Joe Biden's brother Jim 'emailed Hunter with a list of key "targets" including Andrew Cuomo, Chuck Schumer and Rick Scott for their investment venture with a Chinese businessman'
Joe Biden's brother Jim wrote a 2017 'wish list' of possible business contacts for their new venture, according to the New York Post - a list that included prominent Democrats, Republicans, world leaders and international business people.
The list was reportedly sent in an email to Tony Bobulinski, Hunter Biden's former business partner in a failed Chinese investment venture.
At the time the email was supposedly sent, Joe Biden was the former vice president, a private citizen, who had not yet declared his intention to run for office. Joe Biden is not mentioned in his brother's emails, the Post reported.
Joe Biden, pictured with his younger brother Jim, a businessman, in 2008
Jim Biden, with wife Sara, formed a company with his nephew Hunter to work on infrastructure
Hunter, pictured with his father in 2016, was supposedly one of the recipients of Jim's email
Jim Biden emailed Bobulinski, Hunter Biden and several others on May 15, 2017 with the list of suggested contacts, the paper claimed.
The Bidens and Bobulinski had formed a company to partner with another firm, headed by a Chinese energy tycoon, on 'global and/or domestic' projects involving 'infrastructure, energy, financial services and other strategic sectors,' the documents obtained by the Post reportedly show.
Jim Biden reportedly recommended they approach Andrew Cuomo, the Democrat governor of New York, and Rick Scott, a Republican who at the time was governor of Florida.
Cuomo was supposedly described as someone actively involved in infrastructure projects in his state.
The email reportedly said he 'is moving forward with major infrastructure projects such as the long-stalled Tappan Zee Bridge replacement and the much-needed redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport.'
'His administration has invested nearly $4 billion through the Regional Council and Upstate Revitalization initiatives to jumpstart the economy and support local priorities for development,' it reportedly added.
Scott was apparently described as a 'personal friend of my friend Billy Rubin and close to my friend Ken Jenne, former Sheriff of Broward County, FL.'
Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, was on an apparent list of people to approach
Andrew Cuomo, Joe Biden, and Chuck Schumer - who Jim Biden also reportedly mentioned
Rick Scott was the governor of Florida at the time of Jim Biden's reported May 2017 email
Also supposedly mentioned in the email was Chuck Schumer, the Democrat senator for New York, who the paper reports was described as having 'made improving New York's economy a top priority, bringing affordable air service to Upstate New York and working to successfully retain New York jobs at risk of leaving and attract many new firms to New York.'
Maria Torres-Springer, the head of New York City's Economic Development Corp., was reportedly described as someone who 'drives the physical transformation of New York City, completes major infrastructure upgrades, and encourages the creation of new residential and commercial districts.'
Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat senator for New York, and New York's then-commissioner of economic development, Howard Zemsky, were included, the paper said, as were a number of other officials in Virginia, Minnesota, Florida and California.
Jerry Brown, the then-governor of California, was supposedly described by Jim Biden as a 'long time friend from his first term as governor'.
His successor, Gavin Newsom, then the lieutenant governor, was reportedly identified as 'Hunter's friend.'
A second email was said by Bobulinski to have been sent by Jim Biden to the same people on the same day - May 15, 2017 - titled 'short list of foreign friends for next phase?'
Among those reportedly mentioned were Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, described as 'arguably the richest man in the world' and 'very friendly.'
'Mentioning Slim now because he is big into racing and has a Formula I racing team and I know you are headed to the Grand Prix,' the memo reportedly added.
Carlos Slim, the Mexican billionaire, was supposedly on a second list of 'foreign targets'
Schumer, pictured on Thursday, was reportedly on Jim Biden's list of domestic contacts
Others on that list reportedly included the presidents of Colombia and Argentina, and the 'European Union in general.'
The following day, Hunter Biden, according to the paper, responded to Jim's email and expressed concern, worrying: 'that these lists of contacts and strengths are going to come back to haunt us.'
Hunter Biden reportedly suggested the lists 'could easily serve... as the foundation for the divvying up of territory both geographically and commercially' by their partner in the joint venture.
'I may be paranoid but having worked in. [sic] The lobbying industry for years these attempts to create focus at the outset always and I mean always ended in disaster,' the email says, according to the Post.
'We should be thinking what we want to focus on and not who knows who as direction for focus in my opinion.'
Donald Trump has seized upon the emails from Bobulinski, and others from a laptop that Hunter Biden took to be repaired, as supposed evidence of the Biden family's corruption.
Joe Biden during Thursday night's debate vehemently denied having ever taken any money from foreign governments.
The Biden campaign insist that Trump is attempting to divert attention away from his own shortcomings, and Trump critics have suggested that it is part of a Russian-orchestrated disinformation plot.
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