Authored by Jonathan Turley,

Below is my column in Fox.com on the impact of the likely GOP takeover of the House on the Hunter Biden scandal. Hunter Biden's laptop is Washington's Pandora's Box. Opening up that laptop to greater public scrutiny could expose our local cottage industry of influence peddling.

Here is the column:

In the legend of Pandora's box, the star-crossed Pandora releases a slew of evils upon the world. Notably, the only thing that she was able to trap in the box or jar was something that is likely to be at a premium in Washington this week: hope.

The likely Republican takeover of the House could yield a slew of investigations in the months to come. Washington is famous for managing scandals. Indeed, it is a virtual artform in the Beltway. However, there is one investigation that comes the closest to Pandora's box for the Washington establishment. A serious investigation into the Hunter Biden scandal could put the political and media elite into an existential crisis.

Here are the "usual suspects" who could find themselves under a microscope for the first time as a result of a full investigation into Hunter Biden. 

The Bidens

The Biden family has long been associated with influence peddling to the degree that they could add an access key to their family crest. While they may be more aggressive than most families, influence peddling has long been a cottage industry in Washington. For decades, I have written about this loophole in bribery laws. It is illegal to give a member of Congress or a president even $100 to gain influence. However, you can literally give millions to their spouses or children in the forms of windfall contracts or cozy jobs.