Another scandal from the Biden brood brought the president’s granddaughter to the forefront over a report she had allegedly “vandalized” the United States Capitol, giving rise to a “disappointed” apology.
“I cannot express how sorry I am…”
Eleven years before Naomi Biden was granted the privilege of a White House wedding to Peter Neal in 2022, the daughter to Hunter Biden and granddaughter to then-Vice President Joe Biden had landed a gig as a Senate page in 2011. Serving the now-late Nevada Sen. Harry Reid (D), the New York Post reported on yet another privilege bestowed on the then 17-year-old high school student: a tour of the Capitol Dome.
Confirmed by a former staffer, the then-sergeant at arms and an email from Hunter Biden, the newspaper reported that in June 2011, the vice president’s granddaughter and a fellow page were on a tour of the dome when they allegedly “carved their names into the stone.”
Speaking with the Post, a staffer for Reid asserted, “It was vandalism. I remember perfectly. On the tour of the rotunda when you go up to the top of the dome, they carved their names into the stone.”
“It’s up at the very top so you can only have a couple of people up there at a time. It would have had to have been on the tour. There is no way they could have gotten up there at any other time,” the staffer added. “They had to bring in architects and everything to buff it out.”
According to guidelines made available by the Capitol, “Members are responsible for their guests and must accompany them during the entire tour.” However, as no mention of the senator was included, it was unclear if Reid, then-Senate Majority Leader, had been present.
In addition to another staffer confirming that the vice president had been made aware of his granddaughter’s alleged carving of the Capitol, an email from Hunter Biden to the director of the page program, Elizabeth Roach, had the Rosemont Seneca Partners co-founder seemingly bending over to apologize.
“I am Naomi Biden’s Dad. I cannot express how sorry I am for Naomi’s behavior,” he began. “I have been in meetings all day and just heard from Aliza’s mother what happened. As soon as Naomi is finished work today I will be speaking with her. I am very disappointed in their behavior, but understand that the intent was not malicious.”
“Nevertheless, I am very very upset. I am available on my mobile phone at anytime. Again, I apologize and fully understand the gravity of the situation and I assure you I will make certain Naomi understands the same,” he concluded.
Consequences for her alleged actions appeared non-existent as she would go on to visit China that August with the vice president, complete her education at Sidwell Friends high school before attending the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia Law School, joining the Washington, D.C. law firm of Arnold & Porter and having a lavish $300,000 wedding thrown for her at the White House.
Hunter Biden’s daughter preps for ‘private’ WH wedding; banned press asks why hide in ‘the people’s house?’ https://t.co/e2PiTVymte pic.twitter.com/Ps1jnA6HoR
— BPR (@BIZPACReview) November 19, 2022
Roach responded to the email and told Naomi’s father that she had been instructed to write an apology to then-Sergeant at Arms Terrance W. Gainer, as well as the deputy sergeant at arms.
Gainer confirmed to the Post that he had received the letter and said, “That fact that it happened is not shocking. These young teenage kids, the first time they were away from home did a variety of things. Our goal was to correct them and guide them as we could so they could be successful there.”
Another source familiar with the incident told the newspaper the act of vandalism was one of “tradition” and that “countless other Senate pages” had behaved similarly.
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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