House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has formally sent a letter to Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State. The letter seeks clarity on the circumstances surrounding then Vice President Joe Biden’s insistence that Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin be removed from his position. This demand was made with the stipulation that Ukraine would receive billions of dollars in loan guarantees from the U.S. if they complied with the removal of Shokin.
Notably, during Shokin’s tenure, he was actively investigating corruption within the Ukrainian gas company Burisma. This is the same company that compensated Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s son, with a monthly fee of $80,000 for his role on the board.
In his letter, Chairman Comer emphasized the need for transparency from the U.S. Department of State. He expressed concerns about the abrupt shifts in foreign policy during Joe Biden’s vice-presidential term, especially concerning Ukraine. The focus was particularly sharp given Hunter Biden’s association with a company under investigation for corruption. Comer stated that the Committee is delving into the official actions and policies of then-Vice President Biden and the Obama-Biden Administration concerning Ukraine. Comer added that they were keen to understand the State Department’s perspective on the Ukrainian Office of the Prosecutor General, which was under the leadership of Viktor Shokin at the time.
Following widespread public pressure, Shokin was removed from his position in March 2016, with then-Vice President Biden being a vocal advocate for the move. Comer highlighted the significance of the timing of these events. He referenced an interview with Devon Archer, an associate of the Biden family.
Archer revealed that by the end of 2015, Vadym Pozharsky, Burisma’s corporate secretary, was increasingly urging Hunter Biden to secure assistance from the U.S. government. This was in relation to the challenges Mykola Zlochevsky, Burisma’s founder, faced both domestically and internationally. Archer’s testimony indicated that Hunter Biden had made a significant call to Washington, D.C., after a private meeting with Zlochevsky and Pozharsky in Dubai. The nature and context of this call, especially any involvement of the State Department, are under investigation by the Committee.
In response to allegations that the firing of Shokin was a result of corrupt conduct by Joe Biden, the Biden administration and leftist media allies have claimed that a network of European officials wanted Shokin fired. However, it has been revealed that this claim is untrue.
The New York Post has highlighted the European Commission’s December 2015 progress report. This report commended Ukraine’s Prosecutor-General Viktor Shokin for his anti-corruption efforts. This was just days after Joe Biden had called for his removal.
The report contradicts Biden’s assertion that the European Union was in agreement with his stance on Shokin’s alleged corruption and hindrance to anti-corruption reforms. The European Union acknowledged Ukraine’s ‘remarkable’ progress in ‘combating corruption,’ subsequently granting them visa-free travel privileges within Europe.
As investigations into the Biden family’s business dealings intensify, Shokin has also come forward to share his perspective on the unfolding events, particularly as they relate to leveraging the “Biden brand” for political and financial gains.