United States Vice President’s son cocaine scandal

This video from the USA is called Coke heads: Joe Biden’s son Hunter kicked out of Navy for cocaine.

United States Vice President Joseph Biden was recently in the news for telling the truth, rare for politicians. He told students about the links between the Turkish government and ISIS terrorism. Subsequently, he apologized for telling that truth.

A bit longer ago, Joseph Biden’s son Hunter was in the news (at least, on this blog) for getting loads from money from gas in Ukraine. While the people of Ukraine suffer from poverty, from neo-fascism and from bloody civil war.

Today, Hunter Biden is in the news again.

From daily The Guardian in Britain:

Joe Biden’s son Hunter thrown out of navy over cocaine

Vice-president’s son issues statement of regret after failed drug test leads to discharge from US navy reserve

Friday 17 October 2014 05.01 BST

The US vice-president’s son Hunter Biden has been discharged from the US navy reserve after testing positive for cocaine.

Biden failed a drug test administered in June 2013, sources said. The son of Joe Biden issued a statement confirming his discharge and expressing regret and embarrassment for his actions.

Navy spokesman Commander Ryan Perry confirmed that Biden was discharged from the navy reserve in February 2014 but said privacy laws prevented him from releasing any details.

Perry said Biden was selected for a direct commission in the navy reserve as a part-time ensign in 2012 and was assigned to a public affairs unit in Norfolk, Virginia, in May 2013.

Biden, 44, a partner at an investment firm, said he regretted what had happened. “It was the honour of my life to serve in the US navy and I deeply regret and am embarrassed that my actions led to my administrative discharge,” Biden said in a statement provided by his lawyer.

“I respect the navy’s decision. With the love and support of my family I’m moving forward.”

The vice-president’s office referred all queries to Hunter Biden’s attorney after the story appeared in the Wall Street Journal.

Hunter Biden received a commission as a public affairs officer in the navy reserve in 2013, requiring a special waiver because he was 42 years old, the Associated Press said.

Joe Biden’s other son, Delaware attorney general Beau Biden, served a year-long tour in Iraq as a captain in the Delaware army national guard.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report

So, Hunter Biden now will no longer get United States taxpayers’ money for being a navy officer.

He still is getting lots of money from Ukrainian gas, his investment firm, etc.

One other point. If someone who is not the son of the Vice President, and not rich, uses crack or other cocaine, then that person often gets draconian punishment in the USA. I don’t hear about that in Hunter Biden’s case.

If that non-Vice Presidential, non-rich cocaine suspect, is, say, African American and lives in or near Ferguson or St Louis, that suspect may even been killed by police without trial … well, that may even happen if there isn’t any cocaine involved.