Nothing brings the nostalgia to high tide like the smell of nothingburgers sizzling on the old media grill. From the Washington Post:
The indictment returned by a grand jury in Los Angeles accuses Alexander Smirnov of making a false statement and creating a false and fictitious record. The charges amount to a stark rebuke of conservatives, particularly Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, who touted Smirnov’s claims as he and other Republican lawmakers tried to build a corruption case against the president and his family.
Smirnov allegedly reported to an FBI agent in 2017 that he had a phone call with the owner of the Ukrainian firm Burisma, in which it was discussed that “Public Official 1’s son, was a member of Burisma’s Board.” The fact that Hunter Biden served on the company’s board was publicly known at the time. In 2020, the indictment alleges, Smirnov brought new claims to the bureau, including that he knew of conversations from 2015 or 2016 in which Burisma executives said they hired the son “to protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems.” Those claims by Smirnov were false, the indictment alleges.
You can't underestimate the importance of Smirnov's alleged lies. The Burisma saga is central not only to the comic-opera attempt to impeach the president but, also, it was the primary counter-weapon in the first impeachment of the last president*. Over the past six years, if you gave him a nickel every time Rep. Jim Jordan said, "Burisma," he could've bought the rest of his suits. If it turns out that the whole thing was a lie, or a disinformation campaign, which in many ways would be worse, then quite a few members of Congress are likely to be called to the witness stand in any subsequent trial. Note to the Department of Justice—do not plead this guy out unless he's got photos of Chuck Grassley dancing a tango with Vladimir Putin.
While the FBI was busting Smirnov, back in Washington, they have their story and they're sticking to it. Also, it's all the FBI'S fault.
In a written statement, Comer stood by his role in the Smirnov affair, saying “the FBI’s actions in this matter are very concerning.” Comer also criticized the FBI for not being more forthcoming in what it knew about Smirnov’s claims, though it is rare for agents engaged in sensitive criminal and national security investigations to share informant accounts with elected officials.
Comer continues to be brilliant. The FBI loves being scapegoated for some elected official's blundering—See also: Mark Felt, Watergate scandal—so as Comer continues to stumble through his day, I'm sure the Bureau now will be overjoyed to cooperate. See the whole lot of you in court.
Charles P Pierce is the author of four books, most recently Idiot America, and has been a working journalist since 1976. He lives near Boston and has three children.
