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Where Are the Burisma Tapes?
Do you remember how excited Senator Chuck Grassley was when he announced that a Ukrainian gas company executive, who had allegedly bribed Joe and Hunter Biden, had 17 audio tapes of their conversations?
In making his statement, Sen. Grassley included the following:
‘According to the 1023, the foreign national possesses 15 audio recordings of phone calls between him and Hunter Biden. According to the 1023, the foreign national possesses two audio recordings of phone calls between him and then-Vice President Joe Biden.’
Grassley said the document noted the confidential human source as saying the recordings ‘were allegedly kept as a sort of insurance policy for the foreign national in case he got into a tight spot.’
In reviewing the story, which is now two months old, Grassley asked this question: “What is U.S. Attorney Weiss doing with respect to these alleged Joe and Hunter Biden recordings that are apparently relevant to the high-stakes bribery scheme?” This is a perplexing question, because nowhere else does it say that the foreign national handed over the tapes to Weiss—only that he made the tapes as an “insurance policy.” But then the question is, an insurance policy against whom? Protection from the Ukrainians? From the FBI? From David Weiss, who has been promoted to Special Counsel, even though the appointment is against policy? Let’s not forget that Weiss has also shown himself to be incompetent, partisan, and irresponsible regarding Hunter Biden’s case.
It’s way past time for Senator Grassley and James Comer of the House Oversight Committee to demand answers: are the tapes in the possession of David Weiss? If they are, when will they be released? They should also take steps to reach the foreign national to see if he kept copies of the tapes, whether he has been threatened by anyone in Ukraine or in the U.S., and if he would send copies of the tapes directly and securely to Grassley and Comer. These tapes, if legitimate, could blow open the whole case.
We need answers, and now.
Published in General
Get ’em SQ! I would like to see those produced.
Lost ’em.
Boooooo!
Kevin McCarthy confirmed he’s going ahead with the Impeacement Inquiry which will give them extra powers to subpoena documents, etc. Of course, they can ignore subpoenas, too.
“Ugh, the tapes were right there! I swear, I’d lose my Constitution if it wasn’t under glass in the National Archives.” – Uncle Sam
We have to be very careful about what is going on here. Susan, in the OP, you left out an “allegedly.”
Sen. Grassley did not announce that a Ukrainian executive has 17 audio recordings. He announced that according to a 1023 report, a foreign national has 17 such audio recordings. We don’t know whether those recordings even exist. They might, or it might be a false claim by the foreign national, or it might be a false report by someone else.
Correct.
Thanks for the post! It’s certainly significant–if true. A 1023 is not a government report, or finding of facts; it’s just a summary of an interview, IIRC. If I tell the FBI that OJ Simpson and I are Martian invaders, he or she will dutifully write it down in an “official FBI document”.
As Jerry noted; we don’t know that tapes exist or ever existed. (We sure heard a lot about the so-called Trump “pee tape”; some sensational stories are plain hogwash.) We know that someone claims they exist.
Maybe they were wiped. You know, with a cloth.
I guess I didn’t use the word “alleged” enough–
Do you remember how excited Senator Chuck Grassley was when he announced that a Ukrainian gas company executive, who had allegedly bribed Joe and Hunter Biden, had 17 audio tapes of their conversations?
were allegedly kept as a sort of insurance policy for the foreign national in case he got into a tight spot.’
“What is U.S. Attorney Weiss doing with respect to these alleged Joe and Hunter Biden recordings
These tapes, if legitimate, could blow open the whole case.
You’ve handled the story admirably, Susan! I hope it was clear that I wasn’t criticizing you or the OP, just waving the caution flag. Too many others have seized on the story as if the tapes absolutely exist.
Not at all, Gary. I even acknowledged Jerry’s comment! (My response was mainly for him.)
I felt that the tapes were overhyped from the beginning. It seemed clear that none of the good guys had actually heard the tapes or even seen them. It wasn’t even clear to me that the FBI (i.e. the bad guys) had possession of the tapes.
This is just speculation on my part, but I wonder if the Burisma dude who had made the tapes was just letting Joe & Co. know that he had them and that they had better back off in some matter.
Allegedly. ^.-
That wouldn’t surprise me, Steve. Can you see a way to get to the truth?
Questions that ask for more specifics are always a good idea, as long as they don’t get in the way of jumping to conclusions.
Hope springs eternal here too, I see. Even after the Durham fiasco you still think they’re actually going to DO something?
This kind of evidence will be difficult to hide.
They’re doing a fine job thus far.
I disagree. I think it’s premature to conclude that these investigations will go nowhere, especially if they have evidence of Biden’s illegal actions.
You base your determination based on what? Point me at a time one of these investigations went somewhere.
I didn’t say they did. The investigations are still doing on. I said if they get the specific goods on Biden, the media won’t be able to ignore it anymore and Biden will be hurt. Look I don’t want to argue with you, Ekosji. We can simply disagree.
Members of Congress can almost always be counted on to do what it takes to get re-elected. If their constituents demand that they ignore the wrongdoing of the deep state, they will ignore it.
That doesn’t mean they will all react the same way. It also depends on what they can do with the skill set they bring to the job.
I may be wrong about this, but if Weiss has the “alleged” tapes and he has special counsel status, I’m not sure he’s required to release them even with subpoenas issued from a Congressional (impeachment) inquiry. He may even be prohibited. At least until his “investigation” is complete. . . sometime after 2024.
Any lawyers care to comment?
I just assumed that because they were part of an ongoing investigation that was not really taking place, they were taken to a secure federal location administered by certified amnesiacs. Not only are those in charge of the facility incapable of responding to a FOIA request but filing such a request violates the Americans With Disabilities Act for which a RICO prosecution will likely attach.
Thank you for this enlightening assessment [snicker]
You are most welcome. Enlightening assessment is kinda my jam.
But once we think about a “statute of limitations” then it is the end of any game plan to indict Biden for these charges.
We are talking about events from 2013 to 2015. I believe that although it could be an embarrassment to Biden’s administration, no one would care about mere embarrassment.
Plus it looks like mainstream press is throwing Sleepy Joe under the bus.
(By typing the above, I am not condoning any of his or other Biden Family members’ activities. I have been angry about them since mid-2014 or so. I include Barack Obama, Victoria Nuland and others in the group for whom my animosity remains complete.)
House investigators need to get Biden family bank records. Maybe the impeachment inquiry will help with that.
Since the Bidens were greedy scuzzballs, there are surely disaffected Biden associates who would be willing to spill the beans; but they have to be willing to endure the public abuse.
If we elect a president who is determined to bring justice to Democrats, he will have a lot more power to subpoena Biden family bank records.