{"id":2183548,"date":"2024-02-22T04:11:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-22T09:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fact-checking-spin-surrounding-the-ex-fbi-informant-arrested-for-biden-bribery-claims\/"},"modified":"2024-02-22T04:15:30","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T09:15:30","slug":"fact-checking-spin-surrounding-the-ex-fbi-informant-arrested-for-biden-bribery-claims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fact-checking-spin-surrounding-the-ex-fbi-informant-arrested-for-biden-bribery-claims\/","title":{"rendered":"Debunking false narratives about ex-FBI informant&#8217;s arrest for Biden bribery allegations"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffact-checking-spin-surrounding-the-ex-fbi-informant-arrested-for-biden-bribery-claims%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2183548&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Republicans\u2064 and Democrats Clash Over Indictment of Former FBI Informant<\/h2>\n<p>As\u200c the Justice Department \u2063fights to keep former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov behind\u2063 bars,\u200c Republicans and Democrats are scrambling to fit Smirnov\u2019s indictment \u200dinto their partisan narratives about President Joe Biden\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-gop-threaten-impeachment-of-attorney-general-garland\/\" title=\"House GOP threatens to impeach Attorney General Garland.\">impeachment\u2064 inquiry<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Republicans: Losing Their &#8216;Star Witness&#8217;<\/h3>\n<p>Several Democrats,\u200c including\u200d Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), have used Smirnov\u2019s \u2062arrest to undermine the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-lawmakers-inching-toward-a-bipartisan-impeachment-probe-against-andrew-cuomo\/\" title=\"New York Lawmakers \u2018Inching\u2019 Toward A Bipartisan Impeachment Probe Against Andrew Cuomo\">impeachment inquiry<\/a> \u200cby claiming Republicans have lost their most \u200dimportant witness.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>As someone\u2064 who knows a\u200b few things about impeachment, I think I can safely say: When your star witness gets\u200d indicted for fabricating his statement and repeatedly lying about the issue that is at the core of your supposed case \u2014 probably not a good sign.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But Smirnov was not a \u2063key witness in the GOP impeachment inquiry. In fact, he was \u2062never scheduled to be a witness at all.<\/p>\n<p>Republican lawmakers did not know the identity of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wray-declines-to-confirm-fbis-use-of-geolocation-data-to-track-capitol-rioters-but-says-it-would-not-surprise-me\/\" title=\"Wray Declines to Confirm FBI\u2019s Use of Geolocation Data to Track Capitol Rioters But Says It \u2018Would Not Surprise Me\u2019\">confidential human source<\/a>\u2062 behind the FD-1023 form, and a source familiar with the\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/only-an-impeachment-inquiry-can-unravel-biden-family-corruption-and-the-feds-role\/\" title=\"Impeachment inquiry needed to uncover Biden family corruption and federal involvement.\">impeachment \u200binquiry<\/a> said they did \u2064not have plans to interview \u200chim.<\/p>\n<p>Instead,\u200d Republicans\u2062 spent far more\u200b time hyping the testimony of other witnesses, including former Hunter Biden business partners Devon Archer and Tony\u200d Bobulinski, as they built \u200btheir case\u200b against Joe Biden.<\/p>\n<h3>Indictment as \u200c&#8217;Russian Disinformation&#8217;<\/h3>\n<p>Rep.\u200c Jamie Raskin (D-MD) said Wednesday \u2063that the charges against\u2062 Smirnov revealed the entire impeachment \u200dinquiry to be the product of a Russian influence operation.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cIt appears like the whole \u200bthing is not \u200bonly, obviously, \u2062false and fraudulent, but a product\u200b of Russian disinformation and propaganda,\u201d Raskin said of the impeachment effort.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Raskin\u2019s claim appears to be based on details revealed \u200dby special\u200c counsel \u2064David Weiss in\u200d a court filing asking a judge not to release Smirnov while awaiting trial. Weiss noted that Smirnov had spoken with \u200bRussian officials about the\u200b Biden\u2064 family.<\/p>\n<p>But the\u2063 impeachment inquiry\u2063 was based on far more than\u2063 the bribery claim Smirnov made in an FBI document. Republicans had been\u2063 investigating Hunter Biden\u2019s \u200crole with Burisma since August 2019, \u200dand the events that led to the start of the impeachment inquiry included testimony from IRS whistleblowers and the\u2064 discovery of secret email aliases used by Joe Biden.<\/p>\n<h3>&#8216;It Was Never Fact-Checked&#8217;<\/h3>\n<p>Claims that allegations against the Biden family had been debunked are not \u200centirely true. The FD-1023 form did go through vetting within the DOJ before the 2020 election, and the GOP\u2019s interest in the Bidens&#8217; activities\u200c in Ukraine spanned far \u2062beyond the bribery\u200b claim.<\/p>\n<p>Former U.S. Attorney\u2062 Scott Brady oversaw an effort in 2020 to \u200cvet \u200binformation\u200c related \u2064to the Biden \u200bfamily and Ukraine. Smirnov&#8217;s original interview with the \u2064FBI in 2017 was discovered during this effort, and the FBI interviewed him again\u2062 in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Jim Jordan\u2063 (R-OH) suggested that the DOJ had created\u2062 a double standard by not charging Christopher Steele, the former British\u200b intelligence officer behind the\u2064 discredited dossier of Russia collusion allegations against\u200d former President Donald Trump, while \u2062charging Smirnov for a seemingly similar offense.