Report: Hunter Biden Asked State Dept. for Assistance With Burisma

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Facts

  • Official documents released to the New York Times reportedly show that Hunter Biden sought assistance from the US government for Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company where he was a board member, in 2016 — when his father was vice president.[1]
  • The now-first son wrote a letter to the US Embassy in Italy, where Burisma was working to obtain approval for a lucrative geothermal energy project, asking for help to arrange a meeting with the president of the Tuscany region.[2]
  • Records suggest that State Dept. officials were reluctant to promise 'too much' to Hunter Biden, as well as to actively advocate with the government of Italy without Burisma going through Dept. of Commerce channels.[3]
  • Hunter Biden's lawyer Abbe Lowell claimed his client had made a 'proper request' on behalf of the Ukrainian company 'only' for 'an introduction in Italy,' adding that the meeting never came to fruition and the project never materialized.[4]
  • Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the White House said that Pres. Biden was unaware of his son's request at the time. The records came to light under a Freedom of Information Act request, but Hunter's letter has been redacted in its entirety.[5][1]
  • This comes as prosecutors involved with Biden's tax trial claimed last week that Hunter Biden took money from a Romanian businessperson who sought to 'influence U.S. government agencies' and allegedly attempted to hide the 'true nature' of the work.[6]

Sources: [1]New York Times, [2]New York Post, [3]FOX News, [4]Associated Press, [5]Guardian and [6]Reuters.

Narratives

  • Republican narrative, as provided by National Review. Where there's smoke, there's fire, and conservatives had tried for years to raise concerns regarding Hunter's shady dealings. Now, the media that once tried to cover up the Hunter Biden laptop story and his other improprieties are finally reporting the truth that he abused his father's status to rake in cash and influence politics. We must know to what extent Joe Biden was aware of these activities.
  • Democratic narrative, as provided by CNN. Hunter Biden is doubtlessly a troubled man who has been open about his drug addictions and legal problems. What is not true is that the elder Biden has had anything to do with his travails, besides being a supportive father. Years of hearings and reports have failed to implicate the president in any wrongdoing. This request was entirely above board, which makes the transparently political nature of these attacks clear.

Predictions