Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is planning to force a vote on the first subpoena related to his probe involving Ukrainian energy firm Burisma Holdings and former Vice President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden, reported The Hill.
On Sunday, Senator Johnson sent a letter to members of his committee saying that it is his “intention to schedule a business meeting to consider a committee subpoena” of a former consultant for Blue Star Strategies, which Johnson noted worked as a U.S. representative for Burisma.
“As part of the committee’s ongoing investigation, it has received U.S. government records indicating that Blue Star sought to leverage Hunter Biden’s role as a board member of Burisma to gain access to, and potentially influence matters at, the State Department,” Senator Johnson wrote.
Johnson plans to subpoena Andrii Telizhenko, a former Ukrainian embassy official and former consultant for Blue Star Strategies, a firm that Burisma hired to fight against corruption allegations.
Telizhenko, who was a consultant for Blue Star from July 2016 to June 2017, has provided some documents to the committee, according to Johnson. But he says that he cannot turn over others without a subpoena because they are protected by a non-disclosure agreement, reported Daily Caller.
“He cannot provide this responsible information unless he is compelled to do so by subpoena,” Johnson wrote to Peters in his letter, which was reported by Catherine Herridge at CBS News. (Continued Below)
Hunter Biden, who joined Burisma’s board in April 2014, is reportedly who linked the energy company up with Blue Star Strategies. Biden served on the board of the Truman National Security Project, a liberal national security think tank, with Sally Painter, one of Blue Star’s co-founders, as per Daily Caller.
“As part of the Committee’s ongoing investigation, it has received U.S. government records indicating that Blue Star sought to leverage Hunter Biden’s role as a board member of Burisma to gain access to, and potentially influence matters at, the State Department,” Johnson wrote in his letter.
Catherine Herridge posted the letter on Twitter Monday, highlighting key areas and tweeted: “SCOOP: Chairman Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee @RonJohnsonWI wants to subpoena witness tied to US firm and Burisma where the former Vice President’s son sat on the board. Letter obtained @CBSNews says government records indicate concerns warranted”. (See Below)
Herridge posted pictures on Twitter of Senator Johnson’s letter, highlighting key areas:
Catherine Herridge’s official tweet:
SCOOP: Chairman Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee @RonJohnsonWI wants to subpoena witness tied to US firm and Burisma where the former Vice President’s son sat on the board. Letter obtained @CBSNews says government records indicate concerns warranted pic.twitter.com/BBoTB0lGh0
— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) March 2, 2020
