OAN Gets Interview With Fired Ukrainian Prosecutor

One American News Network confirms it has conducted an exclusive interview with fired former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Victor Shokin, as well as other Ukrainian officials. 

Chanel Rion with Victor Shokin

Chanel Rion with Victor Shokin

OAN is the conservative news network the President has praised as one of his new favorite news outlets--a short list given his general criticism of the media. 

The interviews, which also included with another former Ukrainian Prosecutor General, Yuriy Lutsenko, were conducted by Chanel Rion in Kiev. 

Shokin is the fired prosecutor who is one of the key players at the center of the Trump impeachment investigation. 

Trump's attorney, Rudy Giuliani, told Fox News that Shokin had told him he was warned off an investigation of former VP Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.  

The impeachment investigation centered on a Trump request for an assurance that the investigation be re-launched by the new Ukrainian president, allegedly tied to a White House meeting with the Ukrainian president and financial aid to the country. 

."Shokin makes it blatantly clear why he was fired and what he was working on that led to his termination!," OAN said in teasing the interview, which it will air in segments starting Thursday (Dec. 5), with an hour special featuring multiple interviews with Ukrainian officials Dec. 15, at 10 p.m. Eastern, 7 p.m. Pacific..  

House Speaker Nance Pelosi Thursday (Dec. 5) announced the House was proceeding with drafting articles of impeachment, meaning the Democratically House is likely to impeach, but the Republican-controlled Senate is highly unlikely to convict and remove the President from office. 

CNN was reporting that Giuliani was back in Ukraine this week talking to both Shokin and Lutsenko. Giuliani would only confirm to a conservative news outlet that he was representing his client, the President. A commentator on CNN said Thursday Giuliani appeared to be aiding OAN in their series on the prosecutors, dismissing Rion as a conspiracy theorist.

“Hearing from all sides with first hand knowledge should be demanded to seek the truth prior to voting on impeachment of the President," said Charles Herring, president of channel owner Herring Networks, responding to reports the network was trying to help Giuliani in the President's defense. "Clearly every witness will need to be judged for their credibility. All Americans should be concerned when key witnesses are ignored.”

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.