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.
Can’t wait for Bush III to occupy the White House…
… Because, you know, royalty.
Paul Schulte
How can we forget that notable chickenhawk Clinton.
= = =
Now you bite that tongue of your’s.
Without Bill, Secretary Clinton couldn’t have become the first female president.
Darren Smith,
Bu, bu, but Hunter is the only one qualified….
/s
Darren – please, facts just confuse people. 😉
Max-1 – I, too, was surprised that Hunter was the only qualified candidate, but maybe it was a very very small pool of one.
It’s called “campaigning”
Mitch McConnell’s Best Weapon is His Wife
http://www.thewire.com/politics/2014/05/mitch-mcconnells-best-weapon-is-his-wife/370839/
Elites will always secure good fortunes for their heirs…
… And claim it is their heir’s responsibility to do well.
Cronyism… Despotism… running a muck.
White House Spokesman “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.”
~+~
CoughBullshitCough
I cannot believe at all that of all the companies in the world that Hunter Biden could suddenly work for, he goes to work for this Ukranian Company just after Daddy visits to quell an international crisis.
Corruption. Plain and simple.
How can we forget that notable chickenhawk Clinton.
Annie
“Armchair Generals are always the most fierce.”
The Chickenhawk database is notably short on Democrats.
http://www.nhgazette.com/chickenhawks/
Armchair Generals are always the most fierce.
Ah, yes, I had to look it up… The Christmas Bombing of Hanoi:
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-20719382
> The biggest ever bombing campaign by US B-52 aircraft took place over Christmas 40 years ago, when the US dropped at least 20,000 tonnes of explosives on North Vietnam, mostly Hanoi. More than 1,000 Vietnamese died, but some claim the assault may have helped bring about the deal signed a month later that led to an end to US involvement in the war.
I’d say getting out of Vietnam was a “win.” I guess Schulte thinks we should have stayed and killed every last NV soldier and civilian.
Schulte
“I am so hoping that McCain decides to retire.”
I bet you are. The longer he waits, the more likely a Democrat will take his seat.
Schulte
“Supak – you really do not have any military background do you?”
What does that have to do with anything? Only people who served in the military can have an opinion about war? You voted for Dick Cheney, didn’t you?
“When have I ever said Iraq never happened? ”
I said you act like it never did. Seems you don’t like to mention it. In this case, for an example of a war we didn’t try to win, you went to Vietnam when there’s a much more recent example you could have used.
“Winning Vietnam would have meant really going after then North Vietnamese targets”
You’re kidding, right? You are aware of the bombing campaign that went after NV targets known as Operation Rolling Thunder? Or do you mean we should have fire bombed Hanoi like we did Tokyo and Dresden?
“civilian interference ”
You crack me up. You mean, like the “interference” where civilians kept getting in the way of our bombs and bullets that were meant to hit actual military targets?
slohrss29
I thought John was in favor of going to war with Iran.
I am so hoping that McCain decides to retire.
Russia’s economy, although large, is tiny compared to ours, and barely able to just stay afloat (we’re taking on lots of water too, but we have a lot of tanks for that–in the meantime). There is no military threat to us. They just need us to think that way–otherwise, why spend the money??? Hey, there’s those little guys who came up out of the oil well in Superman. Maybe McCain can get after them next. Surely there’s someone out there… And they have oil!
Scott, the glibertarians are all over the place, I don’t think they really know what they want.
slohrss29:
“Looks like Russia may be yesterday’s news. Looks like McCain is foaming at the moth to bomb anything in Nigeria.”
Not only that, but remember how he said he wouldn’t go into Pakistan to get Bin Laden? How Obama should get permission from congress to go anywhere?
Well, now he seems to have changed his mind on both of those rules.
feynman
“Bill Clinton? Obama? Are they from the elite?”
Heh. The GOP hasn’t won the Presidency without a Nixon or Bush on the ticket since 1928.
Looks like Russia may be yesterday’s news. Looks like McCain is foaming at the moth to bomb anything in Nigeria. Give him a napkin for heaven’s sake. Godknowswhereistan is going down next…
Paul, And yet you want to fully commit our troops to the Ukraine and Russia?! So what happens if we are attacked by someone else, like a nutty Kim from NK? How thin do you think our military can be stretched?
My kids at Pendleton are fine, at least they’re not being shot at.
Hmmmm. This is a surprise? Funny how things got pretty quiet over there news-wise. Hard to keep pointing out how bad Putin is when the atrocities attributed to the newly illegal government pile up. Then this… OK… we see how this works. Who would’ve ever thought the mass media the size as it is here would be ultimately controlled. I wonder how many bodyguards the gas people have to hire too?? He would be a great target for many reasons. Personally, I would rather have a job here… unless I was a filthy, greedy slob who would risk myself and my family’s well-being for some stock options… just sayin’…