reality verify: Claims that Hunter Biden obtained $three.5M from Russia are unproven, lack context

Doug Stanglin   | u . s . today

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President Trump rips Biden's son, Hunter

President Trump seemed to are attempting to rattle Joe Biden by bringing up Biden's son, Hunter.

The declare: Hunter Biden acquired $3.5 million from the wife of the previous mayor of Moscow

during their first debate on Sept. 29, President Donald Trump charged that Hunter Biden, the son of rival former vice chairman Joe Biden, had acquired $3.5 million from wife of Moscow's ex-mayor and demanded an investigation.

The president had raised the subject  Sept. 27 in a information convention by which he talked about the allegations "are all questions which are very, very massive on the cyber web."

The declare was also posted by way of a facebook consumer on Sept. 26. "How did Robert Mueller do a 2 yr investigation on Russia and pass over a $three.5 million price to the Biden family unit?," the consumer wrote, adding "#askingforafriend."

Trump raised the subject of the purported Moscow price a number of times throughout one section of the primary presidential debate, asking at one point, "What did he do to deserve it?"

Biden answered each and every time with a collection of denials, asserting, "none of that is correct," "my son did nothing incorrect," and "it truly is without problems now not authentic."

The declare stems from an 87-web page file — "Hunter Biden, Burisma, and Corruption: The influence on U.S. executive policy and connected issues" — by way of the Republican majority on the U.S. Senate Committee on homeland safety and Governmental Affairs, chaired by way of Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., and the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by way of Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

extra: GOP-led Senate committees: Hunter Biden work in Ukraine a conflict of activity, affect 'doubtful'

What the Senate committee document says

The document, which additionally raises allegations about Hunter Biden's purported hyperlinks to Ukraine and China, refers back to the claims about Hunter Biden and Moscow at a few points, with slight adaptations.

In an early section called "key findings," the report says: "Hunter Biden bought a $three.5 million wire switch from Elena Baturina, the wife of the former mayor of Moscow."

in different places, it says, "Rosemont Seneca Thornton, an investment firm co-headquartered by way of Hunter Biden, acquired $3.5 million in a wire switch from Elena Baturina, who allegedly got unlawful construction contracts from her husband, the previous mayor of Moscow."

At a different factor, it alleges: "On Feb. 14, 2014, Baturina wired $three.5 million to a Rosemont Seneca Thornton LLC (Rosemont Seneca Thornton) checking account for a "Consultancy settlement DD12.02.2014."

In 2019, The economic instances described Rosemont Seneca Thornton LLC as an funding enterprise co-headquartered by way of Hunter Biden.

in line with a footnote in the Senate file, the source of the allegation of the Moscow transaction is "personal document 6," which it says is on file with the committees. It doesn't difficult.

The allegation doesn't supply any extra detail, together with even if the alleged transaction changed into criminal.

Rosemont Seneca Thornton, LLC, became included in Delaware on may also 28, 2013. The data don't name the founders.

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reaction to the record

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., ranking member of the native land safety and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., rating member of the Finance Committee, spoke back to the report by calling it a "failed effort" by using the Republicans to "manufacture dust" on Joe Biden.

"The Republican Chairmen's use of private Treasury files to justify its unsubstantiated allegations and private attacks in opposition t vice chairman Biden's family unit is grossly irresponsible," the response spoke of. "The suggestions within the files stated with the aid of the Republicans has no longer been tested, and we are not privy to some other Congressional committee ever releasing this variety of tips in this manner.

"Any credible investigation would have sought the underlying economic records at subject and spoken to the involved events," they endured. "At Chairman Johnson's request, HSGAC authorized 46 subpoenas throughout 4 company meetings regarding his latest investigations, none of which sought tips that may substantiate or examine the suggestions in these files."

involving the selected Moscow allegation, Alison green, spokesperson for the minority on the native land protection Committee, and Keith Chu, spokesperson for the minority on the Finance Committee, issued a joint remark that talked about, "Democratic body of workers has reviewed all generic counsel on file with the Committees, besides the fact that children, together with the personal document referred to by using the Republicans, and are privy to no advice in the Committees' possession displaying Hunter Biden had any fiscal activity during this entity or transaction."

u . s . a . nowadays asked a spokesperson for the Republican majority for a comment however didn't get a right away response.

Hunter Biden's legal professional, George Mesires, told CNN that his client was now not an proprietor of the firm, Rosemont Seneca Thornton.

"Hunter Biden had no interest in and changed into not a 'co-founder' of Rosemont Seneca Thornton, so the claim that he was paid $three.5 million is fake," Mesires advised CNN.

us of a nowadays requested the fb user who posted the claim for a comment however didn't get an instantaneous reply.

PolitiFact has found the allegation "unproven."

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Our ruling: missing context

The claim has been denied by way of Biden's legal professional, who says his client was now not a co-founder of the entity purportedly receiving the cash. The supply, from a Republican majority's Senate committee document, is linked to a confidential doc without elaboration. devoid of figuring out what that doc consists of, the allegation is unproven, therefore we cost it as lacking CONTEXT.

Our fact-examine sources:

PolitiFact, Sept. 29, "examining Trump claim that Hunter Biden received $three.5 million from spouse of Moscow ex-mayor" 

Senate Committee on place of origin security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance Majority personnel file, "Hunter Biden, Burisma, and Corruption: The impact on U.S. government policy and related considerations"

Senate Committee on native land safety and government Affairs, Sept. 23, "Peters, Wyden respond to Republican Effort to increase Russian Disinformation & Manufacture filth on vice chairman Biden"

Senate Committee on place of origin protection and Governmental Affairs, Sen. Gary Peters, "Election Interference: Majority Investigation Amplifies Russian attack on 2020 Election"

Buzzfeed, Sept. 23, "Republicans' Hunter Biden file Is crammed with historical, Unsubstantiated Allegations And Debunked Theories"

The White condominium, Sept. 27, Remarks by using President Trump in Press Briefing

OpenCorporates, Rosemont Seneca Thornton, LLC

CNN, "Did Hunter Biden obtain $3.5 million from the former mayor of Moscow's spouse?"

economic instances, Oct. 9, 2019, "Hunter Biden's web of hobbies"

PolitiFact, Sept. 29, "inspecting Trump claim that Hunter Biden received $three.5 million from spouse of Moscow ex-mayor"

linked Press,  Sept. 23, "GOP-led Senate committees: Hunter Biden work in Ukraine a battle of hobby, impact 'uncertain'"

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