Latest news with #foreignagents
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE DOJ forced top lawyer to register as foreign agent for Burisma...but not Hunter Biden, bombshell files reveal
Newly released government documents reveal the prominent lawyer who lobbied for allegedly corrupt Ukrainian energy firm Burisma was investigated by the Justice Department and forced to register as a foreign agent. And the conservative think tank that obtained the records is convinced Hunter Biden, who sat on Burisma's board from 2014 to 2019, was let off the hook in the probe because of his last name. The files were released this week under the Freedom of Information Act to conservative nonprofit The Oversight Project. In an exclusive interview with the think tank's president Mike Howell accused the DOJ of 'refusing to look at the obvious, that Hunter was a foreign agent' 'This document return shows this lawyer, John Buretta, was doing the same activity the [Hunter]was doing, and he had to register,' Howell said. He added that he believes the only reason Hunter wasn't forced to register as a foreign agent too is 'because he was the President's son, and it would be a massive embarrassment if the First Family had to register as foreign agents.' The newly released documents show the DOJ determined as far back as 2022 that Burisma's former US lawyer, John Buretta of Cravath, Swaine & Moore, should have registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), because he was having meetings with top US government officials in 2016 trying to sway them in Burisma's favor. FARA is designed to keep tabs on anyone attempting to influence US government officials or the American public on behalf of foreign governments or organizations. Howell claims that the DOJ knew Hunter had been doing the same thing as Buretta – but failed to pursue him due to his last name. 'Special Counsel David Weiss tried to basically pardon Hunter by a plea deal, refusing to look at the obvious, that Hunter was a foreign agent,' Howell said. 'The government, to include the intelligence community, federal law enforcement, prosecutors and the White House, twisted itself into pretzels over a long period of time to avoid the obvious with the Biden family.' The documents newly released by the DOJ include a June 1 2023 letter from the department's FARA Unit chief Jennifer Gellie to Buretta's attorneys, laying out why he was meant to register as a foreign agent. Gellie's letter detailed how Buretta and his law firm Cravath were hired by Burisma in January 2016 'in connection with a possible investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and/or other United States governmental authorities'. The letter said Buretta had 'three meetings with U.S. government officials in March 2016': Catherine Novelli, the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment; Bruce Swartz, a Justice Department's Deputy Assistant Attorney General; and Amos Hochstein, the State Department's Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs. According to Gellie, at each of the meetings Buretta encouraged the officials to take a more positive view of Burisma owner Mykola Zlochevsky, who had been the subject of a US and UK corruption investigation. Emails turned over to the Oversight Project along with the bombshell letter show that the Justice Department was investigating Buretta's failure to file under FARA from at least December 2022. Buretta and Cravath were eventually forced to file, more than eight years after their meetings, in January 2024. In their filing they disclosed that Burisma paid them nearly $350,000 between March 2016 and August 2017. Oversight Project president Howell told that Hunter had done the same thing for Burisma as Buretta – that he was hired by the company and then met with US government officials, including his father, who was Vice President at the time, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. But despite what Howell described as the 'apples to apples' comparison, the DOJ did not ask Hunter to file as they did Buretta. Emails from Hunter's abandoned laptop obtained by the FBI in 2019 show he orchestrated a meeting between Burisma executive Vadym Pozharskyi and Joe Biden at a 2015 dinner at Cafe Milano in Washington DC. Other emails show Hunter arranged a meeting with Secretary Blinken in May 2015, while Hunter served on the board of Burisma. Blinken denied emailing Hunter in a 2020 interview with Senate investigators. But messages from Blinken's personal email account show him telling Hunter on July 22 2015 it was 'Great to see you and catch up'. Hunter also emailed Blinken's wife Evan Ryan in July 2016 in an attempt to connect Blinken with Burisma-hired lobbyist Blue Star Strategies. Blue Star, a Democrat lobby shop hired by Burisma at Hunter's behest, was run by Karen Tramontano and Sally Painter, who joined Buretta in two of his meetings with US officials in 2016. Tramontano and Painter were also forced by the DOJ in 2022 to belatedly file under FARA over their work for Burisma after a law enforcement probe. Burisma executive Vadym Pozharskyi detailed in a November 2015 email on Hunter's laptop, how he wanted 'a list of deliverables' from Blue Star, including 'high-ranking US officials in Ukraine (US Ambassador) and in US publicly or in private communication/comment expressing their 'positive opinion' and support of [company owner] Nikolay/Burisma'. In sworn testimony to Congress, Blue Star CEO Karen Tramontano said Hunter did not direct any of her firm's work for Burisma and played down her relationship with him. But emails from Hunter's laptop previously uncovered by show he was the point man for Blue Star's hiring by Burisma in 2015, and he had been close with Tramontano for years. She even discussed registering her investment banking license with Hunter's firm in 2014. A lawyer for fellow Burisma board member Devon Archer told that his client has testified to a grand jury about Burisma, confirming Delaware prosecutors did obtain evidence about Hunter's dealings with the Ukrainian firm from first-hand witnesses. Archer also had a meeting with Joe Biden at the White House in April 2014, days before he joined Burisma's board. The DOJ were forced to admit in a dramatic Delaware court hearing in July 2023 that Hunter could be liable for FARA charges. Federal judge Maryellen Noreika questioned prosecutors on what Republican lawmakers called a 'sweetheart' deal cut with the then-President's son over gun crime and tax charges. The deal fell apart when prosecutors said they could later charge Hunter for FARA violations. The former First Son was ultimately convicted of both the gun and tax crimes and faced up to 17 years in prison, but was given a 'full and unconditional' pardon before Joe Biden left office in December, preventing prosecution for any crimes dating back to 2014. Two IRS whistleblowers who ran the five-year criminal tax probe into Hunter testified to Congress that there were potential FARA violations arising from Hunter's work with Burisma in 2014 and 2015. But IRS Criminal Investigation Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley and his subordinate Joseph Ziegler claimed investigators were blocked from pursuing those leads by DOJ officials. 'It's critically important that we, this country, come to terms with the fact that we had a very corrupt period in American history, and the result of that corruption was a lot of terrible things happened,' Howell told 'If you don't solve these things, things will get worse. That's why we've done more than anybody else on this. We know there's so much more out there that needs to be put out. 'The American people deserve the truth.'