\u200d However, one of Steele&#8217;s main sources, Igor Danchenko, did face charges for false statements.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> To what extent does the\u200c indictment of Alexander\u200c Smirnov contribute to the ongoing polarization and partisanship in American politics?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  D), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, challenged the Republican narrative, suggesting that Smirnov\u2019s indictment could be part of a\u200b larger Russian disinformation campaign aimed at\u2062 undermining the\u2063 impeachment investigation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe know that \u2063Russia \u200chas a history of using\u2064 disinformation\u2062 tactics to \u200dsow\u200c confusion and discord,\u201d \u2064Raskin said in a statement. \u201cIt would not be surprising if they were \u2063attempting to discredit \u2062the impeachment\u2063 inquiry by undermining the credibility of potential witnesses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Raskin\u2019s comments\u2063 echo concerns raised by intelligence officials\u2064 who have warned that Russia is actively trying to interfere in \u2063U.S. elections and politics. The indictment of Smirnov, a Russian national, could\u2062 potentially\u200d be seen as part of these efforts.<\/p>\n<p>However,\u2063 Republicans counter that the indictment is a\u200d sign of the\u2063 Justice Department\u2019s commitment to pursuing justice and\u2062 holding all individuals accountable, regardless\u2064 of their political affiliations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis \u2063is not about partisan politics,\u201d said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). \u201cIf someone is indicted for criminal \u2062activity, it should not matter whether they are \u2064a \u200bRepublican or a Democrat. They should \u2062be held accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Democrats have acknowledged that Smirnov\u2019s \u200dindictment does not directly impact \u2062the impeachment inquiry but argue\u2063 that it highlights the need for a thorough and fair investigation into\u200c allegations against President Biden.<\/p>\n<h3>Polarization and Partisanship<\/h3>\n<p>The clash over Smirnov\u2019s indictment\u2063 is reflective of the broader polarization and partisanship that\u2063 currently characterizes\u200b American politics. Both Republicans and Democrats are quick \u2063to seize \u200bon any development that\u200d can be used to strengthen their respective narratives and advance \u2063their political agendas.<\/p>\n<p>In the case\u200d of Smirnov\u2019s indictment, Republicans see an\u2062 opportunity to question the integrity of the impeachment \u2062inquiry, while Democrats view it as a reminder of the importance of conducting a comprehensive investigation.<\/p>\n<p>As the \u200dinvestigation into\u200b President Biden\u2019s actions continues, it is likely that \u200bthese clashes between Republicans and Democrats will \u2064persist, further highlighting the deep \u2063divisions that exist within the U.S. political landscape.<\/p>\n<h3>Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p>The indictment of former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov has \u2063become a subject of contention between Republicans and Democrats. While Republicans \u2064argue that it undermines the impeachment inquiry, Democrats maintain that it does \u2064not \u200bdirectly impact their case. This clash reflects the polarization and partisanship that currently\u2063 pervades American politics. \u2064As\u2062 the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen how\u200c these competing narratives will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/donald-trump-jr-s-x-account-hacked\/\" title=\"Donald Trump Jr.'s X Account Breached\">shape public\u200d opinion<\/a> and influence the trajectory\u200b of the impeachment inquiry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Political spectacle. The Justice Department&#8217;s battle to detain Alexander Smirnov has ignited a frenzy among Republicans and Democrats, who are eager to exploit his indictment to bolster their respective narratives surrounding President Joe Biden&#8217;s impeachment inquiry. Special counsel David Weiss, leading the Hunter Biden investigation, recently accused Smirnov of fabricating information and causing a political uproar<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2775,"featured_media":2183549,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/collage-maker-12-aug-2023-09-41-am-3304.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2183548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/collage-maker-12-aug-2023-09-41-am-3304.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2183548","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2775"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2183548"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2183548\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2183549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2183548"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2183548"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2183548"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}