US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has finally announced that the House is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry after reports surfaced that Donald Trump called on a foreign power to intervene in the upcoming election. Trump placed a hold on $391 million in aid to Ukraine just over a week before a July phone call in which he apparently urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Hunter Biden—the son of former US Vice President Joe Biden, Trump’s likely opponent in next year’s race. The transcript of that call (not, apparently, verbatim) was released by the White House Sept. 25. Trump of course called the impeachment inquiry “the single greatest witch-hunt in American history,” and tweeted that the inquiry is PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT (all caps). (Jurist)
This pretty clearly constitutes use of military aid to Ukraine as a bargaining chip—or an outright bribe. Details of how Ukraine’s internal war became a football in American politics are provided in a video “explainer” and related coverage by Kyiv Post.
It is now confirmed that in the July 25 phone conversation between Trump and Zelensky, they discussed a possible Ukrainian investgation into Hunter Biden as well as into Crowdstrike, the cybersecurity firm that apparently traced the 2016 DNC hacks back to Russia. This “bizarre” second item was evidently based on misinformation. CNN reporter Daniel Dale wrote on Twitter that in 2017 Trump said he had “heard” that Crowdstrike is based in Ukraine and owned by a wealthy Ukrainian. In reality, the company’s headquarters are in Sunnyvale, California.
Trump specifically called upon Zelensky’s government to cooperate with Rudolph Giuliani—who is Trump’s personal attorney, and holds no position in the US government.
Earlier this year, Giuliani made several serious accusations against Biden and the Ukrainian government. As Kyiv Post states: “If proven, these accusations might help Trump win re-election in 2020. But there’s a problem: The claims aren’t backed up by any evidence.”
Giuliani claimed, first, that Biden as vice president pressured Ukraine to fire its then-prosecutor general Viktor Shokin, who was investigating corruption claims against Burisma Holdings, the country’s largest oil and gas extraction company. Hunter Biden was at that time serving on the Burisma board (he stepped down earlier this year). Giuliani also claimed that Ukrainian officials conspired to help Hillary Clinton in the 2016 US elections. Kyiv Post dryly states: “For now, we will only focus on the first accusation becuase you can only disprove so much conspiracy theory in one video.”
Burisma is owned by Mykola Zlochevsky, a Ukrainian businessman and Kiev’s former natural resouces minister who after leaving office was investigated for money laundering, illegal enrichment and other such sleaze. However, the investigations have by now either been closed, downgraded to tax-evasion cases, or languished without action.
There was no investgation into Hunter Biden. In 2016 Biden indeed pressured Ukraine to fire Shokin. But Biden was hardly alone in calling for the ouster of Shokin, who was widely accused of failing to prosecute official corruption. By the time Shokin stepped down in April 2016, after just 14 months in office, he was “one of the most unpopular figures in Ukraine.” Anti-graft activists, non-profit government watchdogs and top members of the ruling coalition in parliament were all calling for Shokin to be fired.
In March 2019, Yuriy Lutsenko, Shokin’s successor, gave an interview to John Solomon, a “controversial” contributor to news outlet The Hill. Lutsenko told Solomon that Biden had pressured the Ukrainian government to fire Shokin in order to protect Burisma. At the time of his interview, Lutsenko was on the way out, and probably knew it. Then-President Petro Poroshenko was headed for a spectacular electoral defeat. Lutsenko “was likely angling to keep his job in a new administration by gaining the support of Trump’s people. With little knowledge of Ukrainian politics, Solomon appears to have taken his claims at face value.”
For now, Ukraine has not opened an investigation into Hunter Biden, and Zelensky’s administration appears to be playing down the issue. His administration has denied that there was any “pressure” from Trump.
Which may be the price of keeping US military aid coming. Given Trump’s perceived closeless to Russia, it’s an irony is that his administration went further with its aid to Ukraine than the Obama administration by deciding to provide Kiev with lethal weapons. In 2017, Trump announced his intent to provide Javelin anti-tank missiles. By the time the Javelins were dispatched, however, Russian armor had pulled back from the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which has stalemated into trench and bunker warfare. As Defense News states, the military assistance still sent Ukraine “a powerful signal of American support, particularly when the US is not obligated to defend it, as it would a NATO ally.” Similarly, the blocking of the aid sends “a signal to Russia that the US is not as concerned about Russian occupation of Ukraine.”
