In a new development that raises critical questions about the nature of the Biden family’s involvement in Ukraine, Republican lawmakers have obtained emails that suggest a different narrative behind Hunter Biden’s role in the Ukrainian energy company, Burisma.
These emails, sourced from a November 2015 correspondence, suggest that Hunter Biden’s primary role in the company was to safeguard it from potential prosecution. The discussions took place between Burisma executive Vadym Pozharskyi, Hunter Biden, and his associates.
In this email exchange, Pozharskyi outlined what he termed as the “ultimate purpose” of the agreement being negotiated. This intention was to stall “any cases/pursuits against Nikolay in Ukraine,” in reference to Mykola Zlochevsky, another Burisma executive.
The correspondence between Pozharskyi and Hunter Biden appears to detail a roadmap designed to secure high-level U.S. endorsements for Zlochevsky and Burisma, both in the U.S and Ukraine, aiming to close down any potential prosecutions against Zlochevsky.
Interestingly, these communications occurred weeks before a 2016 trip to Ukraine by then-Vice President Joe Biden. During this visit, he informed Ukraine that $1 billion in aid would be withheld until prosecutor Victor Shokin, who was investigating Burisma, was ousted.
These recent revelations have raised concerns among several Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, a member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee. She points out that these findings bring to light “serious concerns as to what machinations were really at play — and were purposefully concealed from the American people.”
As she rightfully claims, no matter which angle you look at Hunter Biden’s involvement from, it appears to reek of high-level public corruption and demands a thorough investigation.
Echoing these sentiments, Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona highlighted that the latest emails “further establish bribery and corruption between Ukraine officials and the Bidens.” These revelations are far more than merely distasteful; they could constitute potential criminal activity and require immediate examination.
It’s worth noting that the standard response from the Biden camp has been that Shokin was dismissed due to his role in perpetuating Ukraine’s corruption problem. However, Republicans, such as Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee, aren’t buying into this narrative anymore. Instead, they are questioning whether the move to dismiss Shokin was a tactic to shield the Biden family from potential fallout related to their murky business dealings in Ukraine.
While the allegations that an executive at Burisma paid Joe Biden and Hunter Biden $5 million to gain their support for the company remain unproven, these recent email revelations certainly add a twist to the tale. Furthermore, a Senate report from 2020 noted that the Obama administration was aware of the potential conflict Hunter Biden’s position on Burisma’s board posed, and yet, chose to ignore the clear warning signs.
These latest developments provide a significant moment of reflection. If our leaders preach transparency and accountability, then these values should be evident in their actions, both public and private. It seems there is more to unravel in the story of the Biden family’s dealings with Ukraine.
