An aide to Sen. Bob Menendez sought the help of Hunter Biden's business partner in a bid to have then-Vice President Joe Biden host a US-Spain event in 2010.
Danny O’Brien, who was Sen. Menendez's chief of staff, approached Eric Schwerin, an associate of Hunter Biden, to discuss the annual US-Spain Council meeting.
O’Brien aimed to explore the possibility of having the then-Vice President Joe Biden host the event at the Naval Observatory.
This was conveyed to Hunter Biden by Schwerin in an email dated April 7, 2010.
Menendez, at that time, held the honorary chair position of the council. The event was set to host prominent figures, including CEOs of major Spanish banks and Spain's foreign minister.
Alan Solomont, the US Ambassador to Spain back then, had mentioned Hunter's interest in Spain, which might have prompted this outreach.
By April 28, a formal letter of invitation had been dispatched to the Vice President's office. However, the request was turned down. This led O’Brien to once again seek Hunter's assistance to persuade his father, Joe Biden, to attend.
Interestingly, Schwerin had prior knowledge that the Vice President had plans to play golf that weekend, which might conflict with the event's schedule, New York Post reported.
O’Brien, having worked with Joe Biden in the past, seemed to anticipate this excuse. He even remarked about the Vice President's probable preference for golf over the event.
Eventually, O’Brien decided to approach Hunter directly regarding the invitation. Records indicate that the two met at a Washington Nationals baseball game in June 2010, a month before the event.
Meanwhile, Senator Menendez has been in the spotlight for other reasons. He faces allegations of accepting bribes, including gold bars, and hiding large sums of money at his residence.
These charges are linked to his alleged misuse of power to benefit the Egyptian government and two local businessmen.
Menendez and his wife are accused of accepting bribes amounting to hundreds of thousands. The charges also mention a Mercedes Benz C-Class sedan and a significant cash amount discovered during an FBI search in June 2022.
Nadine Menendez is alleged to have received a cash bribe to purchase a 2009 Mercedes C-class convertible. This transaction is linked to Jose Uribe, a former insurance agent, who allegedly handed her $15,000 in cash.
Another individual, Wael Hana, a businessman from Edgewater, NJ, is said to have sent gifts to the Menendez home. In return, Menendez is accused of exerting pressure on a US Department of Agriculture official to favor Hana's business interests.
Further emails hint at efforts to promote the American subsidiary of the Spanish railway manufacturer CAF. Hunter Biden communicated with Hilary Rosen, discussing the need for CAF USA to appeal to key members for support.
Hunter emphasized the importance of Menendez's role in this endeavor and the potential job losses in New York and Maryland if the efforts were not successful.
CAF, with its manufacturing plant in Elmira Heights, NY, secured a contract with Amtrak worth nearly $300 million in July 2010.
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