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| image via FoxNews |
JOE Biden's son Hunter allegedly sent "thousands of dollars" to people who may have been involved in prostitution or human trafficking, according to a controversial report by Senate Republicans.
The 87-page report was released on Wednesday by the Republican-led Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Finance Committee - it looks into the younger Biden's alleged dealings in Ukraine.
It claims Biden sent funds to "non-resident alien women in the United States who are citizens of Russia and Ukraine and who have subsequently wired funds they have received from Hunter Biden to individuals located in Russia and Ukraine", reports the New York Post.
The report alleges "some of these transactions are linked to what 'appears to be an Eastern European prostitution or human trafficking ring'."
The claims are contained in a footnote in a section of the report that details potential "criminal concerns and extortion threats" to the Biden family.
Hunter's work in Ukraine has long been a line of attack for Donald Trump and his campaign, claiming there was a conflict of interest as his dad was vice president at the time.
Biden's campaign have panned the long-expected final report as a politically charged hatchet job.
They said its based on a "long-disproven, hardcore rightwing conspiracy theory" and previously branded it "disgraceful".
The controversial report has been released just six weeks before what is looking set to be a tightly fought presidential election November 3.
Republican Senator Mitt Romney also criticized the report before its release, sayings its not the role of government for "taxpayer expense to be used in an effort to damage political opponents".
The Republican report also cites "extensive public reporting concerning Hunter Biden’s alleged involvement with prostitution services".
The exact nature of the allegations is unclear.
It adds: "Records on file with the Committees do not directly confirm or refute these individual reports.
"However, they do confirm that Hunter Biden sent thousands of dollars to individuals who have either: 1) been involved in transactions consistent with possible human trafficking; 2) an association with the adult entertainment industry; or 3) potential association with prostitution."
The report did not implicate the Bidens in any wrongdoing, but focused on accusing Hunter of "cashing in" on his dad's Obama administration position by joining the board of a Ukrainian gas company Burisma Holdings.
Republican senators Ron Johnson, a close Trump ally, and Chuck Grassley released the report which argued Hunter's position was "problematic" and "did interfere in the efficient execution of policy with respect to Ukraine".
However, it added "the extent to which Hunter Biden’s role on Burisma’s board affected US policy toward Ukraine is not clear".
The report found that two Obama administration officials, Amos Hochstein and George Kent, were concerned back in 2015 that Ukraine policy would be a conflict of interest with Hunter’s ties to the gas company.
The report’s executive summary stated: “This investigation has illustrated the extent to which officials within the Obama administration ignored the glaring warning signs when the vice president’s son joined the board of a company owned by a corrupt Ukrainian oligarch.
“Even though Hunter Biden’s position on Burisma’s board cast a shadow over the work of those advancing anticorruption reforms in Ukraine, the Committees are only aware of two individuals who raised concerns to their superiors.
“Despite the efforts of these individuals, their concerns appear to have fallen on deaf ears.”
Johnson defended the report when speaking to reporters, saying there is "nothing political about this".
The Biden campaign meanwhile as accused Johnon was wasting months on the report when it should be looking at the "catastrophically botched" response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Senator Romney, a frequent Trump critic, blasted the efforts from his own party over the report earlier this month.
He said: "Obviously, it is the province of campaigns and political parties’ opposition research, the media, to carry out political endeavors, to learn about or dust up one’s opponent.
"But it’s not the legitimate role of government or Congress, or for taxpayer expense to be used in an effort to damage political opponents."
Johnson's spokesman Ben Voelkel however hit back and said "the American people have the right to know” the facts of the investigation".
He added: ". The Committee is expressly authorized to investigate conflicts of interest, and its investigation into Burisma and US-Ukraine policy began well before the Democratic nominee for President had been decided."
Trump's request to Ukraine to investigate the Bidens spurred the impeachment case against him, over which he was acquitted in February.
The Sun Online has contacted the Biden campaign for comment.
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