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Revision as of 23:32, 20 October 2020 editJzG (talk | contribs)Edit filter managers, Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Page movers, New page reviewers, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers155,078 edits ←Created page with ':'''Q''': Why is this presented as a conspiracy theory when the New York Post and others say it is true? :'''A''': The New York Post is not considered reliable b...'  Latest revision as of 02:42, 19 February 2022 edit undoJr8825 (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, New page reviewers, Pending changes reviewers11,393 editsm Reverted 1 edit by 2A02:A313:823D:4E00:F4BD:9E9A:424B:A7BE (talk) to last revision by Starship.paintTags: Twinkle Undo 
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:'''Q''': Why is this presented as a conspiracy theory when the New York Post and others say it is true? :'''Q''': Why is this presented as a conspiracy theory when the ''New York Post'' and others say it is true?
:'''A''': The New York Post is not considered reliable by Misplaced Pages, and the core components of the conspiracy theory have been known to be false since 2016. :'''A''': The factual reliability of the ''New York Post'' has been ] by editors, and there is a consensus that it is not a ]. The core components of the conspiracy theory have been known to be false since 2016.
:'''Q''': But Joe Biden withheld US aid to get Ukrainian President Poroshenko to fire the prosecutor! :'''Q''': Didn't Joe Biden withhold US aid to get Ukrainian President Poroshenko to fire the Prosecutor General?
:'''A''': Viktor Shokin was widely regarded as corrupt. There were demands for his removal from within Ukraine as early as June 2015, before Joe Biden got involved. US policy for removal was bipartisan, and the US was joined by the European Union, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Shokin was removed after an overwhelming vote of the Ukrainian Parliament in March 2016. Contemporaneous investigations showed no evidence of undue influence. :'''A''': ] was widely regarded as corrupt. There were demands for his removal from within Ukraine as early as June 2015, before any international involvement. The US policy seeking his removal was bipartisan, and the US was joined by the European Union, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Shokin was removed after an overwhelming vote of the Ukrainian Parliament in March 2016. Extensive investigations showed no evidence of undue influence.
:'''Q''': But Shokin was investigating Burisma! :'''Q''': But wasn't Shokin investigating Burisma?
:'''A''': No, the entire problem was that he was ''not'' investigating Burisma, or multiple other companies. The investigation of Burisma was on hold, and there is evidence that Shokin was pursuing investigations only when the companies refused to pay bribes. Removing Shokin made it ''more'' likely that Burisma would be investigated, not less. :'''A''': No, the entire problem was that he was ''not'' investigating Burisma, or multiple other companies. The investigation of Burisma was on hold, and there is evidence that Shokin was pursuing investigations only when the companies refused to pay bribes.
:'''Q''': But the laptop! :'''Q''': What about Hunter Biden's laptop?
:'''A''': The FBI has been warning since 2019 that Rudy Giuliani is being used as a conduit for disinformation by Russian intelligence. The provenance of the laptop is considered dubious by all mainstream sources, and the entire operation has parallels with the Russian "Fancy Bear" operation against Emanuel Macron in 2017. The idea that Hunter Biden, a California resident, would drop off an unencrypted laptop at a Delaware computer shop run by a Trump supporter, rather than use an Apple store or a local trusted repairer, is also considered dubious by mainstream sources. At this time, no serious sources take the laptop at face value.
:'''A''': The authenticity of the laptop has not been verified. The provenance of the laptop, its contents, and the circumstances of how the laptop came to public scrutiny is questionable. Repair shop owner Mac Isaac, a Trump supporter who passed the laptop to Giuliani and the FBI, was not able to identify Hunter Biden as the person who gave him the laptop. Mac Isaac’s accounts concerning the laptop have been inconsistent and sometimes contradictory. Hunter Biden is unsure whether the laptop is his, but said there could have been a laptop stolen from him, or that it could be that a laptop of his was hacked. No information purported to come from the laptop has implicated Joe Biden in any misconduct. The FBI acquired the devices via a grand jury subpoena in December of 2019, though it was unclear if the seizure related to an investigation of Hunter Biden. The law enforcement assumption is that the laptop is Biden's.
:'''Q''': But Hunter Biden was not qualified for the Burisma job! :'''Q''': Wasn't Hunter Biden unqualified for the Burisma job?
