Whenever Hunter Biden’s business or personal transgressions reappear, the political Left suggests that Hunter is simply the lowly son of President Joe Biden . That is to say, Hunter has no power over the president, either on personal matters or otherwise. However, as the revelations from a protected whistleblower and former IRS investigator have shown, Joe and Hunter Biden are intimately connected in some odd ways.

Hunter is an intimate part of Joe’s presidency. He regularly rides around on Air Force One, stays at the White House, and attends state dinners, as he did earlier this week a la India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Biden stayed long term at the president’s home in Delaware for the duration of the pandemic, the same Delaware home where unsecured boxes of classified documents were found on the floor of the garage. Wherever Joe goes, his son is not far behind.

Yet, in the wake of what appears to be a slap on the wrist plea deal between Hunter Biden and his father’s Justice Department, an IRS whistleblower has revealed stunning accusations. These included purported text messages which allude to the president having full knowledge of his son’s questionable financial dealings with foreign entities . Hunter appears to have used his father for leverage. Biden invoked his father in a WhatsApp message in 2017, and apparently did so while staying at Joe Biden’s Delaware home . At the very least, this activity would appear to confirm that Joe Biden had zero to little objection to his son using him for personal financial dealings.

Then there is the matter of Navy Joan Biden, Hunter Biden’s paternal granddaughter, for whom he is locked in a bitter child support court battle in Arkansas. The president repeatedly cites to friendly crowds that he is the grandfather to six, staunchly refusing to acknowledge his seventh grandchild. Biden is a willing participant in his son’s legal fight. This is important, as Biden and his office and campaign have repeatedly stated that "Decency is on the ballot." He is correct.

But whether it’s Hunter Biden’s shady financial dealings or his personal and legal fights, Joe Biden is there at every turn. A vote for Joe Biden is thus a vote for his son's continued extravagant lifestyle. It's a vote for Hunter Biden's continued influence over the president. It's a vote, then, of questionable character.

Stephen L. Miller ( @redsteeze ) has written for National Review, the New York Post, and Fox News and hosts the Versus Media podcast.