There is a obvious concern this week over the selection of the newest member of the board of directors for Burisma Holdings, Ukraine’s largest private gas producer: Vice President Joe Biden’s youngest son, Hunter Biden. Despite a strong resume, it seems rather coincidental that Ukraine is receiving aid from the United States and recently had a visit from Vice President Joe Biden only to decide that his youngest son was the very best person to sit on its board.
Hunter Biden will be in charge of the Burisma’s legal unit and will “provide support” among international organizations. The White House spokesman would only say that “Hunter Biden and other members of the family are obviously private citizens and where they work is not an endorsement by the president or vice president.”
Reporters were referred to Biden’s law firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP, which declined to coment.
Alan Apter, the chairman of the company’s board of directors, said it views the selection as part of its effort to “introduc[e] best corporate practices, and we’re delighted that Mr. Biden is joining us to help us achieve these goals.” Those “best corporate practices” are hardly the best ethical practices if the company is hiring the children of high ranking officials to curry favor. This is particularly a concern in Ukraine which, as we discussed earlier, leads Europe as one of its most corrupt nations where the family members of powerful politicians are routinely showered with gifts and positions.
Like many spouses and children of our politicians, Hunter Biden made a fortune as a lobbyist in Washington. That common path for children continues to raise troubling questions of influence peddling and corruption for our leaders as discussed in this earlier column. The company recently added Devon Archer, a wealthy investor and Democratic campaign bundler. Archer previously declared how his business deals at Rosemont Seneca rely on a “relationship network creat[ing] opportunities for our portfolio companies which then compound to greater outcomes for all parties.” That “relationship network” is precisely what many have objected to in the hiring of family members tied to our leaders — allowing companies to give millions legally to families of Democratic and Republican leaders.
In addition to his position as counsel with the firm, Biden is a co-founder and a managing partner of investment advisory company Rosemont Seneca Partners and serves as director of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, a network of 400 businesses. He is also the chairman of the advisory board for the National Democratic Institute, a non-profit that works to support democratic institutions and elections around the world. Even with this experience, I am rather skeptical. First, his selection as counsel to Boies, Schiller, Flexner, LLP, seems designed to create a tie to his father and the Administration. He was was chief executive officer, and later chairman, of hedge fund PARADIGM Global Advisors – an association that he co-founded with convicted financier Allen Stanford. He was later appointed by Bill Clinton to serve in the United States Department of Commerce under Secretaries Norman Mineta and William M. Daley. He was then nominated by President George W. Bush to the board of directors of Amtrak. It is a resume that many would envy but also one that reflects the type of opportunities that are often afforded children of our ruling elite.
Of course, the selection of a Bush for such a position in the prior administration would have had Democrats and liberals in an uproar but they are again largely silent in the face of another deal benefitting one of our ruling elite. Obviously, Hunter Biden is an adult and does not need the approval of his father to accept a position, though his father has had an obvious impact on his past opportunities. It is simply worth noting that while we rightfully criticize the Chinese for the “Red Nobility,” we have a long list of children and spouses receiving millions in cushy deals and positions in this country. However, in the blue state/red state politics fosters by both parties, such issues are quickly brushed aside by those arguing again that the other side is worse or that such ethical questions are merely an effort to smear their side.
Schulte:
“Annie – I am happy to as long as you are.”
So, then, if there’s a war, you won’t send your kids unless Annie does? How patriotic.
And do your kids have something to say about it?
Supak – if you understood military strategy, the allies won (fulfilled their objectives) for the first Iraqi War. It is clear from your writing that you have little or no understanding of either military strategy or strategic bombing.
Please do not guess what I think. You are habitually wrong.
Annie, anyone starts talking about war with Russia, I say, KEEP TALKING. Heck, if I were a rich man, I’ll send them on a speaking tour of every swing state and district in the country, and they can take Louis Gohmert and Michelle Bachmann along.
If terrorists were killing Americans like our crumbling infrastructure is, how much would the Republicans here be willing to borrow and spend to invade the wrong country?
Schulte, hippie punching again:
“Fully committed usually means fully committed to winning, unlike Vietnam where we were committed to a draw.”
