Joe Biden has been paid a lot of money over his decades as senator, vice president and president. He owns a massive estate in Maryland and a nearby luxurious beach house.
And Congress right now is investigating what has been described as tens of millions of dollars being paid to the Biden family in a years-long influence-peddling operation.
But a new report shows that the Bidens probably didn’t even need his income, or the peddling operations, to enjoy recent vacations at some of the most luxurious estates in the nation.
While ordinary Americans are facing gasoline at $3.30 a gallon, mortgages costing tens of thousands in more interest than when President Trump was in office, and food costs surging, the Bidens have enjoyed holiday retreats in “a series of luxurious abodes amount to a staggering $84 million,” according to the New York Post.
The new report wondered, “Why bother owning a vacation home when you’ve got friends in high places?”
It’s because Joe Biden “has been living the good life,” taking advantage of his connections to vacation at the homes “of some of America’s wealthiest and most politically connected figures” at Nantucket, Lake Tahoe, Kiawah Island and St. Croix.
His current Thanksgiving vacation is at David Rubenstein’s Nantucket estate, a 13,000-square-foot paradise on 114 acres, an estate the report pegged at a value of about $39.8 million.
It has all of the fundamental provisions vacationing presidents would need: Lots of space, privacy, security, a swimming pool, hot tub, tennis courts and exclusivity, the report noted.
Just months ago, the Bidens were a week at the Lake Tahoe home, worth $20 million, of Tom Steyer.
“Nestled within the exquisite three-acre expanse of Lake Tahoe is Steyer’s sprawling $20 million waterfront estate, a haven that played host to the Bidens for nearly a week. The clan — Joe, Jill, and Hunter Biden, along with his wife, Melissa Cohen, and their son Beau, Ashley Biden, granddaughters Maisy and Naomi, and Naomi’s husband, Peter Neal — turned this luxurious retreat into a family affair.”
“From a lakeside gazebo overlooking Glenbrook Bay to meticulously groomed lawns and cozy hearths, this estate exudes opulence. Not to mention it flaunts direct access to the sandy shores below, epitomizing waterfront extravagance,” the report said.
The White House said the resort was rented at “fair market value” for the Bidens.
The Biden’s previous vacation locations have included Kiawah Island, South Carolina, whre Democrat donor Maria Allwin Charleston owns a $20 million retreat.
“The Bidens indulged in a week-long stay last year at the sprawling nine-bedroom estate owned by Allwin, a stalwart in Democratic Party circles and widow of New York hedge fund luminary James Allwin,” the report said. “They didn’t pay a cent.”
It “paints a picture of extravagance.”
And the Bidens’ St. Croix retreat, owned by Democratic donors Bill and Connie Neville, is known for multiple Biden visits, free of charge.
“Biden visited St. Croix at least five times between 2014 and 2016, plus at least one additional time to celebrate New Year’s Day less than four months before launching his presidential campaign in 2019,” the report said.
“The getaway drew outrage last year as Biden lounged in the warmth while parts of the country battled harsh winter conditions that led to numerous flight cancellations and unfortunate fatalities,” it added.
The Post explained, “Biden has faced backlash for failing to list these stays as gifts on his financial disclosure forms, raising ethical eyebrows and drawing comparisons to the recent scrutiny of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.”
This article was originally published by the WND News Center.
This post originally appeared on WND News Center.