Chairmen Jordan and Comer Demand Transcribed Interviews with Blue Star Strategies Executives
November 29, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY) sent letters to Blue Star Strategies' Chief Executive Officer Karen Tramontano and Chief Operating Officer Sally Painter demanding transcribed interviews. The Committees have obtained information suggesting that Blue Star Strategies was involved in the arrangement between Hunter Biden and Burisma, and believe that Tramontano and Painter possess specialized information that will meaningfully advance the impeachment inquiry and assist in potential legislative reforms.
Excerpts of the letter to Karen Tramontano:
"The information available to the Committees suggests that Blue Star Strategies was involved in the arrangement between Hunter Biden and Burisma. In October 2015, Hunter Biden and his business associate and fellow Burisma board member, Devon Archer, connected Burisma to Blue Star Strategies to conduct lobbying work on behalf of Burisma. According to contemporaneous emails, Hunter Biden was instrumental in convincing Burisma to retain Blue Star's services. Emails obtained by the Ways and Means Committee reveal that the 'ultimate purpose' of Burisma's decision to retain Blue Star was 'to close down . . . any cases/pursuits against [Burisma founder and owner] Nikolay [Zlochevsky] in Ukraine.'
"The Committees have learned that while conducting work on behalf of Burisma, Blue Star leveraged Hunter Biden's name and association with Burisma to procure meetings with senior State Department officials to improve Burisma's image within the State Department. For instance, on December 10, 2015, after then-U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt was 'sharply critical of Burisma in one of his official public speeches,' you and Blue Star's Chief Executive Officer Karen Tramontano met with Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs Amos Hochstein to determine 'the factual basis for Ambassador Pyatt's statements' regarding Burisma and whether Hochstein or the State Department 'had a position about the company.' Hochstein told you that he held a 'negative' view of Burisma. On December 16, 2015, you and Ms. Painter met with Ambassador Pyatt to discuss 'how he came to his position about Burisma.' Several months later, on February 24, 2016, a State Department official explained in an email that Ms. Tramontano requested a meeting with Under Secretary of State Catherine Novelli to discuss 'remarks alleging Burisma . . . of corruption' and 'noted that two high profile U.S. citizens are affiliated with the company (including Hunter Biden as a board member).' You ultimately met with Under Secretary Novelli on March 1, 2016, to discuss 'the State Department's position regarding Burisma and how the Department came to that position.'"
Read the full letter to Karen Tramontano here.
Excerpts of the letter to Karen Tramontano:
"The information available to the Committees suggests that Blue Star Strategies was involved in the arrangement between Hunter Biden and Burisma. In October 2015, Hunter Biden and his business associate and fellow Burisma board member, Devon Archer, connected Burisma to Blue Star Strategies to conduct lobbying work on behalf of Burisma. According to contemporaneous emails, Hunter Biden was instrumental in convincing Burisma to retain Blue Star's services. Emails obtained by the Ways and Means Committee reveal that the 'ultimate purpose' of Burisma's decision to retain Blue Star was 'to close down . . . any cases/pursuits against [Burisma founder and owner] Nikolay [Zlochevsky] in Ukraine.'
"The Committees have learned that while conducting work on behalf of Burisma, Blue Star leveraged Hunter Biden's name and association with Burisma to procure meetings with senior State Department officials to improve Burisma's image within the State Department. For instance, on December 10, 2015, after then-U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt was 'sharply critical of Burisma in one of his official public speeches,' you and Blue Star's Chief Executive Officer Karen Tramontano met with Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs Amos Hochstein to determine 'the factual basis for Ambassador Pyatt's statements' regarding Burisma and whether Hochstein or the State Department 'had a position about the company.' Hochstein told you that he held a 'negative' view of Burisma. On December 16, 2015, you and Ms. Painter met with Ambassador Pyatt to discuss 'how he came to his position about Burisma.' Several months later, on February 24, 2016, a State Department official explained in an email that Ms. Tramontano requested a meeting with Under Secretary of State Catherine Novelli to discuss 'remarks alleging Burisma . . . of corruption' and 'noted that two high profile U.S. citizens are affiliated with the company (including Hunter Biden as a board member).' You ultimately met with Under Secretary Novelli on March 1, 2016, to discuss 'the State Department's position regarding Burisma and how the Department came to that position.'"
Read the full letter to Karen Tramontano here.
###