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☆ Hunter Biden demands that Fox News remove ‘intimate’ images from its platforms
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Holmes Lybrand | Dana Bash | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hunter Biden’s legal team has undertaken an aggressive legal and public relations strategy for several months. His lawyers have fired off letters demanding investigations into Hunter Biden’s opponents and filed a series of lawsuits against his detractors. Hunter Biden’s lawyers say they “anticipate” suing Fox but have not yet done so. This stepped-up strategy by Hunter Biden to defend himself against the onslaught of attacks initially stoked anxiety among some of President Biden’s political advisers. Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to those criminal charges.

Persons: CNN — Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s, Hunter Biden, “, Biden, Hunter Biden’s, Hunter, ”, Biden’s, Fox, ” Hunter, Alexander Smirnov, Fox News “, Sean Hannity, Maria Bartiromo, Jesse Watters “, don’t Organizations: CNN, Fox, Fox News, FOX Corp, FOX, FBI, Republican Locations: Delaware, California

☆ White House calls on Fox News executives to retract bogus FBI informant claims against Biden
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —The White House is formally calling on Fox News to walk back its coverage of bribery and corruption allegations against President Joe Biden. The letter is the latest from the Biden White House, which has taken a more aggressive approach to news coverage of the president that it sees as unfair in the run-up to the November election. Earlier this month, Sams sent a letter to the White House Correspondents’ Association, protesting coverage of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on Biden’s handling of classified material. Since Fox News has declined to take the responsible course of action and meaningfully correct the record, the White House is now moving to formally request the network do so. And, in a statement the network provided to CNN, Fox News didn’t directly address the White House’s request.

Persons: Joe Biden, Ian Sams, Fox, ” Sams, Suzanne Scott, Jay Wallace, Bryan Boughton, Sams, Robert Hur’s, Biden, “, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, Alexander Smirnov, Hannity, Watters, Smirnov, Brooke Singman, newsrooms, Fox News didn’t, ” Organizations: New York CNN, Fox News, White House, FBI, Biden White, White, ’ Association, Fox, Voting Systems, Fox News Channel, CNN, “ Fox News Media Locations: New York, Washington

☆ What to watch for out of Hunter Biden’s closed-door depositions with Republicans on Capitol Hill
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Jeremy Herb | Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Hunter Biden has been the focus of Republicans in Congress since they won the majority over a year ago. Regardless, Hunter Biden’s appearance is expected to create a spectacle on Capitol Hill, even as he will be testifying behind closed doors. Not surprisingly, the committees are expecting more lawmakers to show up for Hunter Biden than typical for depositions. “You are the epitome of White privilege,” GOP Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina told Hunter Biden from the dais. The stand-off led to contempt proceedings against Hunter Biden, after he showed up on Capitol Hill the day the committees scheduled his deposition.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s, Joe Biden, –, Biden, There’s, Hunter, ’, Hunter Biden won’t, James Comer, that’s, Hunter Biden’s, Alexander Smirnov, Donald Trump’s, White, Nancy Mace, weren’t, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Greene, Where’s Hunter, ” Hunter Biden Organizations: Congress, Republican, FBI, Republicans, GOP, CNN, Justice Department, Capitol, South Carolina Locations: Ukrainian, Georgia

Hunter Biden’s appearance Wednesday represents the most significant testimony to date for the two congressional committees leading the impeachment inquiry into President Biden, a probe that’s heavily focused on Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings. But it comes as a key allegation that launched the impeachment inquiry has been discredited. Sources familiar with terms negotiated between Hunter Biden’s team and congressional Republicans told CNN that Wednesday’s deposition will have several unique features that are different from the other interviews the committees have conducted to date. While Hunter Biden’s lawyers insisted that he would only testify publicly, Comer insisted that a public hearing would follow the private deposition. Republicans repeatedly pointed to Smirnov’s allegations as a reason for opening the impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden last fall.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s, –, Hunter, Biden, Hunter Biden’s, James Comer’s, Comer, Joe Biden, Department’s, Alexander Smirnov, Jim Jordan, Jordan, Burisma, wouldn’t, Abbe Lowell, Lowell Organizations: Capitol, CNN, FBI, Republicans, GOP, Justice Department Locations: Washington

☆ Ex-F.B.I. Informant to Be Held in Custody Indefinitely, Judge Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Lauren Herstik | Glenn Thrush | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

informant charged with falsely claiming that President Biden and his son Hunter had accepted bribes, will be held in custody indefinitely because he poses a significant flight risk, a judge in California ruled on Monday. After a 45-minute hearing, a bespectacled Mr. Smirnov — stocky, bearded with close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair and wearing tan and orange prison togs — pleaded not guilty in heavily accented English, turning around briefly to wave at his longtime girlfriend seated in the gallery. Prosecutors working for David C. Weiss, the special counsel investigating Hunter Biden, offered new details about the circumstances of Mr. Smirnov’s rearrest last week in the office of his lawyer. They grew alarmed after a search of the $980,000 condo where he has lived for the past two years revealed nine handguns, they said. (Prosecutors said that Mr. Smirnov had paid for the apartment but that it was in his girlfriend’s name.)

