Q&A of the Day – Separating fact from fiction with Ukranian company connections
Each day I’ll feature a listener question that’s been submitted by one of these methods.
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Today’s entry...
Can you tell me if it’s true (the tweet pictured)
Bottom Line: Alright, by now you’re aware that Hunter Biden served on the board of Burisma, the largest Ukranian natural gas company. So yes, the first of this four-part question is true. But what about the other three sons of potential anarchy? I’ll take them in order of the question. So, next up Nancy Pelsoi’s son.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s son, Paul Pelsoi Jr., was a board member of Viscoil in 2017. Not only is this another Ukranian energy company, they’re currently under investigation for securities fraud. That doesn’t speak well of Jr.’s leadership on the board at best. And yeah, kinda odd that another senior Democrat in politics has a son serving on a Ukranian energy company’s board. Now what about Romney’s son?
Talk of Romney’s son or cousin or anyone in his family being attached to a Ukranian company is fake news. It's unfortunate that some who perpetuate this type of information don’t do their due diligence because they lose credibility and it distracts from the factual elements the claim. And that takes us to John F. Kerry’s son-in-law. Is he part of the Ukranian energy tycoon train?
Absolutely not. In fact, this is as fake news as fake news gets. Chris Heinz's firm, John Kerry’s stepson, was partnered with Hunter Biden in 2014 on various investment ventures. Chris not only wasn’t on the board of directors for a Ukranian energy company, he literally severed all relationships with Hunter Biden when Hunter joined the board of Burisma. Chris was rightly concerned about corruption and didn’t want to have anything to do with the Ukranian energy business or anyone involved with them.
In conclusion, yes to the Biden’s and Pelosi’s - no to the Romey’s and Heinz-Kerry's. It’s unfortunate that so many are so quick to pass along fake information that has the potential to smear innocent people and take away from where the focus should be.