Talk:Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory/FAQ: Difference between revisions

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	:'''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.		:'''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?		:'''Q''': What about Hunter Biden's laptop?
	:'''A''': The FBI has warned 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 ~~respected~~ media sources, and the situation has parallels with the Russian ] operation against Emanuel Macron in 2017. The idea that Hunter Biden, a California resident under intense public scrutiny, 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 considered dubious by mainstream sources. There are also reports of Burisma being hacked by Russian actors early in 2020. At this time, no serious sources take the laptop at face value.		:'''A''': The FBI has warned 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 reliable media sources, and the situation has parallels with the Russian ] operation against Emanuel Macron in 2017. The idea that Hunter Biden, a California resident under intense public scrutiny, 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 considered dubious by mainstream sources. There are also reports of Burisma being hacked by Russian actors early in 2020. At this time, no serious sources take the laptop at face value.
	:'''Q''': Wasn't Hunter Biden unqualified for the Burisma job?		:'''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.		:'''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.

Revision as of 05:52, 21 October 2020

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 FBI has warned 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 reliable media sources, and the situation has parallels with the Russian "Fancy Bear" operation against Emanuel Macron in 2017. The idea that Hunter Biden, a California resident under intense public scrutiny, 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 considered dubious by mainstream sources. There are also reports of Burisma being hacked by Russian actors early in 2020. At this time, no serious sources take the laptop at face value.

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.

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).