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU condemns Georgia's foreign agents law as threat to democracy
The European Commission has severely criticised a draft law adopted in Georgia on the registration of "foreign agents" and stressed that this is incompatible with the European integration of the country, which has been de facto halted. Source: Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos in a joint statement, as reported by European Pravda Details: Kallas and Kos noted that Georgia's Foreign Agents Registration Act is another manifestation of democratic rollback in Georgia, in addition to the recent law on broadcasting and grant restrictions. "These repressive measures threaten the very survival of Georgia's democratic foundations and the future of its citizens in a free and open society", they said. "In its June and October 2024 conclusions, the European Council found that such course of action jeopardised Georgia's EU path. The accession process has been de facto halted." On behalf of the EU, Kallas and Kos urged the Georgian authorities to respect the aspirations of Georgian citizens for a democratic European future and also called for the release of unjustly detained journalists, activists and opposition leaders. "The EU is ready to consider the return of Georgia to the EU accession path if the authorities take credible steps to reverse democratic backsliding. The responsibility lies solely with the Georgian authorities," the officials concluded. Background: On 31 May, Georgia's "foreign agents" law went into effect, which the authorities describe as an analogue to the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). In addition, this week, another opposition leader was detained in Georgia for refusing to testify before the parliamentary commission investigating crimes supposedly committed by Mikheil Saakashvili, former president of Georgia. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Arab News
31-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Georgia's foreign-agents act ‘a serious setback': EU officials
BRUSSELS: A new law in Georgia that from Saturday requires NGOs and media outlets to register as 'foreign agents' if they receive funding from abroad is a 'serious setback,' for the country, two top EU officials said. Alongside other laws on broadcasting and grants, 'these repressive measures threaten the very survival of Georgia's democratic foundations and the future of its citizens in a free and open society,' EU diplomatic chief Kaja Kallas and EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos said in a joint statement. They stressed that the law, which they dubbed a tool 'by the Georgian authorities to suppress dissent (and) restrict freedoms,' jeopardized the country's ambitions of one day joining the European Union. 'Georgia's Foreign Agents Registration Act marks a serious setback for the country's democracy,' they said. Georgia's law is inspired by US legislation which makes it mandatory for any person or organization representing a foreign country, group or party to declare its activities to authorities. But NGOs believe it will be used by Georgia's illiberal and Euroskeptic government to further repression of civil society and the opposition. The Black Sea nation has been rocked by daily demonstrations since late last year, with protesters decrying what they see as an increasingly authoritarian and pro-Russia government. Tensions escalated in November when Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia would postpone EU membership talks until 2028. 'The EU is ready to consider the return of Georgia to the EU accession path if the authorities take credible steps to reverse democratic backsliding,' Kallas and Kos said in their statement.
Russia Today
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Even aliens could be labeled ‘foreign agents'
Russia's Justice Ministry has said even extraterrestrials could be designated as 'foreign agents' if they acted against the country. The law, modeled after similar US legislation, applies the label to a person or entity engaged in financial or political activities in the interests of a foreign state. Deputy Justice Minister Oleg Sviridenko made the remarks on Monday at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum, while commenting on amendments to the law that broaden the criteria for the 'foreign agent' designation. 'Even if a spaceman landed from another planet and started carrying out actions against our country – he would be declared a foreign agent,' Sviridenko said. The decision to expand the law, originally adopted in 2012 and amended multiple times since, was driven by what Moscow views as increasing pressure from the West, the minister added. The latest amendments were signed into law by President Vladimir Putin and came into force on May 2. Authorities can now assign the 'foreign agent' label to anyone assisting foreign organizations deemed hostile to Russia's interests, as well as for the involvement in or financing of such activity. The law also covers those who recruit others to collect military or technical information that, if acquired by foreign sources, 'could be used against Russia's security.' Criminal liability has also been introduced for making profit-driven calls for sanctions and for discrediting the Russian military. Calls for sanctions are punishable by up to five years in prison, while the other offenses carry sentences of up to seven years. The crimes may also result in the confiscation of property. Those designated as foreign agents are not banned from operating in Russia but are subject to a range of restrictions. Individuals and entities listed as foreign agents must label all their content accordingly, regularly submit detailed financial reports to the Justice Ministry, and disclose their funding sources. In 2022, foreign agents were banned from holding public office, engaging in educational activities, and receiving state funds. Last year, advertising on platforms belonging to foreign agents was outlawed, while those deemed foreign agents were also prohibited from taking part in elections at any level.
Fox News
13-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Evening Edition: Bipartisan Work On Threats From China And Prescription Drug Prices
Virginia Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA), member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, has introduced legislation that would close a loophole in the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) which would ensure that individuals who were once acting as a foreign agent will be required to register for their foreign lobbying work. The bill is getting solid bipartisan support, along with support of President Trump's announcement the United States and China have agreed to lower most tariffs for 90 days saying the deal will cut tariffs on most Chinese products from 145 to 30 percent. FOX's Ryan Schmelz speaks with Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA), member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and House Committee on Appropriations, who says he hopes to get Democrats onboard to combat threats from China, lowering prescription drug prices and ways to save Medicaid. Click Here To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
