Dmytro Firtash Attorney Lanny J. Davis Calls on Editor of Kyiv Post to Commit to Comply With "Code of Principles" of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) and Correct the Record From its "False and Defamatory" September 3 Piece on Firtash

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lanny J. Davis, American attorney for Dmytro Firtash, today challenged the Kyiv Post for refusing to correct the record after a false and defamatory attack piece by writer Daryna Antoniuk attacking Dmytro Firtash was published on September 3. "You can have your opinions," Davis said about the Antoniuk piece, "but you can't make up your own facts."

Antoniuk described attorney Davis as a "foe" of Ukraine because of his lengthy article published two days before on September 1 in the prominent national security and foreign policy outlet RealClearDefense. See Davis's RealClearDefense piece here.

Davis subsequently denied Antoniuk's charge in a letter to the editor of the Kyiv Post emailed on the same day, adding:

"The only conclusion here is that Ms. Antoniuk labels me a 'foe' of Ukraine because I spoke the truth…It follows that Ms. Antoniuk would label someone who lies a 'friend' of Ukraine."

Davis also reminded the Kyiv Post editor that more than seven years ago, the Kyiv Post had published a lengthy op-ed by Firtash calling for a "strong" and "independent" Ukraine.

Despite Davis's repeated requests, the letter to the editor has still not been published.

Today, Davis called on Kyiv Post editor Bonner to explain why he had refused to become a "Verified Signatory" of the "Code of Principles" of one of the world's most widely respected global fact-checking journalistic organizations – the International Fact Checking Network ("IFCN").  

This was in contrast, Davis pointed out, to major news organizations in the U.S., Europe, and Ukraine, such as the Washington Post, USA Today, the Pulitzer Prize winning PolitiFact at the Tampa Bay Times, and news organizations and websites from virtually every European nation, including Ukraine. See full list of more than 150 IFCN Verified Signatories around the globe here.

The IFCN signatory in Ukraine is one of the world's most-respected journalistic fact-checking groups, called StopFake.org. StopFake is part of the Media Reforms Center at the Kyiv School of Journalism (Kyiv-Mohula University). StopFake confirms that is a Verified Signatory to the IFCN Code of Principles on its website. It states: "Integrity is important for us. So when we publish an error, we acknowledge it and correct it as quickly as possible, both online and on social media."

Firtash Attorney Davis asked the Kyiv Post's editor Bonner to explain why, if Kyiv-Mohula University's StopFake has committed to the IFCN's Code to correct the record and fact-check – and so many leading journalistic organizations and websites in the U.S., Europe, and around the world have done so – why does the Kyiv Post still refuse to do so? 

Davis ended his letter to the editor sent to Bonner expressing his hope "that the dystopian world of former President Trump, who called lies 'alternative facts' is behind us." Yet, Davis continued, it seems Bonner and Antoniuk appear not to have learned that lesson. 

Davis promised to continue to press the Kyiv Post and editor Bonner to correct the record on the distortions contained in Antoniuk's piece and to join the StopFake group in becoming a Verified Signatory to the IFCN Code of Principles. 

Lanny Davis, attorney for Dmytro Firtash, is a founding partner of the Washington D.C. law firm of Davis Goldberg & Galper PLLC and a former Special Counsel to President Bill Clinton and served on a privacy and civil liberties oversight committee for President George W. Bush. 

DISSEMINATED BY DAVIS, GOLDBERG & GALPER PLLC, A REGISTERED FOREIGN AGENT, ON BEHALF OF DMITRY FIRTASH. MORE INFORMATION IS ON FILE WITH THE DEPT OF JUSTICE, WASHINGTON DC.

Contact:          
Alex Lange
202-480-4309
[email protected]

SOURCE Lanny Davis