Catalina for Congress
The Justice Department is investigating a Democrat consulting firm tied to Burisma Holdings, which Hunter Biden was on the board of, for potentially illegal lobbying. The investigation into Blue Star Strategies follows the Justice Department’s increase in investigations of foreign entities’ attempts to influence U.S. politics, so far most of these investigations have been focused on Republicans connected to former President Trump.
Politico reports:
One focus of the investigation is whether the firm failed to comply with disclosure requirements under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, a law that requires Americans to disclose lobbying and public affairs work for foreign officials and political parties. There is no indication that Hunter Biden is a target of the investigation into Blue Star. Karen Tramontano, one of Blue Star’s co-founders, testified that Hunter Biden did not direct any of the firm’s work for Burisma.
But it is the firm’s work for Burisma Holdings, an energy company based in Ukraine facing allegations of corruption, that has subjected Blue Star to government scrutiny. Blue Star did not disclose its work for Burisma in any federal lobbying databases. Such disclosures would have revealed when the firm started working for Burisma and when it concluded its work.
In November 2015, its co-founders took on a troubled client: Burisma Holdings, an energy company based in Ukraine whose founder tussled with British authorities over millions of dollars and who faced accusations of corruption from the then U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. Then-Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, was on the company’s board at the time.
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According to Congressional testimony, Blue Star’s co-founders met with U.S. government officials as part of their work for Burisma. They had not disclosed to the Justice Department that Burisma was a client, which could potentially put them in legal jeopardy, said a former top DOJ official.
According to sources, there has already been grand jury activity related to the investigation.
Catalina for Congress
