Hunter Biden sought assistance for Ukrainian firm from official of the Obama era, reports NYT
During his tenure as vice president under the Obama administration, Hunter Biden allegedly sought assistance from a US State Department official regarding Burisma's operations in Italy, according to a report by the New York Times based on released...
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During his tenure as vice president under the Obama administration, Hunter Biden allegedly sought assistance from a US State Department official regarding Burisma's operations in Italy, according to a report by the New York Times based on released federal documents.
In 2016, Hunter reached out to American ambassador to Rome, John Phillips, through a letter in which he specifically requested help in coordinating a meeting between representatives of Burisma and the governor of Tuscany, as reported by the NYT. Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company he was associated with, faced licensing challenges for a project in the region.
Hunter had joined Burisma’s board in 2014, shortly after political upheaval in Ukraine led to the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovich. He remained with the company until 2019.
The letter, which featured Burisma’s letterhead, included Hunter's appeal for “support and guidance in arranging [the] meeting.” In his reply, the ambassador indicated he had a “good working relationship” with the governor and directed a “senior commercial officer” at the embassy to assist in making contact with Italian authorities.
Notably, Hunter did not mention his father in the letter but referred to a personal meeting with Phillips during a family trip to Rome over Thanksgiving in 2015, as noted by the NYT.
According to the newspaper, the effort did not materialize, and the meeting did not occur. A legal representative for Hunter Biden previously characterized the letter as a “proper request.” Phillips stated that he did not recall the letter, while Burisma chose not to comment on the report, based on NYT’s findings.
The scrutiny surrounding Hunter’s connections with Burisma has been persistent. Former business associate Devon Archer testified before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee that Hunter had directly requested his father to intervene in the Ukrainian investigation of Burisma.
Joe Biden has publicly taken credit for the firing of Ukrainian Prosecutor Viktor Shokin, who was investigating the company. Nevertheless, he has denied any involvement in bribery or awareness of his son’s business engagements abroad.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
In 2016, Hunter reached out to American ambassador to Rome, John Phillips, through a letter in which he specifically requested help in coordinating a meeting between representatives of Burisma and the governor of Tuscany, as reported by the NYT. Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company he was associated with, faced licensing challenges for a project in the region.
Hunter had joined Burisma’s board in 2014, shortly after political upheaval in Ukraine led to the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovich. He remained with the company until 2019.
The letter, which featured Burisma’s letterhead, included Hunter's appeal for “support and guidance in arranging [the] meeting.” In his reply, the ambassador indicated he had a “good working relationship” with the governor and directed a “senior commercial officer” at the embassy to assist in making contact with Italian authorities.
Notably, Hunter did not mention his father in the letter but referred to a personal meeting with Phillips during a family trip to Rome over Thanksgiving in 2015, as noted by the NYT.
According to the newspaper, the effort did not materialize, and the meeting did not occur. A legal representative for Hunter Biden previously characterized the letter as a “proper request.” Phillips stated that he did not recall the letter, while Burisma chose not to comment on the report, based on NYT’s findings.
The scrutiny surrounding Hunter’s connections with Burisma has been persistent. Former business associate Devon Archer testified before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee that Hunter had directly requested his father to intervene in the Ukrainian investigation of Burisma.
Joe Biden has publicly taken credit for the firing of Ukrainian Prosecutor Viktor Shokin, who was investigating the company. Nevertheless, he has denied any involvement in bribery or awareness of his son’s business engagements abroad.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
