DOJ seeks to overturn plea of Russian-linked informant whose false Biden claims fueled impeachment push
The Justice Department will ask a Pasadena court to let Alexander Smirnov withdraw his guilty plea, despite his fabricated Biden bribery allegations that were used by Donald Trump and Republicans to pursue impeachment.
Prosecutors from the Justice Department are scheduled to appear in a Pasadena federal court on September 17 to request that Alexander Smirnov, a Ukrainian-born Israeli businessman who admitted ties to Russian intelligence, be permitted to withdraw his guilty plea and receive a new trial. Smirnov was sentenced to six years after pleading guilty to lying to the FBI about a supposed $5 million bribe to Joe and Hunter Biden, a claim that was amplified by Donald Trump, conservative media and House Republicans as evidence for impeachment.
The appeal focuses on whether the trial judge honored a provision of Smirnov’s plea agreement that would have reduced his sentence to match his pre-trial detention, a point the judge denies. Former deputy attorney general Todd Blanche intervened on Smirnov’s side, prompting questions about why the Trump-aligned DOJ is aiding a convicted Russian-linked fabricator. Lawmakers and White House officials have expressed frustration that the episode received little investigative scrutiny, despite its role in a coordinated disinformation effort. If the appeal succeeds, the DOJ may drop further prosecution, effectively allowing a convicted source of election-interfering falsehoods to avoid further punishment and enabling Trump allies to continue citing the debunked allegations.
Why it matters
It reveals a Justice Department effort that could shield a convicted Russian-linked source whose false claims were used to attack the President.
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