EXCERPT:
LEE: “I’m wondering if the State Department has any concerns or any thoughts about the Vice President’s son joining the board of directors of this Ukrainian gas company? Does -- in particular, I understand why the White House would refer this to the Vice President’s office, but does this building, diplomatically, have any concerns about potential perceptions of conflict or, slash, cronyism, which is what you have often accused the Russians of doing?"
PSAKI: "No, he’s a private citizen."
LEE: "I -- OK, but then so the -- you consider that the Russian oligarchs who control -- or the Ukrainian oligarchs who control these, they’re all private citizens as well, correct?"
PSAKI: "We certainly wouldn’t put them in the same category, Matt."
LEE: "No, I’m not suggesting that -- I’m not -- and I’m not suggesting that it should be in the same category, but I’m wondering if there are concerns from this building about the perception of -- about how the Russians and/or the Ukrainians would perceive the involvement of a son of the Vice President of the United States in this, especially given the situation."
PSAKI: "No, there are not."