What, exactly, should we have done to “win” Vietnam? Nuke them?
Professor:
“we have a long list of children and spouses receiving millions in cushy deals and positions in this country”
John Quincy Adams was qualified, and was a good President. The fact that his Dad was President had nothing to do with it.
GW Bush was not qualified and was a lousy President, and the fact that his Dad was President had nothing to do with it.
“Even with this experience, I am rather skeptical.”
Why? It’s good experience.
“However, in the blue state/red state politics fosters by both parties, such issues are quickly brushed aside by those arguing again that the other side is worse or that such ethical questions are merely an effort to smear their side.”
If you truly believed this, then I should be able to find examples of you criticizing Republicans for this same behavior. Care to provide a link to a post of yours that criticizes this when Republicans do it?
And Paul still acts like Iraq didn’t happen. Committed… Right.
What part of “don’t get in a land war in Asia” don’t you Republicans understand?
I don’t call for war, so no I’m NOT willing to fully commit my daughter to war. If we get attacked and war is warranted, then we can reinstate the draft and your offspring can join mine in the military.
There is a logistical problem with reinstating the draft for a war. The ramp up for facilities is at least 4-6 months. Setting up draft boards would be as long. Training is 8-12 weeks for basic and the same for advanced. You do not have new boots on the ground for a year.
BTW, how are the kids at Pendelton?
Supak – you really do not have any military background do you? When have I ever said Iraq never happened? Winning Vietnam would have meant really going after then North Vietnamese targets, instead of playing games with them. However, there were lots of lessons learned. Many of the senior military during Iraq had served in Vietnam and wanted a much different war. The war itself was executed correctly the civilian interference screwed things up at the end.
Fully commit your own offspring, Paul.
Annie – I am happy to as long as you are.
Conversations of the duopoly crew building the sarcophagus.
Meanwhile, Oil-Qaeda progresseth.
Dredd –
The article says that this firm hired Biden’s child. How can a child be a lawyer?
He is an adult, competent, has a law license, can walk, talk, and cannot be hired by an international firm because his father holds a public office? They hired him to get to his father? Both will now be corrupt?
Annie,
Ted Cruz’s kids are too young. Ted gets to go.
SWM, I sure hope these war hawks aren’t calling themselves libertarians.
Third party candidate?
I met Ross Perot several times. He almost had it. There some kind of feud between
Perot and the Bushes. Then he pulled out. Then tried to recover. It didn’t work.
Annie, They must be some McCain or Lindsey Graham supporters. They continually call for war.
SWM, I’m blown a way, by such comments. My daughter was caught in the attack on Camp Bastion in Afghanistan in 2012. Suicides are at record highs as well as PTSD and thousands maimed and disabled by these wars. I usually am rude when I hear such talk and say, “Send your own damn kids if you want war so badly”, but I’ll resist here.
Annie, That would be a war with possible nuclear involvement. Unbelievable that people are calling for such a war.
Before anyone else starts calling for a fully committed US war, I say reinstate the draft for men and women. Our troops have been worn out with repeat deployments to war zones, we don’t have the funds for more war. If everyone’s son or daughter were to be subject to being sent to a war zone, we might not be so hawkish.
Fully committed US war? Is that what you would like to see happen Karen? Wow.
Fully committed usually means fully committed to winning, unlike Vietnam where we were committed to a draw.
feynman, Carter, Reagan, Clinton, Obama were not from the elite.
Bill Clinton? Obama? Are they from the elite?
Clinton attached himself to Fulbright who kept him out of the draft and helped his political career, so yes, he was part of the elite, but not born to it. Obama gets a little screwy since he seems to have gone to private schools and had no school loans. Someone was picking up the tab. Since his records have been sealed, we do not know, but we can be sure, he did not work his way through on a part-time job and student loans.
Vladimir Putin does not slow down until he hits a wall, and then he just gets some dynamite. Only the threat of a fully committed US war would stop him, and he knows full well we are not committed. We need to examine the long term effects of a re-established USSR, because that’s where he’s going. First Georgia, then the Crimea, now rumblings for the rest of Ukraine.
What happens globally affects us locally.