of a Russiagate disinformation operation #BlueAnon," progressive journalist Aaron Matê quipped.
"We’ve now come full circle in the #Russiagate propaganda media campaign... @JoeBide borrowing Trump’s fake news reflex with a side of “Russian disinformation” (with zero evidence of such)," Status Coup co-founder Jordan Chariton similarly said.
ABC NEWS HAS COMPLETELY IGNORED HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP SCANDAL, STUDY FINDS
"Ratcliffe: 'The intelligence community doesn’t believe that because there is no intel that supports that.' Senior intel official: 'The IC & DOJ are in lock-step on this: there is absolutely zero evidence or intel that the laptop or the info contained therein is a Russian op,'" Washington Examiner reporter Jerry Dunleavy quoted top intelligence officials.
"Speaking of Russian interference, recall that it was the wife of Moscow’s mayor who secretly wired $3.5 million to Hunter Biden right before Russia invaded Ukraine," The Federalist co-founder Sean Davis pointed out.
"Biden campaign blames Russia for Hunter Biden selling access, making millions of dollars and giving Joe kickbacks," former acting DNI Ric Grenell said.
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The Trump campaign's "War Room" also slammed Bedingfield's statement, tweeting, "The Biden campaign is so scared of this verified evidence that it is fabricating wild conspiracy theories about ... you guessed it ... RUSSIA!"
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