Ukraine has lost 13,000 of its people since its conflict with Russia began in 2014.
Map via Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
‘Witness intimidation’ via Twitter
Trump notoriously dissed Marie Yovanovitch via Twitter during her Congressional testimony about the “smear campaign” that the president’s allies successfully used to oust her as ambassador to Ukraine. Some excerpts from the Daily Beast account…
Trump becomes third US president to be impeached
After hours of short speeches, the US House of Representatives voted Dec. 18 evening to impeach President Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of justice.
The historic vote followed party lines with Republicans voting against impeachment and only one independent voting for it. Two Democrats, Representatives Collin Peterson and Jeff Van Drew, opposed the first article on abuse of power, leaving a final vote 230 to 197. On the second Article, for obstruction of justice, the final vote was 229 to 198 with another Democrat, Representative Jared Golden, joining those opposed to impeachment.
Democratic presidential candidate, Representative Tulsi Gabbard, voted present on both articles. In a statement, Gabbard expressed support for continuing the impeachment inquiry but maintained concerns about “further divid[ing] our already badly divided country.”
In response to the impeachment process, Trump sent a six-page letter on Dec. 17 to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. In his letter, he called the impeachment “an unprecedented and unconstitutional abuse of power,” that was nothing more than an “illegal, partisan coup.”
This vote triggers a trial in the Senate, which will be overseen by Chief Justice John Roberts. It is expected that the trial will begin in January. (Jurist)
Putin has Trump’s back on impeachment.
From NPR, Dec. 19:
GAO: withholding Ukraine aid was unlawful
The US Government Accountability Office (GAO), the agency tasked with auditing the federal government and the legality of its activities, found Jan. 16 that the freeze on military aid to Ukraine that has been at the center of impeachment proceedings into President Trump was unlawful. The agency’s analysis determined that when the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) withheld funds that had been apportioned by Congress, it violated the 1974 Impoundment Control Act.
“Faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law. OMB withheld funds for a policy reason, which is not permitted under the Impoundment Control Act (ICA). The withholding was not a programmatic delay. Therefore, we conclude that OMB violated the ICA,” the decision states. “The Constitution grants the President no unilateral authority to withhold funds from obligation.”
The decision comes on the same day that the Senate begins trial proceedings in the impeachment of Trump. Charges of Trump’s abuse of power include accusations that he ordered the freeze on military aid to Ukraine, and withheld a meeting with the Ukrainian president, while seeking to get the Ukrainians to take public steps that would benefit his re-election. The Trump administration has asserted that nothing about the way they delayed the funds was untoward, and report may create new challenges for Trump’s defenders.
A spokesperson for the Office of Management and Budget responded to the GAO report and disputed its findings. (Jurist)
Trump acquitted on both articles of impeachment
The Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump ended with an acquittal for both articles of impeachment. The Senate has fallen short of the necessary two-thirds vote required to convict and remove Trump from office, with the final vote being. 48-52 on abuse of power, and 47-53 on obstruction. The change in votes between the impeachment articles came from Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah. Because of this, Romney has become the first senator in history to vote to convict a president of his own party in the impeachment process, voting Trump guilty for abuse of power.
Trump tweeted a video shortly after the conclusion of the trial, expressing his satisfaction with the ultimate result. (Jurist)
White House post-impeachment purge
Within hours of each other, the White House removed two of the most crucial witnesses against Trump in the investigation that led to his impeachment for abuse of power. Late today, news emerged that Trump had ordered the recall of Gordon Sondland, the US Ambassador to the European Union—”effective immediately,” the ambassador noted in a statement. Hours earlier, the White House escorted out Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the top Ukraine policy officer on the National Security Counsel—along with his twin brother Yevgeny, who was not an impeachment witness. (Politico)
Donald & Rudy: still Ukraine in the membrane
US intelligence agencies warned the White House last year that Trump’s personal lawyer Rudolph Giuliani was the target of an “influence operation” by Russian intelligence, according to four former officials who spoke anonymously to the Washington Post. The warnings were based on multiple sources, including intercepted communications, that showed Giuliani was interacting with people tied to Russian intelligence during a December 2019 trip to Ukraine, where he was gathering information that he hoped would expose corruption by Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
In Des Moines on Oct. 14, Trump meanwhile cited “explosive documents” published that day by the New York Post to revive his widely discredited claim that Biden “went to Ukraine and threatened to withhold $1 billion in aid if they did not fire the prosecutor that was investigating his son and the company that his son worked for.” As FactCheck.org has written, there’s no evidence Hunter Biden was being investigated. The NY Post account was based on a leak of emails turned over to the newspaper by Giuliani.
