General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIt's time to call Moscow Mitch's bluff. Biden(s) have to agree to testify.
If McConnell won't allow Democratic witnesses unless they can get one or both of the Bidens, then I say Joe Biden has to step up to the plate and tell McConnell he would be more than happy to testify.
It would show a man of courage and conviction, a man who did no wrong, a man who puts country before politics. If HRC could testify for 11 hours in the Benghazi grilling, surely Joe Biden and even his son can testify and put this whole Burisma fallacy to rest.
I know it has nothing to do with the charges against Trump, but strategically it will put McConnell and Trump in a very precarious position. If Biden agrees to be a witness, then Trump and McConnell have to let the Dems have their witnesses and that's the last thing Trump and the Rethugs want. If they still deny the Dems their witnesses, then that pretty much is admitting Trump's guilt. And the Biden's wouldn't even have to testify.
So call Mitch's bluff. Joe has to show courage and a sense of duty. After all he wants to be President. That would go a long way toward him clinching a lot of undecided voters.
JustAnotherGen
(32,066 posts)Phone Call (that uh - perfect one), requests to the newly elected President of Ukraine, quid pro quo . . .
The only way I would be okay with this is if MF45 gets its orange ass in the Senate to testify. And Biden shouldn't unless Moscow Mitch makes it happen.
no_hypocrisy
(46,330 posts)JustAnotherGen
(32,066 posts)Very much on point.
EndlessWire
(6,584 posts)that we are trying to impeach one of the most powerful men in the world. If Biden doesn't know anything about something, then he can say so. If they want to examine some distasteful event from his VP, let someone object. We need our own witnesses in there.
I think it is entirely possible that Russia has hacked Ukraine and planted evidence. That would be the only calculation to make. Perhaps Ukraine has completed its investigation and would like to testify against Trump?
mainstreetonce
(4,178 posts)Then after the Bidens ,all Trump's children and Jared should be called.
Fla Dem
(23,905 posts)EndlessWire
(6,584 posts)Hoyt
(54,770 posts)set voters straight, including saying -- on national media -- that they did nothing wrong and nothing even close to what the trump's have done to profit off the presidency.
In any event, I think the Bidens need to appear if called. Will be quite disappointed if the Bidens refuse.
5X
(3,972 posts)USALiberal
(10,877 posts)lame54
(35,360 posts)5X
(3,972 posts)Fla Dem
(23,905 posts)stillcool
(32,626 posts)there is so much in my past that can be put on display. Make it all about me, instead of Trump who?
Takket
(21,729 posts)And what drumpf did was illegal regardless of any corruption that may have taken place.
Gothmog
(146,030 posts)Here are some facts including that the fact that Hunter was a biglaw firm that was advising this company https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/5/1907833/-The-long-awaited-defense-of-Hunter-Biden
He ended his lobbying career and left the Amtrak board as his father became vice president, then started another consulting firm in 2008, as noted by Newsweek.
In 2008, Hunter Biden also founded Seneca Global Advisors, a consulting firm that helps companies expand into global markets. His earnings from Rosemont Seneca and Seneca Global Advisors are not publicly available.
Biden then joined the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, which features superstar lawyer David Boies as its primary partner and chairman. While at Boies Schiller, Biden was involved in advising Burisma, which was a client at the time being personally handled by Biden, who was advising them on corporate reform, according to Hunter Bidens lawyer, George Mesires:
In April 2014, Hunter was asked to join the board of Burisma, the largest independent natural gas producer in Ukraine. At the time, Hunter was of counsel with Boies Schiller Flexner LLP [fn 1] (Boies Schiller), a major U.S. law firm, and was advising Burisma on its corporate reform initiatives, an important aspect of fueling Burismas international growth and diversity. Vibrant energy production, particularly natural gas, was central to Ukraines independence and to stemming the tide of Vladimir Putins attack on the principles of a democratic Europe.
To further its goals of independence, Burisma sought to adopt standards and practices traditionally employed by Western companies. At Hunters urging, Boies Schiller engaged Nardello & Co., a leading global investigative firm, to assess, among other things, Burismas corporate structure and governance practices. Burisma agreed to pay the legal expenses of Boies Schiller to support Hunter in developing corporate reform initiatives.
Because of Burismas stated commitment to corporate best practices, it was able to attract well-qualified board members, including the former president of Poland, Aleksander Kwasniewski, a leading advocate of democratic principles in the region. President Kwasniewski, familiar with Hunters work on behalf of Burisma, recommended that Hunter join the board.
Again, this view is consistent that Biden ultimately joined by the board for Burisma Holdings to help it with its efforts regarding corporate governance, as noted by Wikipedia.
In the aftermath of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, Mykola Zlochevsky faced a money laundering investigation,[33][34] and his company Burisma Holdings, the largest natural gas producer in Ukraine,[14] assembled a "high-profile international board" in response.[35][34] Biden, then an attorney with Boies Schiller Flexner, was hired to help Burisma with corporate governance best practices, and a consulting firm in which Biden is a partner was also retained by Burisma.[36][37][38] Chris Heinz, John Kerry's stepson, opposed his partners Devon Archer and Hunter Biden joining the board in 2014 due to the reputational risk.[34] Among those who joined the board of directors in April 2014 were Biden, Archer and former Polish president Aleksander Kwaśniewski.[39] Biden served on the board of Burisma until his term expired in April 2019,[40] receiving compensation of up to $50,000 per month in some months.[37][41]
So it appears that Biden was placed on the board of Burisma as part of its effort to clean up its practices after the allegations of money laundering by Zlochevsky, which had previously occurred in 2012. Biden took a pay cut to be on the board compared to what hed earned as an investment banker, although it may have been an upgrade compared to what he likely earned at Boies Schiller. Biden had nothing to do with the investigation of Zlochevsky and was never investigated himself.
