Sunday 6 October 2019

Crimes, Misdemeanors, or Bad Moral Judgement?

As all this Ukraine business unfolds, it's worth standing back to admire what happened, and if anyone really committed a crime.

Is Hunter Biden guilty of any real crime?  If he walked in and told Dad (then the VP and chief of handling Ukraine special projects) about his company being formed and getting an inside to the Ukraine natural gas industry?  That's not a crime. 

If Hunter Biden's team was successful and part of the reason that the Ukraine folks had a $1.8-billion 'gift' from the US to do exploratory drilling?  That's not a crime.

If Hunter Biden got a seat on the board of this company, while being unqualified for the role?  That's not a crime.  I admit....it is stupid on business practices. 

If Hunter Biden was paid $50k a month to be on the board?  That's not a crime.

As long as Hunter Biden paid US taxes on that and any substance-allowance while in the Ukraine....that was not a crime.

If none of the money was really used for gas exploration?  That's not a crime, unless the Ukraine itself wants to say something about the lack of progress.

If Hunter Biden did 'wash'  any funding before transferring it back into the US?  That might be a crime. 

For Joe Biden to arrange the $1.8-billion and his son got awarded the board job as part of this?  Unless there's an email to say he knew the son would get the job if they paid the money, that's not a crime.....but it very poor moral behavior on Joe's part.

If the Ukraine Attorney General tried to look at the company, Hunter's role in it, and got fired because of Joe Biden's pressure?  That's not a crime, but it's serious poor judgement and bad moral bearing.

If Nancy Pelosi's son had a business, and he got into the Ukraine natural gas business....that's not a crime.  If Nancy helped in some fashion to get him that role?  That's not a crime, but it's bad judgement.

So here's the thing....if this all get dragged into some impeachment process....unless these 'kids' did something stupid and conducted money-laundering or never reported their income correctly.....they will all skate free.  For the parents?  It's poor judgement, but I doubt if anyone can be called into court.

Onto the $10-million given to Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation.  The money actually came from a Ukrainian Oligarch.  Anything illegal about this money?  No.  It does suggest some funny connection and beg questions, but the guy was free to donate to the Foundation. 

The final question left....was it a crime to ask the Ukrainian government to investigate how this all occurred?  There is no law that says you can only talk/discuss x-matters between a President and some other international figure.  If Trump wanted to call and discuss his favorite Lego 'gift', the shape of women's boobs, or the Mexican Wall with the Pope....he's free to do so.  Bad moral judgement?  Maybe, but then you'd open up a can of worms on a dozen things that President Obama did, with bad judgement as well.

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