Persons: Alexander Smirnov, Biden, Hunter, Smirnov, —, Otis D, Wright, David C, Weiss, Hunter Biden, Smirnov’s rearrest Organizations: Federal, Court, Prosecutors Locations: California, Las Vegas, Russia

☆ Indicted ex-FBI informant’s lawyers may be trying to help him flee the US, judge says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

His second arrest Thursday was on a new warrant for the exact same charges. In a brief order, district Judge Otis Wright, who will oversee the criminal case against Smirnov in California, raised the possibility that Smirnov’s defense lawyers might be trying to make it easier for him to flee the United States. Wright has scheduled a detention hearing for Smirnov in his Los Angeles courtroom for Monday morning. As a result, the public should have confidence that it will be conducted consistent with the rule of law,” Smirnov’s attorneys wrote. “In this case, the Court has prejudged the detention issue.”Smirnov’s attorneys declined to comment on Wright’s order.

Persons: Alexander Smirnov, ” Smirnov, Joe Biden’s, Prosecutors, Smirnov, Otis Wright, Defendant Smirnov, ” Wright, Wright, ” Organizations: CNN, FBI, District of Locations: California, United States, Ukraine, Nevada, District, District of Nevada, Los Angeles

☆ Putin looms over a third successive US election
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —“Russia, Russia, Russia.”Ex-President Donald Trump’s scathing catch phrase for a torrent of investigations during his administration also serves as an apt catch-all for the current meltdown over Moscow roiling US politics. But Russia and its leader, whom President Joe Biden described as a “crazy S.O.B.” at a Wednesday fundraiser, won’t go away. All the ways Putin is playing in US politicsPutin is advancing Russian interests against the US on multiple fronts. Putin recently formalized his warming ties with North Korean tyrant Kim Jong Un by presenting him with a new limousine. The Russian leader was particularly incensed by the US-led operation to topple Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden, won’t, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Ukraine –, –, Alexander Smirnov, “, Trump, Smirnov, Biden, it’s, Putin can’t, ” Douglas, Alexey Navalny, Biden lambasts Trump, ” Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, he’s, he’d, Mike Turner, Ksenia, Paul Whelan –, Evan Gershkovich, Geopolitically, Kim Jong Un, George W, Bush, Barack Obama, Moammar Gadhafi, Hillary Clinton, Robert Mueller, “ We’ll, Mueller Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, United States, European NATO, ”, Moscow, House Republicans, GOP, CIA, NATO, Republican Party, Republicans, Republican, Trump, Marine, Wall Street, Putin, Biden, US, Democratic Locations: Russia, Moscow, United States, China, Soviet, East Germany, United, Ukraine, Russian, European, Washington, Asia, Sweden, Finland, Berlin –, Europe, Ukrainian, California, North Korea, Iran, Crimea, Helsinki, Geneva

☆ Fox News hyped the bogus FBI informant claims against Biden. Now its refusing to walk them back
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Days after explosive bribery claims about President Joe Biden came ripping apart at the seams, Fox News and the broader MAGA Media universe have declined to walk back their factually-challenged narrative. (Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images) Erik McGregor/LightRocket/Getty ImagesThe lack of a retraction or any real sign of contrition comes as the Smirnov allegations continue to implode in spectacular fashion. The network functions as the main organ in the right-wing media universe and has tremendous influence over the Republican Party base. By refusing to fully acknowledge the false claims and press GOP lawmakers on their relentless promotion of it, Fox News is effectively giving GOP lawmakers permission to continue doing so. A Fox News spokesperson did not off me a comment on the network’s coverage of the revelations surrounding the informant.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, David Weiss, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, ”, Jesse Watters, baselessly, Sean Hannity, Hannity, Weiss, Donald Trump, Brooke Singman, Erik McGregor, contrition, ” Weiss, Harris Faulkner, ” Faulkner, Rupert, Lachlan Murdoch, Lachlan, Tim Miller, “, ” Miller Organizations: New York CNN, Fox News, MAGA Media, Republican, Capitol, ” Fox News, Trump, FBI, Getty, Wednesday, Republican Party, Fox, Dominion Voting Systems, U.S . Capitol, MSNBC Locations: New York, Trump Russia, Democratic, United States

