President Donald Trump isn't the only one who thinks former Vice President Joe Biden should be investigated for getting a Ukrainian prosecutor fired in 2014. A new column from Kentucky-based attorney Frank Friday argues that Biden violated federal law when he threatened to withhold U.S. aid from the Ukraine if a prosecutor wasn't fired. That prosecutor just happened to be investigating Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian oil and gas company that hired Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden under questionable circumstances a short time earlier.
Mr. Friday says Biden and his son may have violated the Hobbs Act, which is the federal anti-extortion law. The law prohibits bribery or the "collecting of political tribute under the color of official right. "Essentially, that means public office holders using their office to bribe or gain political favors from others.
The Hobbs Act specifically requires an "official act" to be taken on a "pending proceeding, question, or matter” before the official. In this case, it appears the pending matter was the investigation and possible prosecution of Burisma Holdings and its leaders, and the official act was what Biden bragged about on video in early 2018.
As KTRH's Sean Hannity pointed out on his show this week while reacting to Mr. Friday's piece, "You've got Joe Biden bragging about an official act, which is the firing of the prosecutor in exchange for U.S. aid...it's all on tape."
Mr. Friday points out that violating the Hobbs Act is punishable by fines and up to 20 years in prison. But whether or not the Bidens will be prosecuted or even investigated for that remains to be seen.