The House Ways and Means Committee released a 2016 memo sent from Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company, to Yuri Lutsenko, the prosecutor who replaced the previous official who had been investigating the company. Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, was serving on the company’s board of directors and signed off on the memo.
The document sheds further light on the allegations and scandals that have dogged the Biden family for years, despite their constant denials of wrongdoing.
Burisma’s memo expresses concerns about allegations made by the new prosecutor’s office related to the company’s involvement in “illegal schemes,” and requests that it drop these allegations and water down its investigations into the company.
We have learned from your press conference on July 7, 2016, that the Office of the Prosecutor General has entered Burisma’s offices and property as well as the offices and residences of various members of Burisma’s staff and directors. You also announced several allegations against Burisma and its owner. You offered no evidence of a crime in your press conference but made allegations that Burisma has been involved in “illegal schemes” that your office would be investigating over a long period of time.
The memo continues:
As citizens of countries where adherence to the rule of law has the highest priority we are very concerned about your statements and the manner in which you are proceeding with this investigation. We know you are well aware that allegations made to the media of criminal misconduct does great harm to private sector enterprises. As members of the Board of Directors, we respectfully request that allegations of criminal activity made by you and/or officials in your office cease and that any investigation be conducted consistent with the standards of fairness and the rule of law.
JUST IN🚨: Hunter Biden signed off on a Burisma memo to the Ukrainian prosecutor who replaced Viktor Shokin that warned not to continue further investigations.
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) September 27, 2023
"Moreover it is imperative that allegations of criminal activity made to the media about Burisma and/or Nikolay… pic.twitter.com/votGd0Y5tI
Devon Archer, a former Burisma board member, laid out the saga involving Hunter, Burisma, and the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s office. He explained that the company viewed the previous prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, as a threat due to his ongoing investigation into alleged corruption. Shokin’s probe applied tremendous pressure on the company, and its leadership sought to have him removed from his position. Then-Vice President Biden was instrumental in making this happen and allegedly used his office to pressure the Ukrainian government to fire Shokin, which eased the pressure on Burisma.
Other emails seem to suggest that Hunter played a prominent role in recruiting Blue Star Strategies, a government relations and public affairs consulting company, in 2015 to help Burisma “close down any cases/pursuits” against the company. They also revealed that Blue Star Strategies had ties to Lutsenko and had represented his interests in the United States while also working with Burisma.
The ongoing flow of revelations about Hunter Biden, Burisma, and President Biden has continually raised complex ethical and political questions. The president’s alleged involvement in his son’s shady foreign business dealings has resulted in the pending impeachment inquiry launched by House Republicans.
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