The Strange Truth Behind The Biden Love Triangle
Washington, D.C., got its first legitimate non-Trump-related scandal in months when Page Six reported on March 1, 2017, that Hallie Biden, the widow of Joe Biden's late son Beau Biden, was in a relationship with Beau's technically-still-married brother, Hunter Biden. It's the kind of scandal that sounds made-for-TV and typically dominates the tabloids for months on end, or is it? Here's what we know about this surprising, dramatic, and possibly therapeutic love triangle.
Kathleen accused Hunter of using drugs, prostitutes and more
In court documents obtained by People magazine, Hunter's estranged wife, Kathleen, alleges that Hunter "created financial concerns for the family by spending extravagantly on his own interests." Said interests allegedly included "drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, strip clubs, and gifts for women with whom he has sexual relations." Kathleen also alleges that Hunter spent over $120,000 in two months.
As a result, Kathleen alleges, among other things, that the family has maxed out its credit cards and owes the government over $300,000 in taxes. She's asking for a monthly allowance of $20,000 after her allowance was allegedly reduced to less than $10,000 per month.
A lawyer released for Hunter a statement on the matter, saying, "Hunter and Kathleen have been separated for some time and are in the process of finalizing a divorce. Hunter loves and admires Kathleen as a person, a mother and a friend. He hopes their privacy can be respected at this time.
Per Page Six, Hunter and Kathleen separated in October 2015. To give you a better timeline of events: that was "five months after Beau's death and around the time that Joe Biden decided not to make a presidential run."
They have Joe's blessing
Dating your late husband's brother may be a bit—how do we put this lightly?—awkward, but don't expect any tense moments at the next Biden family Thanksgiving. In fact, according to Page Six, Hunter and Hallie's relationship already has the blessing of Hunter's parents, former Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden. "We are all lucky that Hunter and Hallie found each other as they were putting their lives together again after such sadness," the veep said. "They have mine and Jill's full and complete support and we are happy for them."
In other words: nothing to see here, folks!
They consider themselves 'lucky'
Love comes in all shapes, sizes and, in this case, unorthodox timing. In a statement released to Page Six, Hunter said, "Hallie and I are incredibly lucky to have found the love and support we have for each other in such a difficult time, and that's been obvious to the people who love us most. We've been so lucky to have family and friends who have supported us every step of the way."
Hey, whatever works.
They each have their own set of kids
One area where the transition might be a little uncomfortable for Hunter and Heidi: their kids. Both partners have children from their previous marriages. Hunter has three daughters: Naomi, Finnegan and Maisy, per Page Six, and Hallie has a daughter named Natalie and—wait for it—a son named Hunter.
At this stage of the news cycle, it's unclear how custody arrangements might work, or how this trio of parents has explained its shifting relationship to the kids. But, yeah: get ready for a whole lot of teenage angst, you guys.
The family has had a rough couple of years
Beau's death had a huge effect on the Biden family, especially Joe, who has been public about his struggle to grieve. "No one owes you anything," he revealed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (per ABC News). "You gotta get up. And I feel like I was letting down Beau, letting down my parents, letting down my family if I didn't just get up. I marvel at the ability of people who absorb hurt and just get back up." He continued, "My dad had an expression. He used to say: you know your success when you turn and look at your child and realize they turned out better than you. I was a hell of a success: my son was better than me."
The New York Times reported in August 2015 that it was Beau's dying wish to see his father run for president. Biden eventually turned down that idea, in part, because of his family.
Was Hunter on Ashley Madison?
Millions of cheating men saw their stress levels skyrocket in the summer of 2015 when hacked data from the cheating website Ashley Madison was released online for all to see. Amid the fallout, it was reported that an email tied to Hunter was linked to one of the accounts on the site, leading some to wonder if he was either having or considering having an affair.
Hunter quickly shot down the reports. "I am certain that the account in question is not mine," Hunter said, via a statement obtained by People magazine. "This account was clearly set up by someone else without my knowledge, and I first learned about the account in question from the media." His statement continued, "This is, unfortunately, not the first time that someone has used my name and identity to try to discredit me. From my understanding through press accounts, it is very easy to set up an account without someone's knowledge as there is no requirement that an email address be verified, and I am certain that is what happened in this case."
They're trying to settle their divorce in private
As news of their split dominated the headlines, Page Six reported that Hunter and Kathleen Biden's divorce had come to a halt so that the estranged couple could settle in private. The report added that the couple had reached a truce a few days after Kathleen's jaw-dropping divorce allegations hit the tabloids. And speaking of those wacky allegations...