Last month we noted that Victor Shokin – the former Ukrainian prosecutor that Joe Biden got fired, had been praised by former Secretary of State John Kerry – who congratulated Shokin on the job he was doing on corruption reforms. This was revealed in government memos obtained via a FOIA lawsuit filed by Just the News.
The memos completely undermine the narrative offered by Biden and establishment media that the reason Biden threatened to withhold $1 billion in US loan guarantees unless Shokin was fired, was because Shokin was Corrupt.
Now, as the NY Post’s Miranda Divine (of Hunter Biden laptop scoop – turned censorship victim) reports – the Europeans thought Shokin was awesome too…
The European Commission praised Ukraine’s Prosecutor-General Viktor Shokin for his efforts to fight corruption in a December 2015 progress report published nine days after then-VP Joe Biden demanded his ouster.
The report flies in the face of Biden’s claims that the European Union joined his demands that Shokin be removed for being corrupt and obstructing anti-corruption reforms.
In fact, the Dec. 18, 2015, progress report, obtained by the New York Post, says that the European Union was satisfied that Ukraine had achieved “noteworthy” progress, including in “preventing and fighting corruption,” and thus was eligible for visa-free travel in Europe. -NY Post
What’s more, Europe’s praise of Shokin included the fact that he helped in creating a specialized anti-corruption prosecutor’s office, a crucial component to Ukraine’s ability to combat “high-level corruption.”
Both of these revelations fly in the face of as massive smear campaign against Shokin.
In July 2015, US Ambassador Geoffrey R. Pyatt began talking trash, according to a 2019 deposition by Shokin.
“US Ambassador Geoffrey R. Pyatt told him that the investigation [into Zlochevsky] has to be handled with white gloves, which according to Mr. Shokin, that implied do nothing. On or about September 2015 Mr. Pyatt gave a speech in Odessa where he stated that the cases were not investigated correctly and that Mr. Shokin may be corrupt.”
At the time of Shokin’s removal he was investigating Burisma, a company on whose board Biden’s son Hunter sat, receiving $1 million per year. At the time of his ouster, Shokin’s office had issued a warrant to seize properties belonging to Burisma owner, Mykola Zlochevsky – who was allegedly coerced by the Bidens to pay them $10 million in bribes.
Zlochevsky, who hired Hunter Biden to sit on his board, granted his own company (Burisma) permits to drill for oil and gas in Ukraine while he was Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources. Shokin also stated in his deposition that there were five criminal cases against Zlochevesky, including money laundering, corruption, illegal funds transfers, and profiteering through shell corporations while he was a sitting minister.
Shokin, meanwhile, has accused the Bidens of “interfering with the internal affairs of Ukraine” by forcing his ouster.
Let’s review…
In December, 2015 – leaked audio provided by Ukrainian MP Andrii Derkach revealed that former Secretary of State John Kerry was laying out the case for Shokin’s ouster to former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, saying that Biden is “very concerned” about the lack of reform in the prosecutor general’s office.
In February 2016, the US Senate provided more cover for then-VP Biden, pushing for reforms to the Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office on the basis that it was corrupt. Yet, that same month, “warrants were placed on the accounts of multiple people in Ukraine. There were requests for information on Hunter Biden to which nothing was received,” according to Shokin.
Also in February 2016, less than three months after the Kerry conversation- Poroshenko delivered some “positive news” to Biden despite the fact that “we didn’t have any corruption charges” or “information about him doing something wrong,” referring to Shokin.
“Yesterday I met with General Prosecutor Shokin,” says Poroshenko. And despite of the fact that we didn’t have any corruption charges, we don’t have any information about him doing something wrong, I specially asked him – no, it was day before yesterday – I specially asked him to resign. In, uh, as his, uh, position as a state person. And despite of the fact that he has a support in the power. And as a finish of my meeting with him, he promised to give me the statement on resignation. And one hour ago he bring me the written statement of his resignation. And this is my second step for keeping my promises.”
To which Biden replied: “I agree.”
In April 2016, Shokin stated that Poroshenko “called him and told him he had to be fired as the aid to the Ukraine was being withheld by Joe Biden. Mr. Biden told Mr. Poroshenko that he had evidence that Mr. Shokin was corrupt and needed to be fired. Mr. Shokin was dismissed in April of 2016 and the US aid was delivered within one and one half months.”
And then in November 2016, Biden threatened Poroshenko with the $1 billion US loan guarantee.
Shokin was then fired, which Joe Biden openly bragged about in 2018.
“I looked at them and said: ‘I’m leaving in six hours. If the prosecutor is not fired, you’re not getting the money,’” Biden said.“I’m telling you, you’re not getting the billion dollars,” unless they immediately sacked Shokin. To the glee of his CFR listeners who laughed audibly, Biden added, “Well, son of a bitch. He got fired!”
So with the ‘corrupt Shokin’ myth busted, the thin veneer of yet another Biden lie has cracked, and we’re back to – the sitting Vice President of the United States got the guy investigating his son’s benefactor fired.
Of course, Kevin McCarthy won’t simply launch an impeachment inquiry like Nancy Pelosi did against Trump (for asking about Biden’s corruption in Ukraine). Instead, McCarthy is willing to risk inaction with a full vote of the House.
via zerohedge
