In a recent interview with the House Oversight Committee, Devon Archer, former best friend and business partner of Hunter Biden, shed light on the nature of their business dealings and the role of Joe Biden in those activities. While the interview was largely damaging to President Biden, a key Democrat on the committee, New York Rep. Daniel Goldman, managed to spin a positive headline out of it.

During the interview, Archer described what Hunter Biden was offering as "the illusion of access" to his father. Democrats seized on this phrase and emphasized it to the media as a way to downplay the allegations of selling access to the president. However, the transcript reveals that it was actually Goldman who introduced the term "illusion of access" and Archer initially agreed with it but later equivocated on whether it was a fair description.

Goldman pressed Archer on the fairness of the phrase, asking if it was accurate to say that Hunter Biden was selling the illusion of access rather than actual access. Archer responded, "I mean, yeah, that is - I think that's - that's almost fair." When further probed by Goldman, Archer explained that while there were some touch points and contact points between Hunter and Joe Biden, no material discussions took place. He admitted that there were signals being sent through the phone calls, but he stopped short of confirming any explicit communication about business dealings.

Archer went on to describe these phone calls as a form of “signal” to the business partners, indicating potential influence and access provided by Joe Biden. He explained that in Washington, D.C., and among foreign tycoons and businessmen, these signals act as currency. While Archer never witnessed specific details about business dealings being discussed over the phone, he believed that the mere existence of the calls was "signal enough to be powerful."

According to Archer, Hunter Biden used his "very powerful name" to add value to their pitches and secure deals. Archer clarified that Hunter Biden would not overtly state that they were using his father for their business, but rather leverage the name to gain an advantage. He referred to it as "defensive leverage" and emphasized the value that Hunter Biden brought to their work.

Overall, Archer's testimony provides insight into the dynamics of the Biden family's business dealings and the perception of influence and access associated with Joe Biden's presence. While Democrats attempted to highlight the notion of an "illusion of access," the transcript reveals that even Archer himself acknowledged the signals sent through the phone calls and the power they held. The interview raises questions about the extent of Hunter Biden's use of his father's name in securing business deals and adds to the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the Biden family's business practices.