Cut Hunter Biden loose.

Democrats should admit it: Hunter Biden is a sleaze-bag and an embarrassment.

He is no better than Jared Kushner.

Joe Biden knows full well that Hunter is a miserable mess. He has seen it up close. The alcohol. The drugs. The multiple relapses. The marital messes. The paternity suits. It must give Joe Biden heartache. 

Joe Biden has seen the way Hunter landed cushy jobs and corporate board seats. He saw the wheeling and dealing in China and Ukraine. Hunter is part of the "swamp" of influence, connection, and alliances that connect government, K Street, and Wall Street. Trump criticized the swamp in his 2016 campaign. It is one of the things he got right. Hillary couldn't criticize the swamp. She got paid $300,000 to make speeches for Goldman Sachs. She was part of the swamp. And so was Trump, but he had a story to tell. He said he knew the swamp very well, so he knew how to drain it.

Hunter Biden soils the reputation of democratic government. He represents crony capitalism, the special privilege of the elites, and corruption tolerated at the very top. Hunter Biden soils the reputation of Democrats. He soils the reputation of the news media which contextualized Hunter Biden as unfairly targeted by people trying to get at Joe Biden. Democrats can complain that Hunter's messes are an exaggeration and that Fox News cherry picks, but the cherries are there to be picked. Hunter Biden is the swamp, and Joe Biden doesn't stop him. 

Kushner is married to Donald Trump's daughter. Although Kushner lacked any apparent experience in foreign affairs, Trump gave him a senior role in managing America's foreign policy. Trump's national security advisors cautioned that Kushner had suspicious business dealings with foreign businesses and governments. Trump needed to over-ride them to give Kushner the secrecy clearances he needed.

We have just learned that Jared Kushner established a hedge fund, a new venture for him. Kushner brings his set of connections to the enterprise. Against the recommendations of Saudi Arabia's own financial professionals, the Kushner firm got Saudi Arabia as its first big client with a placement of $2 billion, and a sweet asset management fee of 1.25% per year: $25 million a year. Kushner had represented the USA in arranging a multi-billion dollar arms deal with Saudi Arabia in the immediate aftermath of discovery that Saudi Arabia killed and dismembered a Washington Post reporter. That was a big, controversial deal. Trump ignored the murder. Saudi Arabia was grateful.

This is the swamp. Favors. Relationships. Pay-backs disguised and sanitized by work contracts. Hunter Biden brought his negligible expertise in oil to Burisma. Kushner brought his negligible expertise in hedge fund management to Saudi Arabia.

Joe Biden has an opportunity. He could cut Hunter Biden loose. He could announce that nobody, including family members, get special consideration, and that if Hunter Biden broke the law he should face the consequences. He could get in front of the hearings we will certainly see if the GOP regains control of either legislative chamber. If Hunter is found guilty and spends time in prison it would be a welcome symbol of justice and the rule of law.

I don't expect Joe Biden to do it. He loves his son and won't condemn his swampy behavior. Nor do I expect Donald Trump or Fox News or any Republican candidate for president to condemn the cronyism and nepotism Jared Kushner represents. It's too close to home.

There is one group of people who could condemn Hunter Biden, and should. Democrats.  A Democratic candidate for president could say what everyone knows, that Hunter Biden is a mess and his business deals stink. Say that if he broke laws he should be prosecuted. Joe Biden won't like it, but Democratic voters will. Joe has an excuse for his blindness. He is a father. He should have put the country first, but he didn't. Shame on him. Democratic officeholders don't have that excuse.

Let Republicans stick with their team and defend Kushner, Eric, Ivanka, and Don Junior, if they insist.  That group is indefensible, just like Hunter Biden. A smart Democrat will lead a call to drain the swamp. That starts with Hunter.