Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch revealed at an impeachment hearing Friday that Hunter Biden’s job at a Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holding was a major issue for the Obama White House.
She acknowledged that the Obama State Department included coaching her to answer questions about former Vice President Joseph R. Biden’s son Hunter when she faced Senate confirmation hearings for the ambassador post in 2016.
“It wasn’t just generally about Burisma and corruption. It was specifically about Hunter Biden and Burisma. Is that correct?” asked Rep. Elise Stefanik, New York Republican.
“Yes it is,” Ms. Yovanovitch responded.
President Trump’s request for an investigation of alleged corruption involving the Bidens and Burisma is at the heart of Democrats’ impeachment case that the president abused his office for personal political gain.
“For the millions of Americans watching, President Obama’s own State Department was so concerned about potential conflicts of interest from Hunter Biden’s role at Burisma that they raised it themselves while prepping this wonderful ambassador nominee before her confirmation,” Ms. Stefanik said. “And yet our Democratic colleagues and the chairman of this committee cry foul when we dare ask that same question that the Obama State Department was so concerned about. But we will continue asking it.”
House Democrats featured Ms. Yovanovitch at the second public hearing on impeachment of Mr. Trump. She claimed that she was fired from the ambassador job in May to clear the way for the president to pressure Ukraine to investigate the elder Mr. Biden, a top 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful, and his son Hunter because of the Burisma deal.
Hunter Biden received a $50,000-per-month job on the board of Burisma in 2014 while his father was the point man for Obama White House policy in Ukraine, a country notorious for graft, especially in the energy industry.
Mr. Biden and his son have said they did nothing wrong.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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