Glenn Greenwald goes full Trump
Glenn Greenwald has left The Intercept, the mouthpiece he founded, after an editorial spat—and promptly went on Fox’s Tucker Carlson to complain that “the left is in bed with a CIA set on destroying Trump.” So…. 1. demonization of the “left”; 2. echoing Trump’s propaganda device of “deep state” subversion; and 3. assuming that “destroying Trump” is a bad thing. A perfect trifecta of Trumpian fascist bullshit.
In an announcement and explanation of his resignation on his new platform, Substack, Greenwald cites The Intercept’s “brute censorship” of his most recent article—”about the Hunter Biden materials and Joe Biden’s conduct regarding Ukraine and China, as well my critique of the media’s rank-closing attempt, in a deeply unholy union with Silicon Valley and the ‘intelligence community,’ to suppress its revelations.” In other words, more “deep state” bullshit.
The Intercept, in an editorial statement in reply to Greenwald’s gripe, states: “While he accuses us of political bias, it was he who was attempting to recycle the dubious claims of a political campaign—the Trump campaign—and launder them as journalism.”
Greenwald, a right-libertarian mistaken by many as a progressive, has been increasingly flirting with Trumpism over the past four years. He’s now gone full Trump, and seems to be moving from right-libertarianism to plain old fascism.
Ukraine sanctions ex-MP linked to disinfo campaign
Ukrainian officials imposed sanctions against Andriy Derkach, a former member of the country’s Parliament who was accused by the US of being a Russian agent and interfering in the 2020 US presidential election.
During a briefing, secretary of the security and defense council, Oleksy Danilov, stated that Ukraine was sanctioning Derkach along with members of the Russian military and judiciary.
Derkach was previously sanctioned by the US after evidence arose linking him to a “covert influence campaign centered on cultivating false and unsubstantiated narratives” targeting US officials and politicians. Derkach was also linked to an effort by Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani to find compromising evidence on Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son. (Jurist)
Hunter Biden charged with tax, firearm offenses
The US Attorney for the District of Delaware charged Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, on June 20 with tax and firearm offenses.
Biden faces two charges under 26 U.S.C. § 7203, which criminalizes willfully failing to file a tax return, supply tax information or pay taxes. The firearm charge stems from a period of time in October 2018 where Biden allegedly knowingly possessed a firearm while addicted to a controlled substance.
Biden plans to plead guilty to both misdemeanor tax charges, and enter a pretrial diversion agreement on the firearm charge. (Jurist)
Federal judge rejects Hunter Biden plea deal
In a hearing July 26, a federal judge in Delaware rejected a plea deal by Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden. After a three-hour proceeding in which US District Judge Maryellen Noreika cited constitutionality concerns with the plea, Biden pleaded not guilty to three tax and firearms offenses charges. (Jurist)
Attorney General appoints special counsel in Hunter Biden case
US Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Aug. 11 that he will appoint a special counsel to oversee the ongoing criminal case against President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden. Garland stated that David Weiss would be taking over the case United States v. Robert Hunter Biden and any related investigations or cases as a special counsel. Weiss has been involved in investigations related to Biden’s case since 2019 in his previous capacity as US attorney for the District of Delaware. (Jurist)
US special counsel indicts Hunter Biden on firearms charges
US Justice Department Special Counsel David Weiss revealed on Spet. 14 that a federal grand jury indicted President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden on three firearms charges. The charges come almost two months after a federal district judge rejected a plea deal in which Hunter Biden would have avoided federal gun charges in exchange for a guilty plea to two misdemeanor tax charges. (Jurist)
Hunter Biden sues Rudy Giuliani over hard drive access
Hunter Biden sued Rudy Giuliani on Sept. 26, alleging violations of federal and California law. Biden claims Giuliani acquired his computer data illegally from John Paul Mac Issac, an owner of a Delaware computer repair shop. Mac Issac allegedly and mailed Giuliani and attorney Robert J. Costello copies he made of Biden’s hard drive. Biden’s complaint alleges that Giuliani and Costello accessed his emails, photographs, bank statements, and other financial documents.
