Prosecutors are seeking a six-year prison term for ex-FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, who fabricated claims of bribery involving President Biden and his son Hunter. The allegations, which prosecutors say aimed to sway the 2020 presidential election, are now central to the Republican-led impeachment inquiry against President Biden. Smirnov, who admitted to tax evasion and lying to the FBI, will face sentencing in Los Angeles federal court.
Smirnov's false assertions suggested Ukrainian energy executives paid each Biden $5 million in 2015. Despite his claims, investigators uncovered that Smirnov only began business dealings with the company Burisma after Joe Biden's vice presidency. The misinformation generated significant political turbulence, prompting Republican calls for the FBI to release related documents, although they acknowledged the claims remained unverified. "In committing his crimes he betrayed the United States," stated the Justice Department, emphasizing his intent to disrupt a presidential election.
His legal team argues for no more than four years in prison, attributing his past collaboration with the FBI as mitigating factors. Citing serious health concerns, Smirnov's attorneys maintain that an extended sentence would exacerbate his condition and argue he's learned a "very grave lesson." The case gains further complexity as Hunter Biden's own legal challenges have been resolved with a pardon from President Biden, who criticized the politicization of his son's legal proceedings as a "miscarriage of justice." (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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