Prior to admitting to a staggering nine counts of federal tax charges, Hunter Biden found himself face-to-face with a figure integral to his mounting legal nightmares. Lev Parnas, an erstwhile ally of Rudy Giuliani who served as his Ukraine liaison, battled emotions as he expressed regret to Joe Biden’s son for his involvement in uncovering damaging allegations of political familism, which was a catalyst for the first impeachment proceedings initiated against former President Donald Trump, and the spiral of criminal investigations into Hunter Biden related to money, drugs, and firearms.
Details of this notable interchange appear at the conclusion of From Russia With Lev, a two and a half hour long documentary-cum-confession that premiered in Brooklyn recently. Scheduled for arthouse showcases throughout the week and a television debut on MSNBC on Friday, the creators of the film had not anticipated including the Biden-Parnas encounter when embarking on a comprehensive series of interviews with Parnas and his associates.
The meeting, though, didn’t take shape until July. Parnas found himself enmeshed in the political machinations that eventually landed on Ukrainian soil, hoping to amass incriminating information against political adversaries to aid Trump, who was laboring under the weight of Robert Mueller’s investigation concerning the 2016 election interference. The endgame was to weaken the credibility of Mueller and Joe Biden, at that time considering yet another bid for the presidency.
It appears Hunter Biden, who is potentially looking at up to 17 years incarceration due to his recent tax-case guilty plea and a possible additional 25 years for falsifying information on a firearm application, appeared forgiving in his demeanor. Parnas, along with an associate, were subsequently taken into custody for their purported involvement in a scheme to channel foreign funds towards a congressman in return for assistance in removing the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, a plan that resulted in a conviction and a 20-month jail sentence.
Ordered events have seen Parnas transform into a public critic of Trump, using terms like ‘unfit for office’ and ‘wanting dictator’ when describing his former ally. He has regularly expressed remorse for his role in the endeavour right-leaning factions undertook to pester Ukrainian authorities into initiating criminal investigations against the Bidens, motivated by Hunter Biden’s board membership in a Ukrainian energy company. Among conservatives, Hunter Biden’s association with Burisma is often described as a testament to the alleged Biden Crime Family, a theory Parnas rejects in Congress testimonies.
We are witnessing extensive factionalism. People fiercely argue among themselves, an outcome that Vladimir Putin relished, and we handed it to him gift-wrapped.
Hunter Biden also understands the process of reconstructing a marred reputation, having authored a book accounting for his downfall. While Parnas was marred by conspiracy theories, political foul play, and misinformation, Biden penned a memoir detailing his struggles with addiction, this culminated in him commending Parnas for taking strides towards recompense, mimicking the process of a 12-step recovery program.
Despite the probationary clouds hanging above him, Biden seized the opportunity to quiz Parnas about certain documents that later tormented him in the form of a tax lawsuit, perhaps revealing a sense of defiance in line with his reportedly scornful attitude towards his prosecutions.
Federal prosecutors relied on these very bank documents to establish a criminal case in California concerning unpaid taxes on funds Biden allegedly used to finance drugs and various nefarious activities. In order to spare his family another agonizing trial, reminiscent of the Delaware firearm case which sullied the family’s reputation with incessant whispers of unknown secrets, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty last Thursday. He is expected to receive sentencing for the tax violations around mid-December, subsequent to a mid-November sentencing for the gun conviction.
In an unexpected twist during their confrontation, Biden appears to exonerate Parnas. ‘I promise you, you’re a hero to me,’ he emotionally declared, seemingly opening the door for forgiveness.
This interaction is distressing to observe; it is also an extraordinary reminder that even in the harshest of conflicts, opportunities for resolution exist. The film, described as a ‘very gonzo story’ by Maddow, concludes with these two disparate individuals exhibiting a rare level of grace under the media spotlight, a sight remarkably absent from current politics.
It is, however, crucial to remember that despite this seemingly constructive exchange, both individuals are embroiled in significant scandals, and their actions have played a key role in shaping the tumultuous political landscape we find ourselves navigating through today.