Hunter Biden and his business associates told Ukrainian energy firm Burisma to remove a picture of then-Vice President Joe Biden and Burisma board member Devon Archer from its website, emails from the Hunter Biden laptop archive show.
In May 2014, then-VP Biden’s counsel Demetra Lambros told Eric Schwerin, a business associate at Hunter Biden’s investment firm Rosemont Seneca Partners, to have Burisma remove an image of Joe Biden and Archer from its website, according to emails from Biden’s laptop archive.
Full story: ‘He Was A Threat’: Devon Archer Says Ukrainian Prosecutor Joe Biden Got Fired Was Going After Burisma’s Business @DailyCaller https://t.co/4Umah8JuHm
— James Lynch (@jameslynch32) August 4, 2023
“Hey, guys,” Schwerin said in a May 13, 2014 email to Hunter Biden and Archer. “There is apparently a photo of Devon and the VP on Burisma’s website (I can’t see it – the website isn’t working very well right now) but Demetra (VP Counsel) called and asked that we tell Burisma they need to take it down (legally they aren’t comfortable with the VP’s picture being up on the site as what seems like an endorsement).” (RELATED: Devon Archer Says It’s ‘Categorically False’ Joe Biden Didn’t Know About Hunter’s Business Dealings)
Schwerin was referencing then-VP Biden’s counsel Demetra Lambros, whom President Biden appointed in June 2021 to serve as Chair of the President’s Commission on White House fellowships. She previously worked with Biden in 1996 as General Counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee under then-Democratic Delaware Sen. Joe Biden’s chairmanship.
“Thanks Eric,” Archer responded. “Hunter got the call and it’s down. Was put up without authorization. Just on a Board call now and will call you this afternoon.”
“Looks like it may have been taken down…finally got on the site,” Schwerin said.
“Cool,” Schwerin followed up. “Thanks – I’ll let them know in case they haven’t seen it.”
The image of Joe Biden and Devon Archer does not appear on a version of Burisma’s website archived the following day. The now-defunct Burisma website previously featured profiles of Hunter Biden and Devon Archer on its board of directors page.
Schwerin sent multiple emails to Hunter Biden on May 13, 2014, asking about Burisma’s apparent ownership by a company registered in Cyprus and how he could explain that to Lambros. She raised the Cyprus issue to Schwerin after a Politico article detailing Hunter Biden’s Burisma board seat was published the same day.
“FYI, the only other issue Demetra raised/asked about was that there was a Cypriot connection (ownership?) of the firm and your Dad is going next week. She just raised it – nothing more than that” Schwerin said.
“The company is simply registered in Cyprus,” Hunter Biden wrote back. (RELATED: Devon Archer Appears To Confirm Hunter Biden’s Involvement In Ukrainian Oligarch’s Visa Scheme)
“That’s what I said,” Schwerin responded.
“Press is saying that not merely registered in Cyprus but is owned by a Cypriot entity named, ‘Brociti Investments.’ Demetra is asking about this. Any ideas if this is correct?” Schwerin followed up, the email archive shows.
Schwerin sent another email to Biden later in the day looking for answers to his question regarding Burisma’s ownership.
“[I]f you have any idea on the Cypriot ownership question (per my earlier email that is [sic] seems the company is owned by a Cypriot company not just registered there), that would be helpful for Demetra and I can get back to her while you are on the plane tomorrow,” Schwerin emailed Biden.
Schwerin, Biden and Archer were part of an email exchange May 13, 2014, where Rosemont Seneca executives discussed how to respond to an inquiry from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) related to Hunter Biden’s Burisma board seat, emails show.
Schwerin discussed the WSJ article May 14 and said Lambros and then-VP Biden spokesperson Kendra Barkoff’s potential questions pertaining to Burisma founder Mykola Zlochevsky’s connection to pro-Russia Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, who was removed in 2014 as a result of Ukraine’s Maidan Revolution. Zlochevsky was the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources in Yanukovych’s government prior to his ouster.
“See article below,” Schwerin said. “When I talked to your Dad’s office they seemed to think the Yanukovich connection was incorrect and that the guy sold in 2011. I assume Kendra and/or Demetra will be interested in clarifying this while you are in the air tomorrow if you know. Let me know if you have any clarity on this you want me to pass on.”
Hunter Biden forwarded the email to Archer, who told Biden he was “downstairs in the lobby,” emails show. Archer’s attorney did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller’s request for comment.
“Hunter Biden is a private citizen and a lawyer,” Barkoff told WSJ. “The vice president does not endorse any particular company and has no involvement with this company.”
Hunter Biden and Devon Archer were also a part of email exchanges on May 13, 2014, with Boies Schiller & Flexner LLP partner Heather King and Burisma executive Vadim Pozharskyi where they discussed Burisma’s response to press inquiries and the firm’s lobbying strategy.
Archer testified to the House Oversight Committee on July 31 about Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings and Joe Biden’s communication with his son’s business partners. He told the committee the Biden family “brand” allowed Burisma to stay in business and avoid legal scrutiny. (RELATED: ‘He Was A Threat’: Devon Archer Says Ukrainian Prosecutor Joe Biden Got Fired Was Going Burisma’s Business)
Devon Archer’s testimony confirms Joe and Hunter Biden had dinner with Burisma executive Vadim Pozharskyi in Washington, D.C. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/cfe2Ny06Qn
— James Lynch (@jameslynch32) August 3, 2023
Joe Biden spoke with Hunter Biden and his business associates “more than 20 times” and he attended dinner with Pozharskyi in spring 2015, Archer testified. The White House has repeatedly said the president was not in business with his son and dismissed the revelations from Archer’s testimony.
“He confirms President Biden was not involved in his son’s business,” White House spokesperson Ian Sams tweeted after Archer’s testimony. The Biden administration did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller’s request for comment.
Hunter Biden’s lawyer previously said his family members were not part of his foreign business dealings. The Daily Caller has reached out for comment.