☆ Special counsel asks judge to send indicted ex-informant in Hunter Biden case back to jail
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Special counsel David Weiss asked a California judge Wednesday to send indicted ex-FBI informant Alexander Smirnov back to jail while he awaits trial. A magistrate judge in Las Vegas released Smirnov on Tuesday, finding that even enough Smirnov posed a flight risk, he could be released under certain conditions. Those conditions include GPS monitoring, confiscating his two passports, and ordering him to remain in Nevada where he currently lives. Smirnov is charged with lying to the FBI about the Biden family’s dealings in Ukraine. In the court filings, Weiss said that Smirnov repeatedly lied to his FBI handler, whom he worked with for more than a decade, and should not be trusted.

Persons: David Weiss, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, Prosecutors, Weiss, ” Organizations: CNN, FBI, Las Vegas, Biden Locations: California, Las, Nevada, Ukraine, Russia

☆ The Informant Turned Defendant Who Took Aim at the Bidens
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Kenneth P. Vogel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For more than a decade, he played a double game, giving the F.B.I. In 2020, Mr. Smirnov told his F.B.I. handler what prosecutors say was a brazen lie — that the oligarch owner of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had arranged to pay $5 million bribes to both President Biden and his son Hunter. The explosive claim was leaked to Republicans, who made Mr. Smirnov’s allegations a centerpiece of their now-stalled effort to impeach President Biden, apparently without verifying the allegation. Last week, Mr. Smirnov, 43, was indicted on charges that he lied to investigators about the Bidens.

Persons: Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, Burisma, Biden, Hunter Organizations: Soviet Locations: Soviet Union, Ukrainian

☆ Hunter Biden says special counsel used Alexander Smirnov’s discredited bribery claims to derail his plea deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Holmes Lybrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Hunter Biden’s lawyers accused special counsel David Weiss on Tuesday of using a since-discredited bribery allegation from an FBI informant to blow up his plea deal last year. House Republicans have championed Smirnov’s uncorroborated bribery claims against the Bidens and used his tips to fuel their impeachment inquiry into the president. Prosecutors were asked directly if the Justice Department could still bring charges against Hunter Biden under the Foreign Agents Registration Act despite the deal. Hunter Biden’s attorney, Christopher Clark, said he disagreed with the prosecutor’s assertion. Tuesday’s filing from Hunter Biden’s attorney also accused prosecutors of failing to abide by their obligation to turn over discovery in the Delaware case, including over allegations that Hunter Biden’s alleged gun bag had cocaine on it.

Persons: CNN — Hunter, David Weiss, Weiss, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, Weiss ’, Joe Biden, Prosecutors, Smirnov’s, ” Hunter, ”, ” Weiss, Hunter Biden, “, Leo Wise, Hunter Biden’s, Christopher Clark, ” Wise Organizations: CNN, FBI, Republicans, Prosecutors, Justice Department, Foreign Locations: Nevada, Ukrainian, ”, Delaware

☆ Alexander Smirnov told investigators he got Hunter Biden dirt from Russian intelligence officials
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The former FBI informant charged with lying about the Bidens’ dealings in Ukraine told investigators after his arrest that Russian intelligence officials were involved in passing information to him about Hunter Biden, prosecutors said Tuesday in a new court filing, noting that the information was false. They said he previously told the FBI that he has longstanding and extensive contacts with Russian spies, including individuals he said were high-level intelligence officers or command Russian assassins abroad. The story, prosecutors noted, matches the story Smirnov told his handler about Hunter Biden being recorded in a foreign hotel. And, prosecutors wrote, Smirnov claims to have met with Russian intelligence officials as recently as November and December 2023. “He is actively peddling new lies that could impact U.S. elections after meeting with Russian intelligence officials in November.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Prosecutors, Alexander Smirnov, ” Smirnov, David Weiss ’, Smirnov, “ Smirnov, Joe Biden’s, Smirnov’s, Weiss, “ Mr, ”, “, CNN’s Holmes Lybrand, Cheri Mossburg Organizations: CNN, FBI, Prosecutors, House Republicans, ” Prosecutors Locations: Ukraine, Russia, United States, Kyiv, Russian

