Hunter Biden asks for State Department help with Ukrainian company
- Hunter Biden requested assistance from the State Department for a Ukrainian energy deal.
- Documents recently released reveal his attempt to secure a profitable deal while his father was vice president.
- Hunter Biden's lawyer denies any wrongdoing in seeking help from the government.
Recent revelations indicate that Hunter Biden sought assistance from the U.S. government to secure a lucrative energy deal with Burisma while his father, Joe Biden, served as vice president. The documents detailing this request were released shortly after Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race, raising suspicions about the timing. The House Oversight Committee highlighted this coincidence, questioning the motives behind the delayed release of records that had been sought through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for years. Senate Republicans have criticized the situation, suggesting that Hunter Biden's substantial compensation from Burisma was not justified by his expertise. They argue that the evidence of potential corruption was dismissed as Russian disinformation during the 2020 election, labeling it as election interference. Meanwhile, John R. Phillips, the U.S. ambassador to Italy at the time, stated he did not recall any correspondence from Hunter Biden regarding Burisma, although it remains unclear if the embassy attempted to assist in the energy project. Hunter Biden's attorney, Abbe Lowell, defended his client's actions, asserting that the request for an introduction to the president of Tuscany was standard practice for businesses. He emphasized that no project materialized and that the request did not warrant registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The State Department has directed inquiries about Hunter's correspondence to his legal representatives, maintaining that the release of documents was coincidental and aimed at protecting individual privacy. Despite ongoing investigations, the Justice Department has not found sufficient grounds to charge Hunter Biden with wrongdoing related to his foreign business dealings. The controversy surrounding his actions continues to fuel political debate, with critics calling for further scrutiny into his dealings and the implications for his father's political legacy.