The trial of Alexander Smirnov, the former FBI informant facing charges for alleged false statements concerning the business connections of Joe Biden and Hunter Biden in Ukraine, has been postponed until early December—weeks after the 2024 presidential election.
The trial was initially set to begin in Los Angeles on April 23, but the start date was pushed back following a joint request from special counsel David Weiss and Smirnov's defense team. They cited the need for extra time to adequately prepare for the proceedings.
Smirnov's attorneys said a failure to grant the time would "deny them reasonable time necessary for effective preparation, taking into account the exercise of due diligence."
The motion also pointed to additional time necessary to bring classified material into discovery, noting they would have to go through the Classified Procedures Act.
U.S. District Judge Otis Wright, who is presiding over the trial, granted the request.
Smirnov's trial is now scheduled to begin Dec. 3 at 9:30 a.m.
Weiss charged Smirnov, 43, in February after he alleged Joe Biden and Hunter Biden were paid millions in exchange for their help in firing a Ukrainian prosecutor who was at the time investigating the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma Holdings. Hunter Biden sat on the board of that company when Shokin was removed from his post.
It must be nice to request a delay and have it approved. You know who never seems to successfully get his trials delayed until after the election? Donald Trump.
Prosecutors have accused Smirnov of peddling lies "that could impact U.S. elections," highlighting his alleged lies about a supposed multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving the Bidens and Burisma Holdings.
Prosecutors say Smirnov falsely told his handler that Burisma executives paid Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter $5 million each around 2015.
Smirnov pleaded not guilty to making a false statement. He is being held without bail after a judge denied his request for release.
Frankly, I think it’s important to question why Trump gets to be manhandled by the legal system so that his show trials can be used against him and potentially prevent him from returning to the White House, while a trial that could bring damaging information to light about Biden’s corruption gets to be put off until after.
I was immediately suspicious of Smirnov's indictment. The main reason is that the Biden administration fought hard to keep the FD-1023 with Smirnov's allegations under wraps, which suggests a belief that the accusations within it were legitimate. The FBI claimed they were concerned about their informant's safety as their rationale for secrecy, which makes no sense if he was a liar. Furthermore, former U.S. Attorney Scott Brady had previously endorsed the claims as credible after vetting them. It's also quite suspicious that Smirnov was suddenly accused of lying after years of being a highly esteemed informant known for providing accurate intelligence, and having profited considerably from his collaboration with the FBI.
Related: Biden’s DOJ Arrests Former FBI Informant Who Alleged Burisma Biden Bribes, and I Have Questions
The timing of Smirnov's indictment by the Biden administration also raised questions, because it took place in the middle of the House Republicans' impeachment investigation. The indictment prompted many Democrats to falsely claim that the entire case against Biden had collapsed.
It's amazing how the system works against Trump and Republicans, but for Democrats and Biden, isn't it?
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