The Biden administration is demanding Fox News retract numerous stories about allegations of bribery brought against Joe and Hunter Biden by indicted ex-FBI informant Alexander Smirnov.
White House spokesman Ian Sams wrote a letter to Fox News brass this week demanding retractions of stories on its website and coverage on its primetime shows related to the discredited Biden bribery allegations brought by Smirnov to the FBI in spring 2020.
“I write to you about Fox News Channel and Fox News Digital coverage of the false, discredited ‘bribery’ allegation involving President Joe Biden, which Fox outlets have given significant coverage over the past year,” Sams wrote in a letter obtained by Mediaite. CNN first reported on the letter Thursday morning.
Sams specifically cited stories on Fox News Digital from last year giving credibility to Smirnov’s allegations and articles on the FBI document publicized by Senator Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) in July with the entirety of Smirnov’s claims. Fox News primetime hosts Sean Hannity and Jesse Watters were singled out by Sams for repeatedly covering the bribery allegations.
“We feel strongly that all Fox News Digital articles on this topic should at a minimum be updated with editor’s notes informing readers that the source of this allegation has been federally indicted for making it up. We also feel strongly that Fox News Channel television personalities like Hannity and Watters, among others, should inform their viewers on air that they have been sharing a discredited allegation from a source who has been federally indicted for making it up,” Sams said.
A federal grand jury indicted Smirnov earlier this month for giving the FBI false statements alleging Joe and Hunter Biden received $10 million worth of bribes from Ukrainian oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky, the founder of Ukrainian energy firm Burisma Holdings. Smirnov, whose identity was previously unknown, was a longtime FBI informant who was given permission to carry out illegal activities for investigative purposes multiple times, according to his indictment.
The Smirnov indictment resulted from special counsel David Weiss’s ongoing criminal investigation into Hunter Biden. Weiss and his team of prosecutors said in a detention memo Smirnov has connections to Russian intelligence officials and $6 million of assets to sustain himself. A federal judge in California ruled Monday for Smirnov to remain in jail pending trial after a Nevada judge initially let Smirnov remain free on a personal recognizance bond.
Hunter Biden was a board member of Burisma from 2014-19 and made millions of dollars from his work for the company. Burisma significantly reduced Hunter Biden’s salary after his father left office, his federal tax indictment indicates. House Republicans are pursuing an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden focused on his apparent role in his son’s foreign business dealings. Hunter Biden testified Wednesday and cited Smirnov’s case as a reason to be skeptical of the impeachment inquiry.
“FOX News Media has reported on all key developments since the announcement that Alexander Smirnov was charged with lying to the FBI, featuring the story prominently. We will continue to report on developments in all aspects of the ongoing investigations, hearings, and trials,” a Fox News spokesperson told National Review in a statement.
Sams is also trying to influence media coverage of special counsel Robert Hur’s bombshell report on his investigation into Joe Biden’s retention of classified documents. He wrote a letter to the White House Correspondents Association earlier this month seeking to influence how Hur’s report is covered by members of the press. The WHCA rejected Sams’ request and suggested he make his grievances known to individual reporters.
Hur decided against prosecuting the sitting president, but his observations about Biden’s advanced age brought renewed scrutiny to whether Joe Biden, 81, is mentally fit enough to carry out his duties. Hur is set to testify publicly next month before the House Judiciary Committee.