Being on the board of AMTRACK and being with the biglaw firm that was advising this company are sufficient qualifications for Hunter to be appointed on the board.
Response to Fla Dem (Original post)
Gothmog This message was self-deleted by its author.
Gothmog
(146,030 posts)Link to tweet
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This is my theory, pure speculation, said Smerconish. I have this vision on the Democratic side of the aisle, some who know Hunter Biden, are sort of rubbing their hands and saying, yeah, yeah, just keep begging for this guy.
The Republicans have created such a caricature of him. In other words, they set the bar so low, continued Smerconish. And then all of a sudden, Hunter Biden comes in. Hes a handsome guy. Hes articulate. Hes smart. He went to Georgetown, he went to Yale Law. He puts sentences together that are not indicative of having committed anything illicit, other than earning money, perhaps because of the name with which he was bestowed. And Americans say, Oh my god, is that all there is? It could completely backfire. Its one of the intangibles. I dont know, but Im paying attention.
Fla Dem
(23,905 posts)But in the same vein as my thinking.
Gothmog
(146,030 posts)Here are some facts including that the fact that Hunter was a biglaw firm that was advising this company https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/5/1907833/-The-long-awaited-defense-of-Hunter-Biden
He ended his lobbying career and left the Amtrak board as his father became vice president, then started another consulting firm in 2008, as noted by Newsweek.
In 2008, Hunter Biden also founded Seneca Global Advisors, a consulting firm that helps companies expand into global markets. His earnings from Rosemont Seneca and Seneca Global Advisors are not publicly available.
Biden then joined the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, which features superstar lawyer David Boies as its primary partner and chairman. While at Boies Schiller, Biden was involved in advising Burisma, which was a client at the time being personally handled by Biden, who was advising them on corporate reform, according to Hunter Bidens lawyer, George Mesires:
In April 2014, Hunter was asked to join the board of Burisma, the largest independent natural gas producer in Ukraine. At the time, Hunter was of counsel with Boies Schiller Flexner LLP [fn 1] (Boies Schiller), a major U.S. law firm, and was advising Burisma on its corporate reform initiatives, an important aspect of fueling Burismas international growth and diversity. Vibrant energy production, particularly natural gas, was central to Ukraines independence and to stemming the tide of Vladimir Putins attack on the principles of a democratic Europe.
To further its goals of independence, Burisma sought to adopt standards and practices traditionally employed by Western companies. At Hunters urging, Boies Schiller engaged Nardello & Co., a leading global investigative firm, to assess, among other things, Burismas corporate structure and governance practices. Burisma agreed to pay the legal expenses of Boies Schiller to support Hunter in developing corporate reform initiatives.
Because of Burismas stated commitment to corporate best practices, it was able to attract well-qualified board members, including the former president of Poland, Aleksander Kwasniewski, a leading advocate of democratic principles in the region. President Kwasniewski, familiar with Hunters work on behalf of Burisma, recommended that Hunter join the board.
Again, this view is consistent that Biden ultimately joined by the board for Burisma Holdings to help it with its efforts regarding corporate governance, as noted by Wikipedia.
In the aftermath of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, Mykola Zlochevsky faced a money laundering investigation,[33][34] and his company Burisma Holdings, the largest natural gas producer in Ukraine,[14] assembled a "high-profile international board" in response.[35][34] Biden, then an attorney with Boies Schiller Flexner, was hired to help Burisma with corporate governance best practices, and a consulting firm in which Biden is a partner was also retained by Burisma.[36][37][38] Chris Heinz, John Kerry's stepson, opposed his partners Devon Archer and Hunter Biden joining the board in 2014 due to the reputational risk.[34] Among those who joined the board of directors in April 2014 were Biden, Archer and former Polish president Aleksander Kwaśniewski.[39] Biden served on the board of Burisma until his term expired in April 2019,[40] receiving compensation of up to $50,000 per month in some months.[37][41]
So it appears that Biden was placed on the board of Burisma as part of its effort to clean up its practices after the allegations of money laundering by Zlochevsky, which had previously occurred in 2012. Biden took a pay cut to be on the board compared to what hed earned as an investment banker, although it may have been an upgrade compared to what he likely earned at Boies Schiller. Biden had nothing to do with the investigation of Zlochevsky and was never investigated himself.
Being on the board of AMTRACK and being with the biglaw firm that was advising this company are sufficient qualifications for Hunter to be appointed on the board.
lame54
(35,360 posts)Don't hand them the narrative
Fla Dem
(23,905 posts)It's never going to get that far because McConnell and Trump don't want any witnesses. It's exactly the game Trump is playing, saying he doesn't mind having witnesses because he knows McConnell will never let there be witnesses. It's all a bluff. So let's call their bluff.
How many narratives can there be? They've already pushed about a 100 of them. One more isn't going to make a difference.
Skidmore
(37,364 posts)Neither one of the Bidens were on that phone call extorting a foreign leader and compromising our national security for personal gain.
renate
(13,776 posts)They did nothing wrong. So... testify, clear their names, and call the GOP's bluff so the truth can come out.
I don't see the harm in giving Mitch a "win" if it ends up biting him in the ass.