Hunter Biden coached his then-vice president Father’s press secretary on ways to respond to questions related to his connections to Ukrainian gas company Burisma Holdings.
Emails obtained by The New York Post reveal exchanges between Hunter and Kendra Barkoff, the vice president’s press sec, from May 13, 2014, “form the basis of a complaint sent to the Justice Department on Friday alleging that the Biden scion, now 53, violated federal law by failing to register as a foreign agent.”
Gene Hamilton of the America First Legal Foundation wrote to the assistant attorney general for national security, Matthew Olsen on Friday in a complaint that the younger Biden broke the law: “In advising the Office of the Vice President how to respond to press inquiries about his appointment, Hunter Biden ‘represent[ed] the interests of [a] foreign principal before any agency or official of the Government of the United States.'”
Hunter Biden was appointed to Burisma’s board of directors on May 12, 2014. The next day, the complaint states, Barkoff communicated with Hunter Biden in a message reading, “Thanks for talking to me. Let me know who I should refer folks to.”
“What exactly are they asking?” Hunter queried. “For the time being I’d just refer them to my office. FYI I joined the board of Burisma Holdings Ltd. (Burisma.com) an independent/private natural gas producer in Ukraine along with the former president of Poland. I think the press release is on their website.”
“Russian state media is loving this press release, supposedly from a Cypriot-held Ukrainian natural gas company, claiming that the Vice President’s son has joined its board of directors,” Seddon responded
“The news seems rather odd on its face and, if true, would present a fairly glaring conflict of interest given the VP’s role on Ukraine policy – particularly since the company is controlled by Nikolai Zlochevsky, who was energy minister and deputy NSC chief under [former pro-Moscow Ukrainian President Viktor] Yanukovych,” the reporter wrote. “Is this true? What exactly is going on here?”
“Interesting,” Hunter wrote back. “Burisma is completely independent of the Ukrainian government with an independent board of directors. [Zlochevsky] served as Minister of Ecology and resigned in 2010. I joined the board as legal adviser and Burisma also engaged the law firm I am of counsel to Boies Schiller Flexner on matters pertaining to corporate governance, transparency, and expansion. Alana Apter former head of Morgan Stanley Europe is chairman of the board.”
Not only were Seddon’s messages forwarded, but Barkoff also told Hunter “Let me know who in your office” to refer media to.”
Hunter responded: “Eric- he’s cc’d here,” referring to business partner Eric Schwerin, who said, “Kendra, I am around the next few days if you need me.”
“If anything beyond referring questions to my office is required from you or counsel you can contact Heather King at Boise Schiller,” Hunter directed Barkoff, who, as the Post reports, “later sent him the statement her office was putting out to the press.”
“Hunter Biden is a private citizen and a lawyer,” the statement said. “The Vice President does not endorse any particular company and has no involvement with this company. For any additional questions, I refer you to Hunter’s office.”
The Post did not receive a response from Hunter Biden at the time of publication.