Most of the evidence against the defendants come from their own statements to the media. Costello boasted about going through Biden’s laptop to New York Magazine. Giuliani bragged that he accessed data from Biden’s laptop on at least three podcasts.
The complaint alleges violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (18 USC 1030) which prohibits “intentionally accessing a computer without authorized access.” Biden also claims violations of California Penal Code §502, which prohibits knowingly accessing another’s information to execute any scheme to “defraud, deceive, or extort.” Biden requests a jury trial and seeks both general and punitive damages. (Jurist)
Hunter Biden indicted on nine new criminal charges
A federal grand jury in California indicted Hunter Biden Dec. 7 on nine new federal criminal tax charges. The new charges join the two previous charges filed against him in a federal court in Delaware. Biden now faces 11 charges in total—three felonies and eight misdemeanors. (Jurist)
House of Representatives formalizes Biden impeachment inquiry
The US House of Representatives voted Dec. 13 to formalize an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. The vote passed along party lines, with all 221 Republican lawmakers voting in favor of the resolution and 212 Democratic lawmakers voting against. Then Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) opened an impeachment inquiry into Biden in September but never formalized the process with a vote of the whole House. (Jurist)
Indicted ex-FBI informant boasted Russian intelligence ties
The former FBI informant charged with lying about the Bidens’ dealings in Ukraine told investigators after his arrest that Russian intelligence officials were involved in passing information to him about Hunter Biden, prosecutors said Feb. 20 in a new court filing, noting that the information was false.
Prosecutors also said Alexander Smirnov has been “actively peddling new lies that could impact US elections” after meeting with Russian spies late last year. (CNN)
Smirnov was charged Feb. 15 for falsifying reports that President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, each received $5 million in bribes from a Ukrainian energy company. According to the indictment, Smirnov reported to an FBI agent in March 2017 that he had been in contact with the owner of the Ukrainian company, Burisma Holdings Ltd.
Smirnov also informed the agent that President Biden and Hunter Biden—identified as “Public Official 1” and “Businessperson 1” were members of the company’s board.
Three years later, in June 2020, Smirnov created a false record to the FBI Agent that executives of the Ukrainian company had told him that “Public Official 1” and “Businessperson 1” were paid $5 million by the company to protect them during a criminal investigation.
Smirnov has been charged with violating 18 U.S.C. § 1001 for making a false statement and creating a false and fictitious record and 18 U.S.C. § 1519, for falsifying records during a federal investigation. (Jurist)
Delaware jury finds Hunter Biden guilty
A federal jury in Delaware on June 11 found Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, guilty of lying about his drug use while purchasing a firearm.
The younger Biden was found guilty of three felonies: making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm under 18 U.S.C. §922(a)(6) and 924(a)(2), making a false statement with respect to information to be kept in records under §924(a)(1)(A), and possession of firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance under §922(g)(3) and §924(a)(2). (Jurist)
Hunter Biden files motion to seek new trial
Hunter Biden filed documents June 24 seeking a new trial after his conviction on three felonies on June 11. He argued that the decision should be vacated since the trial began before an appeal for an earlier motion was concluded. Biden also claimed that one of the laws he was prosecuted under, §922(g)(3), is unconstitutional and that the court should order an acquittal. (Jurist)
Hunter Biden pleads guilty to federal tax charges
Hunter Biden pleaded guilty Sept. 5 to federal tax charges in a surprise move just before jury selection was set to begin in his Los Angeles trial. Biden, 54, admitted to failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019 while spending millions on what prosecutors called an “extravagant lifestyle,” which, the indictment alleged, included escorts, luxury hotels and drugs. (Jurist)
Biden pardons son Hunter for federal felony offenses
As his term draws to a close, President Joe Biden issued a sweeping pardon Dec. 1 for his son Hunter Biden, covering multiple federal criminal charges including tax evasion and firearms violations. (Jurist)