1. United States
2. Tenn.
3. Letter

I am dismayed that Senator Marsha Blackburn perpetuated unsubstantiated claims about President Biden accepting bribes from Burisma. These allegations originated from a former FBI informant, Alexander Smirnov, who has now pleaded guilty to fabricating the entire story and lying to federal agents. The FBI investigated Smirnov's statements and recommended closing the case without charges against the Bidens due to lack of evidence. Smirnov admitted his claims were motivated by bias against President Biden. Nonetheless, Senator Blackburn championed this discredited conspiracy theory, fueling an impeachment effort based on falsehoods. As an elected official, she should exercise greater diligence in validating information before lending it credibility on the national stage. Her actions undermined public trust and democratic institutions. Senator Blackburn owes the American people an apology for amplifying lies that have now been exposed and admitted to by their source.