☆ Ex-Informant Accused of Lying About Bidens Said He Had Russian Contacts
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Alan Feuer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

informant accused of making false bribery claims about President Biden and his son Hunter — which were widely publicized by Republicans — claimed to have been fed information by Russian intelligence, according to a court filing on Tuesday. But Mr. Smirnov told federal investigators that “officials associated with Russian intelligence were involved in passing a story” about Hunter Biden. Those disclosures, including Mr. Smirnov’s unverifiable claim that he met with Russian intelligence officials as recently as three months ago, made him a flight risk and endangered national security, Justice Department officials said. Mr. Smirnov had been held in custody in Las Vegas, where he has lived since 2022, since his arrest last week. He was released from custody on Tuesday on a personal recognizance bond after a detention hearing, said his lawyers, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld.

Persons: Biden, Hunter —, Republicans —, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, Hunter Biden, David Chesnoff, Richard Schonfeld Organizations: Republicans, Justice Locations: Las Vegas

☆ House Republicans seek to downplay FBI informant charges that undermine Biden impeachment inquiry
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —House Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden tried to downplay the importance of an FBI informant whose claims they once championed after he was charged with fabricating foreign bribery allegations involving the president and his son. Special counsel David Weiss charged the FBI informant, Alexander Smirnov, with lying to the FBI and creating false records. The indictment is just the latest setback to House Republicans who are struggling to build momentum to impeach the president. In the wake of the charges, President Joe Biden called out the informant for lying and said Republicans should end their impeachment inquiry. In the wake of the charges, Republicans have seized on the idea that Smirnov was initially presented as a credible witness.

Persons: Joe Biden, David Weiss, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, Biden, Jim Jordan, Jordan, James Comer, Comer, Jason Smith, Joe Biden corruptly, Hunter, Donald Trump’s, Alejandro Mayorkas, ”, Jamie Raskin, “, Johnson, Scott Brady, Brady, ” Brady, Tony Bobulinski, ” Comer, Raskin, Hunter Biden, James, CNN’s Marshall Cohen Organizations: CNN — House Republicans, FBI, Republicans, CNN, Fox, of Homeland, House Republicans, Hunter Biden, CHS, GOP Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian

☆ Sean Hannity and right-wing media claimed the ‘Biden crime family’ took millions in bribes. Their narrative just fell apart
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But MAGA Media personalities like Sean Hannity quickly shifted into hyperdrive last year when a supposedly “highly credible” FBI informant claimed to have smoking gun evidence of the conspiracy. The emergence of a confidential FBI informant coursed through right-wing media, where talking heads and outlets spotlighted the claims as damning evidence of criminal wrongdoing. Those actions were then celebrated in right-wing media. The charges dealt a blow to the narrative Fox News had championed on its air and Republicans had pressed in Congress. The stunning demise of the claim is just the latest in a larger pattern from Fox News and the broader right-wing media ecosystem in which it operates.

Persons: New York CNN — “, Biden, Joe Biden —, Hunter, MAGA, Sean Hannity, James Comer, Jim Jordan, Hannity, Comer, Alexander Smirnov, Harry Reid, David Weiss, Donald Trump, Smirnov, “, Joe Biden, Weiss, It’s Organizations: New York CNN, GOP, Fox News, incredulity, FBI, Media, Harry, Harry Reid International, Burisma, Fox, Republicans, “, MAGA Media Locations: New York, Ukrainian, hyperdrive, stoke, Las Vegas

☆ Former FBI informant charged with lying about the Bidens’ role in Ukraine business
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Evan Perez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Special counsel David Weiss charged a former FBI informant with lying about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden’s involvement in business dealings with Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings. Alexander Smirnov, 43, is facing charges in connection with lying to the FBI and creating false records. CNN is working to determine whether Smirnov has an attorney. Smirnov’s charge undercuts a major aspect of Republicans’ claims that Joe Biden was financially benefiting from his son’s business dealings in Ukraine. According to court records, Smirnov told an FBI agent that he had spoken with the owner of Burisma about the company’s efforts to buy a company in the United States.

Persons: David Weiss, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden’s, Alexander Smirnov, Harry Reid, Smirnov, ’, ”, Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s, ” Smirnov, Joe, Hunter, Obama, General Organizations: CNN, FBI, Burisma Holdings, Harry Reid International, “, Defendant, Burisma, Biden Administration, Ukrainian Locations: Las Vegas, Ukraine, United States, Ukrainian, Burisma

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