Hunter Biden has been accused of habitually lying, most recently during an interview with Tucker Carlson, where he allegedly denied dropping off his infamous "laptop from hell" at a repair shop and suggested Israeli involvement in its contents.
Columnist Miranda Devine, writing for the New York Post, contends that Hunter Biden's persistent denials aim to cast doubt on the evidence of corruption contained within the laptop. Devine asserts that Hunter Biden falsely claimed to have no recollection of leaving laptops for repair at John Paul Mac Isaac's store in Wilmington, Delaware. He also insinuated that Israeli entities, including "Netanyahu" or "Mossad," were involved in hacking or fabricating the data, a claim Devine labels as part of a "meandering mélange of half-expressed falsehoods."
Devine highlights that Hunter Biden's assertion that the data came from multiple sources and was too large for a single laptop is contradicted by evidence. She points to a repair receipt, bearing Hunter Biden's signature, for "Attempt data recovery from 3 macbook pros." The FBI seized a MacBook Pro 13 from Mac Isaac's store on December 9, 2019, following Mac Isaac's contact with the agency. The FBI was reportedly led to Hunter Biden's location via his cellphone data, corroborating Mac Isaac's account of him dropping off the devices on April 12, 2019.
Federal court filings and testimony from IRS Agent Gary Shapley indicate that the FBI's Computer Analysis and Response Team verified the laptop's authenticity and ownership, deeming it unaltered and suitable for court use. Prosecutors presented the laptop as evidence during Hunter Biden's federal gun trial in Delaware in June 2024, and he did not object to its use. A jury found him guilty on three felony charges in that trial.
Devine contrasts Carlson's current stance with his past reporting on the laptop. She recalls Carlson previously hosting her on his Fox News show to discuss evidence from the laptop that she claims showed Joe Biden's involvement in his family's influence-peddling schemes. At that time, Carlson reportedly criticized media blackouts and censorship surrounding the story. However, Devine notes that Carlson now appears to be casting doubt on the laptop's provenance, echoing Hunter Biden's claims and suggesting an Israeli connection he had previously explored.
Hunter Biden suggested that an Israeli-American named Yaacov Apelbaum was involved, claiming Apelbaum, a "computer guy," met with Mac Isaac. Mac Isaac reportedly stated that Apelbaum was introduced as someone who could help confirm the laptop's legitimacy. Devine mentions that Apelbaum had previously contacted Carlson with files from the laptop, though his motives remain unclear. Apelbaum recently won a defamation suit after being called an Israeli spy.
Devine criticizes Carlson for questioning the laptop's origins, stating it "whitewashes" the alleged corruption exposed by Mac Isaac, who Devine portrays as having risked much to reveal the contents. Devine suggests that by questioning the laptop's provenance, Hunter Biden and Carlson are attempting to rewrite history and obscure potentially damaging information.