In a letter sent on Tuesday to a potential witness in their impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden, Republicans omitted a mention of a discredited FBI informant.
OP’s Standard Approach
Normally, Republican interview request letters outline their investigation’s foundation, notably including a paragraph about a ‘credible confidential human source’s’ discussions with a Ukrainian gas company executive regarding bribing Biden.
Changing Course
Following the Justice Department’s declaration last week that the informant, Alexander Smirnov, fabricated the allegation, Republicans seem to be removing any reference to it from their impeachment-related communications.
An Initial Oversight?
On Tuesday, Chairs Jim Jordan of the House Judiciary Committee and James Comer of the House Oversight Committee initially included a paragraph about the informant in a letter requesting an interview with former State Department official Amos Hochstein.
Omission in Biden Inquiry
As reported by a Democratic House aide, an updated version of the letter, lacking the informant’s mention, was sent out an hour later.
Pre-Indictment Plans
An aide involved in the impeachment inquiry explained that the letter was prepared before the indictment, and the interview request remains valid.
The Discredited Informant
The discredited informant had provided false information that was central to the Republicans’ main corruption accusation against Biden, which alleges that during his vice presidency in 2015 and 2016, he sought to oust a Ukrainian prosecutor to shield Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company that had his son on its board.
Biden-Burisma Connection
Both current and former State Department officials, including Hochstein, have consistently discredited the story about Biden and Burisma.
What’s the ‘Real’ Story?
In extensive testimonies given in 2019 and 2020, they clarified that the dismissal of the prosecutor was supported not only by the State Department but also by European allies, due to the prosecutor’s corruption.
Unearthing the FBI Document
Last year, Republicans unearthed and disclosed an FBI document dated June 2020. This file detailed an account by Smirnov’s handler of Smirnov’s conversations with Burisma executive Mykola Zlochevsky, discussing bribes of $5 million each for Hunter and Joe Biden.
The ‘Highly Credible’ Source
In numerous interview request letters, Republicans have emphasized, “According to this confidential human source, who has been described as ‘highly credible,’ Burisma executives hired Hunter Biden to ‘protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems.’
In-Depth Search
Smirnov informed his FBI handler that Zlochevsky had mentioned utilizing clandestine channels to transfer money, suggesting that it would be a lengthy process for investigators to unravel the scheme.
GOP’s Financial Dig
In their pursuit of these purportedly non-existent bribes, Republicans have thoroughly examined thousands of pages of bank records belonging to the president’s son and brothers through the use of subpoenas.
Skepticism Arises
It wasn’t until last year, when prosecutors revisited Smirnov to verify his 2020 report, that his reliability was questioned. The Republicans did express skepticism about one of his assertions — specifically, the claim that Zlochevsky, not known for his English proficiency, had recorded conversations with the Bidens.
Biden Impeachment Inquiry
There have been moves by certain Republican Party members to start an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden. This inquiry is mainly centered on accusations concerning Biden’s conduct, with a specific focus on his son, Hunter Biden, and his brother, James Biden.
The Biden Connection
The allegations are about Hunter Biden’s business ventures, with a specific emphasis on his connections in Ukraine and his role in Burisma, the Ukrainian gas company.
Impeachment Inquiry Gears Up
Despite the setback of losing their key piece of evidence that supported claims against the Bidens, Comer has affirmed that the impeachment inquiry will continue, shifting its focus to the yet-to-be substantiated involvement of Joe Biden in his son’s business ventures.
Scheduled Interviews
Interviews are scheduled with James Biden, the president’s brother, on Wednesday, and Hunter Biden is set for a deposition next week.
However, the likelihood of the House of Representatives voting on articles of impeachment against the president remains uncertain.
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