:'''A''': Hunter Biden had experience as a corporate lawyer, an EVP of a bank, and in government. He was hired to advise on corporate governance. It is not a stretch to assume that this was in part at least due to his name, but there was no nepotism involved - he was not hired to a job by a family member, or due to a family member's influence. :'''A''': Hunter Biden had experience as a corporate lawyer, as executive vice president of a bank, and in government. He was hired to advise on corporate governance, although he did not have experience with Ukrainian regulatory affairs. It is not a stretch to assume he was hired in part due to his name, but this does not mean nepotism was involved – he was not hired by a family member.
:'''Q''': But Hunter Biden had drug and alcohol problems! :'''Q''': Didn't Hunter Biden have drug and alcohol problems?
:'''A''': This is well known and openly acknowledged. Joe Biden spoke about it in the first presidential debate. :'''A''': This is well known and openly acknowledged - Joe Biden even discussed it in the first Presidential debate.
:'''Q''': But you're representing mainstream media as truth, when conservative media says a different thing!
:'''A''': The opposite of mainstream is fringe. The opposite of conservative is liberal. Mainstream media contradicting the fringe narrative includes the '']'' and the '']''. :'''Q''': Aren't you representing mainstream media as the truth, when conservative media says a different thing?
:'''A''': Editors measure the reliability of sources against a standard ], including ]. A source's political orientation, liberal or conservative, is not a factor. Editors then aim to give due weight to sources that are known to be reliable, while avoiding giving undue weight to sources that are known to be less reliable (for more information, see ]). Our policies do not state that extraordinary claims and ], such as the Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory, need to be presented along with commonly accepted mainstream scholarship as if they were of equal validity (see ]).

Latest revision as of 02:42, 19 February 2022

Q: Why is this presented as a conspiracy theory when the New York Post and others say it is true?
A: The factual reliability of the New York Post has been discussed multiple times by editors, and there is a consensus that it is not a reliable source. The core components of the conspiracy theory have been known to be false since 2016.
Q: Didn't Joe Biden withhold US aid to get Ukrainian President Poroshenko to fire the Prosecutor General?
A: Viktor Shokin was widely regarded as corrupt. There were demands for his removal from within Ukraine as early as June 2015, before any international involvement. The US policy seeking his removal was bipartisan, and the US was joined by the European Union, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Shokin was removed after an overwhelming vote of the Ukrainian Parliament in March 2016. Extensive investigations showed no evidence of undue influence.
Q: But wasn't Shokin investigating Burisma?
A: No, the entire problem was that he was not investigating Burisma, or multiple other companies. The investigation of Burisma was on hold, and there is evidence that Shokin was pursuing investigations only when the companies refused to pay bribes.
Q: What about Hunter Biden's laptop?
A: The authenticity of the laptop has not been verified. The provenance of the laptop, its contents, and the circumstances of how the laptop came to public scrutiny is questionable. Repair shop owner Mac Isaac, a Trump supporter who passed the laptop to Giuliani and the FBI, was not able to identify Hunter Biden as the person who gave him the laptop. Mac Isaac’s accounts concerning the laptop have been inconsistent and sometimes contradictory. Hunter Biden is unsure whether the laptop is his, but said there could have been a laptop stolen from him, or that it could be that a laptop of his was hacked. No information purported to come from the laptop has implicated Joe Biden in any misconduct. The FBI acquired the devices via a grand jury subpoena in December of 2019, though it was unclear if the seizure related to an investigation of Hunter Biden. The law enforcement assumption is that the laptop is Biden's.
Q: Wasn't Hunter Biden unqualified for the Burisma job?
A: Hunter Biden had experience as a corporate lawyer, as executive vice president of a bank, and in government. He was hired to advise on corporate governance, although he did not have experience with Ukrainian regulatory affairs. It is not a stretch to assume he was hired in part due to his name, but this does not mean nepotism was involved – he was not hired by a family member.
Q: Didn't Hunter Biden have drug and alcohol problems?
A: This is well known and openly acknowledged - Joe Biden even discussed it in the first Presidential debate.
Q: Aren't you representing mainstream media as the truth, when conservative media says a different thing?
A: Editors measure the reliability of sources against a standard set of guidelines, including news organisations. A source's political orientation, liberal or conservative, is not a factor. Editors then aim to give due weight to sources that are known to be reliable, while avoiding giving undue weight to sources that are known to be less reliable (for more information, see WP:WEIGHT). Our policies do not state that extraordinary claims and fringe theories, such as the Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory, need to be presented along with commonly accepted mainstream scholarship as if they were of equal validity (see WP:VALID).