How did the Ukrainian energy company Burisma allegedly use Hunter Biden, son of former Vice President Joe Biden, to influence State Department matters?
That question is being asked by the heads of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee. Senators Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) also want the State Department to release documents involving the scandal surrounding the Bidens and Burisma.
Joe Biden is running for president. He and others have accused President Trump of improperly seeking political "dirt" on him from Ukraine. However, Trump officials have said they are simply investigating corruption and alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 campaign, as well as any ties to Democrats.
According to the senators, "Recently obtained State Department emails, made public through a FOIA request, indicate Burismaโs consulting firm noted 'two high profile U.S. citizens (including Hunter Biden as a board member) affiliated with the company' when requesting a meeting with State Department officials to discuss the validity of the U.S. governmentโs classification that their client, Burisma, was corrupt."
Per our conversation, Karen Tramontano of Blue Star Strategies requested a meeting to discuss with [Under Secretary] Novelli [U.S. Government] remarks alleging Burisma (Ukrainian energy company) of corruption. She noted that two high profile U.S. citizens are affiliated with the company (including Hunter Biden as a board member). Tramontano would like to talk with U/S Novelli about getting a better understanding of how the U.S. came to the determination that the company is corrupt. According to Tramontano, there is no evidence of corruption, has been no hearing or process, and evidence to the contrary has not been considered. Would appreciate any background you may be able to provide on this issue and suggested TPs for U/S Novelliโs meeting.
State Department email from February 2016
โAlthough it is not clear if Under Secretary Novelli met with Karen Tramontano on March 1, 2016, as planned, later that month Tramontano and other members of Burismaโs legal team reportedly met with Ukrainian prosecutors," write Grassley and Johnson. "According to what appears to be contemporaneous notes by one of those Ukrainian prosecutors, during that meeting, Burismaโs legal team apologized about what they alleged to be โfalse informationโ promoted by the U.S. Government about the prosecutorsโ handling of the investigation of Burisma."
The letter sent by the Republican senators to State Department Secretary Mike Pompeo can be read by clicking here.
DoS is a steamy swamp filled with leftists, from Socialist-Democrats to hardened Marxists. Senate will neverg het the data it demands, even with a court order.