As the news of the federal charges brought against Rep. George Santos (R-FL) overshadowed Rep. James Comer’s (R-KY) hollow update on his investigation into Hunter Biden’s finances, right-wing media outlets are claiming that charges against Santos are a distraction from Hunter Biden’s infamous laptop. 

On the same day that a federal court issued a 13-count criminal complaint against Santos, who has been under intense scrutiny following revelations that he fabricated many details of his personal and professional background, Comer held a conference purporting to give updates on his ongoing investigation into Hunter Biden’s supposed corruption. The update ultimately failed to provide the link between Hunter Biden’s business dealings and President Joe Biden that Comer promised, leaving the already unverified claims of political corruption still unsubstantiated. 

Right-wing outlets, especially Fox News, have pored over the claims that Hunter Biden’s laptop contained evidence of corruption for years now. This fixation has led one Fox host to declare that “we are living in a fascist state” because media outlets won’t give the unverified story airtime, and another to claim that the war in Ukraine was orchestrated as a distraction from Hunter’s laptop. 

With the charges against Santos released this week, right-wing outlets are once again claiming the laptop story is being buried. Some also called on the Department of Justice to arrest Hunter in light of Santos’ indictment and complained about a supposed double standard. 

• Fox News contributor Joe Concha complained about mainstream media focusing on Santos, adding, “You can barely find anything on the Comer investigation and the allegations. And think about what we're talking about here: George Santos is a freshman congressman. Is it a story? Yes, it is. But Joe Biden is the sitting president of the United States.”
• Fox News host Laura Ingraham described the Santos news as “shady timing.” Her guest Kyle Seraphin, a former FBI agent, added that “the timing is obviously suspicious.”
• Fox News host Sean Hannity claimed there is a “two-tier justice system” since the DOJ took a few months to bring charges against Santos while Hunter Biden has still not been charged: “This was fake news CNN’s homepage today. Take a close look at that. Do you see anything about Comer’s presser? You do not.”
• Later, on his radio show, Hannity would go on to call it “convenient” that the government charged "George Santos, a relatively unknown freshman congressman, and that the media ignored Comer and they made Santos their lead story of the day.”
• The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles called Santos’ arrest a "selective prosecution by the liberal establishment,” adding that the DOJ needs to “give up the Bidens.”
• Right-wing radio host Dana Loesch commented that “George Santos is in custody,” adding, “Now let's do Hunter.” 
• Right-wing radio host Clay Travis called the timing of the Santos arrest “so diabolically brilliant.” New York Post writer Miranda Devine responded saying, “You can’t imagine that this is just a coincidence.” 
• Conservative radio host Mark Levin commented on how quickly charges were brought against Santos before asking his audience, “In five years, they haven't developed a case against Hunter Biden. And they see no reason to investigate Joe Biden. Don't — doesn't that strike you, America, as to what the problem is right now?"
• Frank Speech host Emerald Robinson said the investigation was politically motivated, claiming on Twitter, “It took the DOJ a few weeks to charge Rep. George Santos (R) with crimes but investigations into Hunter Biden’s laptop are now in year 4 because the DOJ is simply the armed wing of the DNC.”
• Turning Point USA’s Benny Johnson dismissed the complaint against Santos on Twitter, scoffing, “Joe Biden and his Crime Family can launder millions of dollars from China with zero consequences, but George Santos gets 13 federal charges for $564. Do you see how this works?”
• Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk tweeted a video of Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) accusing the Bidens of corruption and commented, “Yeah but go ahead and rush an indictment of George Santos.”
• Online outlet The Federalist dismissed the charges in a piece titled “George Santos’ Real Crime Was Making Democrats Look Stupid,” claiming that the same agency investigating Santor was “slow-walking investigations into Biden family business practices after agents worked to suppress the laptop story.”