Ever since the initial reports in 2020 about Hunter Biden's abandoned laptop began to emerge, there have been some Biden defenders who have argued or insinuated that the laptop, if it even actually existed, didn't belong to Biden and that the damning and sordid contents of the hard drive were fake and manipulated and the product of Russian disinformation, among other excuses and denials.
Now, however, in what appears to be for the first time ever, attorneys for the president's son have seemingly acknowledged that both the laptop and its data are real and authentic and belonged to Biden, the Daily Caller reported.
Even still, though, the attorneys continued to perpetuate the insinuation that all least some of the purported contents of the laptop's hard drive that have been released to the public may have been manipulated, tampered with, or fake.
The apparent admission came in a letter sent Wednesday to Matthew Olsen, the assistant attorney general for national security, from Hunter Biden's attorney Abbe Lowell, that called for a federal investigation of John Paul Mac Isaac, the owner of the Delaware computer repair shop where the laptop was abandoned in 2019, among others.
"Mr. Mac Isaac has admitted to gaining access to our client’s personal computer data without Mr. Biden’s consent. Mr. Mac Isaac has admitted to copying that data without Mr. Biden’s consent, and Mr. Mac Isaac has admitted to distributing copies of that data to the political enemies of Mr. Biden’s father, without Mr. Biden’s consent," Lowell wrote. "These unlawful actions caused the widespread publication, manipulation, and exploitation of Mr. Biden’s most personal information."
According to New York Times reporter Kenneth Vogel, a similar letter was sent at the same time to Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings that called for a state-level investigation of Mac Isaac and others for alleged crimes committed.
NEW: In a letter demanding probes of the dissemination of Hunter Biden's files, his lawyer appears to admit the underlying data is real, but also casts doubt on the origin story, noting it "supposedly originated from a computer left at [John Paul Mac Isaac's] repair shop in Del." pic.twitter.com/umLjrWpAok
— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) February 1, 2023
Per the letter to Olsen, the purported federal crimes allegedly violated by Mac Isaac and others include the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Stored Communications Act, the National Stolen Property Act, and a statute against Making Public Restricted Personal Information.
The Daily Caller noted that over the two-plus years since Hunter Biden's laptop scandal has been a publicly known thing, numerous media outlets have confirmed, in some cases rather belatedly, that the laptop and the data therein were authentic and real.
This letter from Biden's attorney also seems to validate the authenticity of the laptop and at least some of its data, but the outlet further noted that Lowell was quick to try and reverse course and walk back that obvious interpretation of his letters to authorities demanding investigations.
"These letters do not confirm Mac Isaac’s or others’ versions of a so-called laptop," Lowell said in a statement to Fox News. "They address their conduct of seeking, manipulating, and disseminating what they allege to be Mr. Biden’s personal data, wherever they claim to have gotten it."
Fox News reported separately that Mac Isaac, despite the clear threat of federal investigation demanded by Biden's attorney, seemed a bit unconcerned by the potential risk such action posed toward himself.
"You've got to remember, I’ve been dealing with intimidation from all fronts over the last couple of years, so I’ve kind of gotten used to it," Mac Isaac told network host Tucker Carlson in response to the letters. "This isn't as bad as being accused of being a traitor and working with Russia to affect an election, but it’s pretty close."
It remains to be seen if these letters from Biden's attorney will actually prompt federal or state action against Mac Isaac and the other named individuals, but regardless, at the very least it appears we now finally have an admission from Biden's inner circle that all of the laptop talk in recent years has been real.
